Help - translation of one sentence

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chihyi
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Help - translation of one sentence

Post by chihyi »

Hello, all,

I just began to learn ancient Greek by myself last year. There is a sentence of a reading exercise from Menander, Monostichoi, which I don't understand...

λύπης ἰατρός ἐστιν ἀνθρώποις λόγος
(Word is the doctor of pain to the people. Does it make sense?)

Thanks,
FangYi

Qimmik
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Re: Help - translation of one sentence

Post by Qimmik »

Talk therapy is the doctor of pain for humanity.

That's anachronistic, to be sure, but I think that may convey what he's driving at. Talking through your grief is therapeutic.

Victor
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Re: Help - translation of one sentence

Post by Victor »

Words being therapeutic was something of a commonplace for the Greeks. You can find more information here for a start: https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstr ... sequence=5

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