Frasi di Menandro

Origine: Da Il misantropo, 449-51; citato in Porfirio, De abstinentia, traduzione di Roberto Pomelli, in AA. VV., L'anima degli animali, Einaudi, 2015, p. 341. ISBN 978-88-06-21101-1

Su Dio

„La coscienza è un Dio per tutti i mortali.“

— Menandro

Origine: Da Versi singoli, 564; citato in AA. VV. 2013, § 1012.

„Viviamo non come vogliamo, ma come possiamo.“

— Menandro

Origine: Da La donna di Andro.

„La ricchezza è riparo a molti guai.“

— Menandro

Origine: Da La ragazza beota, fram. 90; citato in AA. VV. 2013, § 2942.

Ricchezza

„Deus ex machina.“

— Menandro

da The Woman Possessed with a Divinity, frammento 227

„Sono un uomo e ho sbagliato: non c'è da meravigliarsi.“

— Menandro

Origine: Da Fanio, fram. 499; citato in AA. VV. 2013, § 998.

„La fame che vi tormenta, rodendo questo bel ragazzo, | ne farà un cadavere più magro di Filippide.“

— Menandro

Origine: Filippide, politico ateniese del IV secolo a.C. noto per la sua magrezza scheletrica (Mario Marzi, Oratori attici minori, UTET, 1995, pp. 200-201. ISBN 978-88-02-02633-6).
Origine: Da Ira, fr. conservato da Ateneo di Naucrati in Deipnosofisti, XII, 552 e; traduzione in L. Canfora (a cura di), I deipnosofisti: Libri XII-XV, Roma, 2001. ISBN 978-88-8402-355-1

Sulla fame, Ragazza

„In this part he most shows himself a man,
whoever tolerates making himself equal to another,
rich to poor. For this man will bear a change of fortune
with self-control.“

Help us translate this quote

— Menander, Dyskolos

Gorgias.
Dyskolos
Contesto: Even if you were a softy, you took the mattock, you dug,
you were willing to work. In this part he most shows himself a man,
whoever tolerates making himself equal to another,
rich to poor. For this man will bear a change of fortune
with self-control. You have given a sufficient proof of your character.
I wish only that you remain as you are.

„We live, not as we wish to, but as we can.“

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— Menander

Lady of Andros, fragment 50.

„Conscience is a God to all mortals.“

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— Menander

Monosticha.

„To say more than what's necessary
I don't think is appropriate for a man.“

Help us translate this quote

— Menander, Dyskolos

Knemon.
Variant translation: I don't hold with people saying more than they need; but there is one thing more, my child, that I'd like you to know. I just want to say a few things to you about life, and the way people behave. You know, if we were all kind to one another, there'd be no need for law courts, there'd be no arresting people and putting them into prison, and there would be no more war. Everyone would have his little bit, and be content. But maybe you like modern ways better? Well, live that way, then! This difficult and bad-tempered old man will soon be out of the way.
As translated by William Geoffrey Arnott http://www.rhapsodes.fll.vt.edu/menander.htm.
Dyskolos
Contesto: To say more than what's necessary
I don't think is appropriate for a man. Except know this, child —
for I wish to tell you a little about me and my character —
if everyone were like me there wouldn't be law courts,
and they wouldn't take them away to prisons,
and there wouldn't be wars, but having goods in measure each man would be happy.
But perhaps those things are more pleasing. Act that way.
This difficult and grouchy old man will be out of your way.

„Whom the gods love dies young.“

Help us translate this quote

— Menander

[Epigramatic] Sentences, 425
He whom the gods love dies young.
The Double Deceiver, frag. 4.
Originale: (el) ὃν οἱ θεοὶ φιλοῦσιν ἀποθνῄσκει νέος
Variante: ὃν οἱ θεοὶ φιλοῦσιν, ἀποθνῄσκει νέος.
Origine: Menander: The Plays and Fragments