Thursday, July 13, 2023
Protect Your Property
Hesiod, Works and Days 604-605 (tr. M.L. West, with his note):
Once when I lived alone in an isolated spot, I had "Beware of the dog" signs but no dog. This tactic assumes that burglars can read.
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And maintain a dog with sharp teeth, not stinting his food,West ad loc.:
in case a couchbyday* robs you of your property.
605 couchbyday: a burglar who works at night.
καὶ κύνα καρχαρόδοντα κομεῖν—μὴ φείδεο σίτου—
μή ποτέ σ᾽ ἡμερόκοιτος ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ χρήμαθ᾽ ἕληται.
604. καρχαρόδοντα: formulaic of the dog, and for Aristotle technical (HA 501a16 ff.). On the importance of the dog for security cf. Varr. 1.19.3, 2.9, Virg. G. 3.404 ff., Colum. 7.12.μονοβάτας = one who walks alone, τοιχώρυχος = one who digs through the wall.
σίτου: perhaps in a general sense, 'food'; but Greek dogs were largely fed on cereals and bread, see Gow on [Theoc.] 21.45, adding Colum. 7.12.10, Dio Prus. 7.17.
605. ἡμερόκοιτος ἀνήρ: = dormitator, Plaut. Trin. 862, 984. Other kennings for the thief are μονοβάτας (Hesych.) and the standard Attic τοιχώρυχος.
Once when I lived alone in an isolated spot, I had "Beware of the dog" signs but no dog. This tactic assumes that burglars can read.
