the greek anthology

[shamlin]

I am trying to find out about a quote that hangs on the wall in my summer cottage. It reads "A shipwrecked sailor buried on this coast sets sail. Full many a gallant bark when we were lost weathered the gale." I have determined that it is an epigram from the Greek Anthology. Does anyone know anything about this quote? Who is attributed to? Which epigram is it. Thanks

[Skylax]

It is perhaps an epigram by Leonidas of Tarentum, Greek Anthology VII, 264 or 266 but the text is unavailable on-line.<br /><br />On the same subject :<br /><br />Leonidas of Alexandria, GA VII, 675<br /><br /> a)/tromoj e)k tu/mbou lu/e pei/smata nauhgoi=o·<br />xh)mw=n o)llume/nwn a)/lloj e)nhopo/rei<br /><br />"Without fear remove the ropes (= cast off the moorings) from the tomb of the shipwrecked sailor : even when we were on the road to ruin, another one kept on sailing."<br /><br />Also Theodorides, GA VII, 282<br /><br />nauhgou= ta/foj ei)mi/· su\ de\ ple/e· kai\ ga\r o(/q' h(mei=j<br />w)llu/meq' ai( loipai\ nh=ej e)pontopo/roun<br /><br />"I am the tomb of a shipwrecked sailor, but you, sail on : for when we were going down, the other ships were reaching the harbour."<br /><br />Please put my "English" translations right ! <br /> :-\

[annis]

[quote author=Skylax link=board=2;threadid=264;start=0#1518 date=1058469060]<br />It is perhaps an epigram by Leonidas of Tarentum, Greek Anthology VII, 264 or 266 but the text is unavailable on-line.<br />[/quote]<br /><br />[face=SPIonic]qauma/zw: taxu\ dh\ tau=q' eu(/rhkaj[/face]! <br /><br />

<br />On the same subject :<br /><br />Leonidas of Alexandria, GA VII, 675<br /><br /> a)/tromoj e)k tu/mbou lu/e pei/smata nauhgoi=o·<br />xh(mw=n o)llume/nwn a)/lloj e)nhopo/rei<br /><br />"Without fear remove the ropes (= cast off the moorings) from the tomb of the shipwrecked sailor : even when we were on the road to ruin, another one kept on sailing."<br />

<br /><br />This translation is a little florid. "Fearless from tomb loose ropes of-a-sailor: // (while) even us being-destroyed, another was/kept-on sailing." Sense requires "of-a-sailor" modify "tomb" not "ropes." The first clause of the second line is of course genitive absolute.<br /><br />

<br />Also Theodorides, GA VII, 282<br /><br />nauhgou= ta/foj ei)mi/· su\ de\ ple/e· kai\ ga\r o(/q' h(mei=j<br />w)llu/meq' ai( loipai\ nh=ej e)pontopo/roun<br /><br />"I am the tomb of a shipwrecked sailor, but you, sail on : for when we were going down, the other ships were reaching the harbour."<br />

<br /><br />"Of-a-sailor tomb I am; but you sail; for even when we \\ were-being-destroyed, the remaining ships were-sailing."<br /><br />There's nothing about harbors in the second one at all.<br /><br />It's interesting to note that [face=SPIonic]o)/llumi[/face] is the verb for being destroyed/dying at sea.

[Skylax]

[quote author=William Annis link=board=2;threadid=264;start=0#1523 date=1058476503]<br /><br />[face=SPIonic]qauma/zw: taxu\ dh\ tau=q' eu(/rhkaj[/face]! <br /><br />[/quote]<br /> <br />oude\n me\n qaumasto/n, w)= fi/ltate. e(ni\ ga\r tou/twn tw=n e)pigramm/atwn pa/lai h)/dh e)xrhsa/mhn a)skh/sewj e(/nek' e)n didaskalei/w| I've found the epigram by Leonidas of Alexandria in an edition which refers to the two others epigrams by Leonidas of Tarentum. I hope I'll see the text in the next few days.<br /><br />

<br />There's nothing about harbors in the second one at all.<br />

<br /><br />I've overstressed the idea of safety implied by pontopore/w "to pass over the sea" , because the meaning of the poem is : "I died but the other didn't" i.e. they were brought to safety... (they passed over the sea... and reached a harbour).<br /><br />XAIPE

[Skylax]

[quote author=Skylax link=board=2;threadid=264;start=0#1518 date=1058469060]<br />It is perhaps an epigram by Leonidas of Tarentum, Greek Anthology VII, 264 or 266 but the text is unavailable on-line.<br />[/quote]<br /><br />No, it is not... I saw the epigrams I mentioned. No relationship with the inscription on the wall. I've also tried to read all the epigrams about shipwrecked persons in the Greek Anthology. I read 71 epigrams, without result. Maybe I missed the right one...<br /><br />The quote on the wall is maybe only inspired by the two epigrams I've quoted above.<br /><br />By the way, I don't understand the meaning of "a shipwrecked sailor buried on this coast sets sail". Is it metaphoric? I am unable to visualize what is happening.<br /><br />Let's find a consolation from Greek Anthology, VII, 350 :<br /><br /> Nauti/le, mh\ peu/qou ti/noj e)nqa/de tu/mboj o(/d' ei)mi/,<br />a)ll' au)to\j po/ntou tu/gxane xrhstote/rou.<br /><br />"Seaman, don't inquire whose grave I am, rather get yourself a more useful sea."<br />(Any correction welcome)

[Orexis]

Μὴ εῖναι βασιλικὴν ἀτραπὸν ἐπὶ γεωμετρίαν.[/code]

[Lex]

Μὴ εῖναι βασιλικὴν ἀτραπὸν ἐπὶ γεωμετρίαν.[/code]

Please read the post tacked to the top of the forum regarding the local standard for representing Greek. Thanks.