Laudator Temporis Acti

James 3:11-12 (KJV):

[11] Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? [12] Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

[11] μήτι ἡ πηγὴ ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς ὀπῆς βρύει τὸ γλυκὺ καὶ τὸ πικρόν; [12] μὴ δύναται, ἀδελφοί μου, συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα; οὔτε ἁλυκὸν γλυκὺ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ.

12 οὕτως οὐδεμια πηγὴ ἁλυκὸν καὶ RP

Commentators compare Seneca, Letters to Lucilius 87.25 (tr. Richard M. Gummere):

Hence, good does not spring from evil, any more than figs grow from olive-trees. Things which grow correspond to their seed; and goods cannot depart from their class. As that which is honourable does not grow from that which is base, so neither does good grow from evil.

non nascitur itaque ex malo bonum, non magis quam ficus ex olea. ad semen nata respondent, bona degenerare non possunt. quemadmodum ex turpi honestum non nascitur, ita ne ex malo quidem bonum.

and Arrian, Discourses of Epictetus 2.20.18 (tr. W.A. Oldfather):

For how can a vine be moved to act, not like a vine, but like an olive, or again an olive to act, not like an olive, but like a vine? It is impossible, inconceivable.

πῶς γὰρ δύναται ἄμπελος μὴ ἀμπελικῶς κινεῖσθαι, ἀλλ' ἐλαικῶς, ἢ ἐλαία πάλιν μὴ ἐλαικῶς, ἀλλ' ἀμπελικῶς; ἀμήχανον, ἀδιανόητον.

Related post: Adynata.