N° XXVIII. Η θυμάμενος Verfe 794. Πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζοιμι θνητός ὤν θεῷ. Than in rage 855. Spurn at his pow'r, a mortal 'gainst a God. THE original expreffion, tranflated literally, implies, "that I will not kick against the pricks:" This proverbial phrase among the Greeks is confecrated by the most respectable authority: It occurs again in our Poet among the fragments of his Peliades. Πρὸς κέντρα μὴ λάκτιζε τοίς κρατεσί σε Ed. Barnes, p. 488. v. 3. And Æfchylus has given his fanction to it in his Tragedy of Prometheus, where Oceanus declares : Ούκουν ἔμοιγε χρώμενος διδασκάλῳ Πρὸς κέντρα κῶλον ἐκ]ενες. (V. 323.) Even Pindar has not fcrupled to admit this Proverb into Lyrick Poetry; for he afferts in his fecond Pythick Ode, "that it is better to bear lightly the burden imposed on the neck, fince it is a dangerous method to kick against the pricks :" Φέρειν δ ̓ ἐλαφρῶς Ζυγόν γ' αρήγει. Ποτὶ κέντρον δέ τοι Ολισθηρός οἶμος. (V.175.) I 2 Here the Scholiaft explains it, "that it is of no ufe for a Man to contend with fortune; and adds, that the metaphor is derived from the Ox, who being pricked by the Plowman, when he is unruly, kicks against the prick, and fuffers for it:" But the Scholiaft on Æfchylus defines the Proverb to imply, "that you fhould not ftrike your foot againft thorns ;” yet he deduces it in the fame manner from the Ox occafioning himself to bleed. Every Reader may probably recollect, that a fimilar expreffion occurs in the New Teftament, where the Voice faid unto Saul, Σκληρὸν σοὶ πυρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν, It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. (Acts, c. ix. v. 5.) The Romans alfo adopted this proverbial phrafe, as appears from the Phormio of Terence; I Μάχεσθαι δὲ τῇ τύχῃ ἄνθρωπον ὅλα ἐ συμφέρει· ἡ δὲ τροπὴ ἀπὸ τῶν βοῶν· τῶν γὰρ βοῶν δι ἄτακίοι κατὰ τὴν γεωργίαν κελριζόμενοι ὑπὸ τὸ ἀρῦλος λακτίζεσι τὸ κέντρον, καὶ μᾶλλον πλήτονας. 2 Πρὸς ἀκάνθας πόδα ἐξάξεις· ἐπὶ δὲ παροιμία εἰρημένη ἐκ τῶν βοῶν τῶν κεκλιμένων ὄπισθεν, καὶ ἐν τῷ λακτίζειν τὰς ἰδίως πόδας αἱμασσόνων τῷ κέντρων Nam Nam quæ infcitia eft, Advorsùm ftimulum calces 3 ? (A. 1. f. 2. v. 28.) For what a foolish task To kick against the pricks! (Colman, Terence, vol. 2. p. 200.) I have reafon to believe, that the falfe delicacy of the unclaffical Reader has often revolted against expreffions of this homely and coarfe contexture, as they may appear to him among the Ancients; but we ought to remember, that their dignity is to be measured by the ideas annexed to them in the minds of thofe, who employed them, and not by the fcrupulous faftidiousness of modern Criticism. 3 See alfo Erafmi Adagia, who explains the proverb, Eft fruftrà repugnare iis, quos vincere nequeas; aut eos provocare, qui laceffiti noceant: Aut reluctari fatis, & incommodum, quod evitare non queas, impatienter ferendo non folum non effugere, fed etiam conduplicare. (P. 529. Ed. 1646.) N° XXIX. Verfe 834. Οὐκαν δυναίμην θῆλυν ἐνδύναι ςολήν. 896. I could not bear this womanish attire. THE Reader is indebted to Diogenes Laertius, Sextus Empiricus, and Suidas, for the preservation of ap hiftorical and entertaining anecdote in regard to this line: When Ariftippus, the Cyrenean Philofopher, whofe profeffed tenet esteemed pleasure and the enjoyment of the present moment as the fovereign good, refided at the Court of Dionyfius, Tyrant of Sicily, he was invited among other Guests at a royal entertainment to dance in a purple garment: Plato, who was also there prefent, refufed to comply with this request, repeating this line, Οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην θῆλυν ἐνδῦναι ςολήν. I could not bear this womanish attire. But Ariftippus, receiving the garment and preparing to dance, opportunely replied, Καὶ γὰρ ἐν βακχεύμασιν Οὖσ ̓ ἤγε σώφρων 3 διαφθαρήσεται. These two verses are alfo in the Bacche of Euripides, and have already occurred in the mouth of Tirefias, where they fignify, "that fhe, who is naturally modeft, will not be corrupted by Bacchanalian revelry;" No No woman in his rites, Come fhe with chaste and fober mind, fhall know (Potter. v. 338.) The above account of this anecdote correfponds to the relation of Diogenes Laertius '; but Sextus Empiricus 3, and Suidas record the fame with fome variation; for the former adds an hemiftick, and the latter a complete line to the declaration of Plato, as cited from Euripides; Αῤῥην πεφυκώς, και γένες ἐξ ἄῤῥενος. Both born a Man, and of a manly race. If this verse originally followed the other in the order of this drama, it proves the mutilated state of it in its prefent form; but Heath imagines it more probable, "that the fecond was at the time a fpontaneous effufion of Plato, or * Καί ποτε παρὰ σότον κελεύσαντος Διονυσία ἕκασον ἐν πορφυρᾶ ἔσθητι ὀρχήσασθαι, τὸν μὲν Πλάτωνα μὴ προσέσθαι εἰπόντα-Τὸν δ ̓ ̓Αρίσιππον λαβόνια καὶ μέλλον α ὀρχήσασθαι εὐτόχως εἰπεῖν. &c. (L. 2. Ariftippus, p. 52. ed. 1664.) 2 Καὶ παρὰ τῷ τῆς Σικελίας τυράννῳ τοιαύτης ἐσθῆτος προσενεχθείσης, ὁ μὲν Πλάτων ἀπεπέμψατο εἰπὼν, (Hypot. 1. 3. c. 14. p. 152. Ed. Gem. 1621.) 3 Καὶ πρὸς Διονύσιον τὸν Σικελίας τύραννον ἐλθὼν καὶ τίνων ἐνίκα, καὶ ὀρχησίως τῆς άλλης κατήρξεν, ἐνδὺς ἔσθητα ἁλεργῆ. Πλάτων δὲ, προσκομιζομένης αὐτῷ τῆς φυλῆς, εἶπεν Εὐριπίδε Ιαμβικά Αρισίππος δὲ δεξάμενος, καὶ γελάσας εἶπε τὰ αὐτὰ ποιητό, &c. (Vox Arttippus.) |