List of Greek Phrases/Proverbs
Α / A
Αγεωμετρητος μηδεις εισιτω
- Ageômetriêtos mêdeis eisitô.
- "Let no-one without geometry enter". Motto over the entrance to Plato's Academy.
Αει φερει τι Λιβυη κακον καινον
- Aei pherei Libyê kakon/kainon.
- "Libya always bears something evil/new", Aristotle. (Cf. Latin[?] Ex Africa semper aliquid novi, "From Africa always something new".)
Αει κολοιος παρα κολοιω ιζανει
- Aei koloios para koloiô hizanei.
- "A jackdaw is always found near a jackdaw", i.e. birds of a kind flock together.
Αετου γηρασ, κορυδου νεοτης
- Aetou gêras, korydou neotos.
- "An eagle's old age (is worth) a sparrow's youth".
Αναγκα δ'ουδε θεοι μαχονται
- Ananka d'oude theoi makhontai.
- "Even the Gods do not fight necessity", Simonides[?].
Ανθρωπος μετρον
- Anthropos metron.
- "Man the measure (of all things)", motto of Protagoras.
Απαξ λεγομενον
- Hapax legomenon.
- "Once said", i.e. a word that only occurs once in a text or body of literature.
Αριστον μεν υδωρ
- Ariston men hydôr.
- "Greatest however is water", Pindar.
Β / B
Βρωμα θεων
- Brôma theôn.
- "Food of the gods" -- allegedly said by Nero of the poisoned mushrooms with which his mother Agrippina murdered Claudius.
Γ / G
Γλαυκ' Αθηναζε/Γλαυκ' εις Αθηνας
- Glauk' Athênaze/Glauk' eis Athênas.
- "Owls to Athens", i.e. coals to Newcastle, ice to the Eskimos.
Γνωθηι σεαυτον
- Gnôthi seauton.
- "Know thyself" -- the motto over the entrance to the temple of Apollo at Delphi.
Δ / D
Ε / E
Ζ / Z
Η / Ê
Θ / Th
Θαλασση και πυρ και γυνη, κακα τρια
- Thalassa kai pyr kai gynê, kaka tria.
- "Sea and fire and woman, three evils."
Ι / I
Κ / K
Λ / L
Μ / M
Μη γενοιτο
- Mê genoito.
- "Let it not be!"/"Heaven forfend!" -- phrase used frequently by St Paul.
Ν / N
Ξ / X
Ο / O
Π / P
Ρ / R
Σ / S
Σπευδε βραδεως
- Speude bradeôs.
- "Hasten slowly" (cf. Latin festina lente), "less haste, more speed".
Τ / T
Το γαρ ηδυ, εαν πολυ, ου τι γε ηδυ
- To gar hêdy, ean poly, ou ti ge hêdy.
- "A sweet thing tasted too often is no longer sweet."
Υ / Y
Φ / Ph
Χ / Ch
Ψ / Ps
Ω / Ô
See also: