I know not how — nor is it proper — to labour at what we have not learned.Reed ad loc.:
οὐκ οἶδ' οὐδ' ἐπέοικεν ἃ μὴ μάθομες πονέεσθαι;
οἶδ' codd. Stobaei 4.16.4: ἔστ' Ameis
μάθομες Ahrens: μάθωμεν vel μάθομεν codd.
The sentiment recalls the proverb ἔρδοι τις ἣν ἕκαστος εἰδείη τέχνην (Aristoph. Vesp. 1431; cf. Cic. Ad Att. 5.10.3, Tusc. 1.18.41; Hor. Epist. 1.14.44; Crinag. A.P. 9.516.1).Related posts: