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
It is perhaps an epigram by Leonidas of Tarentum, Greek Anthology VII, 264 or 266 but the text is unavailable on-line.
On the same subject :
Leonidas of Alexandria, GA VII, 675
a)/tromoj e)k tu/mbou lu/e pei/smata nauhgoi=o·
xh)mw=n o)llume/nwn a)/lloj e)nhopo/rei
“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.”
Also Theodorides, GA VII, 282
nauhgou= ta/foj ei)mi/· su\ de\ ple/e· kai\ ga\r o(/q’ h(mei=j
w)llu/meq’ ai( loipai\ nh=ej e)pontopo/roun
“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.”
Please put my “English” translations right !
:-\
[size=150]θαυμάζω· ταχὺ δὴ ταῦθ’ εὕρηκας
! br /br /
[quote author=Skylax link=board=2;threadid=264;start=0#1518 date=1058469060]
It is perhaps an epigram by Leonidas of Tarentum, Greek Anthology VII, 264 or 266 but the text is unavailable on-line.
[/quote]
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…
The quote on the wall is maybe only inspired by the two epigrams I’ve quoted above.
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.
Let’s find a consolation from Greek Anthology, VII, 350 :
Nauti/le, mh\ peu/qou ti/noj e)nqa/de tu/mboj o(/d’ ei)mi/,
a)ll’ au)to\j po/ntou tu/gxane xrhstote/rou.
“Seaman, don’t inquire whose grave I am, rather get yourself a more useful sea.”
(Any correction welcome)
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.