Saturday, August 05, 2006
Don't Worry, Be Happy
Aristophanes, Peace 335 (tr. Alan H. Sommerstein):
Sommerstein ad loc.:
Newer› ‹Older
I'm glad, I'm happy, I fart, I laugh.This is a line of Greek worth memorizing, for those social situations when it might come in handy. Despite the translation, there is no asyndeton in the Greek, where καί (and) separates the verbs.
ἥδομαι γὰρ καὶ γέγηθα καὶ πέπορδα καὶ γελῶ.
Sommerstein ad loc.:
[F]or breaking wind as a sign of contentment and satisfaction cf. Knights 115 (with 103-4), Clouds 9, Wasps 1305, Eccl. 464, Wealth 176.Maurice Platnauer ad loc.:
On πέπορδα (perfect of πέρδομαι with present sense) ΣR comments, 'μεταφορὰ ἀπὸ τῶν ὄνων· χαίροντες γὰρ πέρδονται'. His psychology may be faulty, but one treasures the note.The note from the Ravenna (R) scholia (Σ) may be translated, "A metaphor from donkeys; for when they are joyful, they fart."
