Those Crazy Greeks

[pster]

I am trying to figure out what Eumolopo is saying at the end of a scene in Fellini's Satyricon. The actor switches from Italian to Greek and says a few words that the English subtitles give as "Those crazy Greeks". Phonetically, it sounds something like: OI (H)EE GREKOEE TESTEMANT(A). The first five letters I have indicated here may very well just be the plural article. Anybody have a guess as to whether it is Ancient or Modern Greek and what he might be saying?

[IreneY]

Now it's driving me crazy (found it in the following link after logging in via facebook : http://movieclips.com/gx2A-fellini-saty ... n-for-art/ )

The first part sounds to me a bit like oloi oi grekoi (all the Greeks) but the last (sth like "taskema" is what I hear) I just can't place.

[pster]

Sorry about that. I actually worried about that a bit in the back of my mind, that one of you folks who know both Greeks might become obsessed. I memorized the Italian, so understanding the Greek is the cherry on top.

So you think it is Ancient Greek? I expected it to be Ancient knowing Fellini. The only thing I can say is that perhaps somehow money or the starving artist or (passion for) art/science/philosophy or genius might have some bearing on it since those are the themes of the scene, especially poverty and genius. But there aren't a lot of syllables to somehow give one of those themes a "crazy" twist.

taskema=ta skemma=the examininings?

σκέμμα , ατος, τό, (σκέπτομαι)
A. subject for speculation or reflection, problem, Hp.Acut.9, Pl.R.435c, 445a, Phld.Rh.1.202 S.
II. speculation, Pl.Cri.48c; “τὸ ς. περὶ δυοῖν ἐστίν” Arist.Pol.1285b37.
III. scheme, plot, J.BJ1.24.6.

That seems pretty good actually. Maybe we can just explain the "crazy" part away with lazy translators doing the subtitles.

But I listened some more and I just don't hear a K. I hear three Ts, especially a very distinct loud one at the end. According to my notes, my Italian tutor also heard a couple of Ts.

Actually, the thing to do is to check the Petronius....Here is a three hundred year old translation. If you search for the fourth appearance of "painting" you will get the scene: http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext04/7pasw10a.txt But I assume the Greek would have been translated also. I don't see anything anyway. I'll check closely tomorrow.

Thanks again!

[IreneY]

Nah, don't worry, I'm an obsessive creature looking for things to get obsessed with

Now however I'm more confused since, upon listening to it again I heard the word "Graeculi" (which helped me find the original text) :

Noli ergo mirari, si pictura defecit, cum omnibus dis hominibusque formosior videatur massa auri, quam quicquid Apelles Phidiasque, Graeculi delirantes, fecerunt.

Source

The last word he says though can't be "delirantes" could it?

[pster]

No. I don't hear anything like that. The only thing I can think to do is to search the Satyricon for Greek, but that's not easy on the site you linked to. Of course, Fellini may very well have just added that to show Eumolpo's learning; indeed, that is likely the case.

[pster]

I think he goes back to Italian at the end: testa matta = madcap. I'll look into it more when I'm back from vacation.