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on the impossible. 3.37 A clay pot god: made of earthenware, cheap. 3.38 Colophonian gold: the Colophonians worked the finest gold. For they say that Colophonian gold differs greatly from the other. 3.39 ** But I thought I was going to work gold: Plato uses the proverb; "What," said Thrasymachus, "is he working gold?" It took its beginning from this. A certain rumor once fell among the populace of the Athenians, that in Hymettus a great nugget of gold had appeared and was being guarded by fighting ants. And they, taking up their arms, ran out against them; but returning unsuccessful and having suffered in vain, they mocked each other, saying, "And you thought that by collecting a great nugget you would work gold and become rich." And they were ridiculed by the comic poets; Eubulus, at any rate, says: "We once persuaded the men of Cecrops' line, having taken up arms, to go out to Hymettus." Ψ. 3.40t Psyra for Dionysus: Psyra is a cheap and small island, near Chios, not able to produce wine. We say the proverb, then, of those who are reclining at a symposium and not drinking. And it is said of those signifying cheapness. 3.41 A droplet: dew. Thus was Antimachus called, being a spitter. This man was a poet of lyric songs. And he was so called, because he used to besprinkle those he associated with while conversing. And Antimachus seemed to have made a decree that it is not permitted to blow on the sacred fire. He must be satirized by name, as not being clean. Ω. 3.42t With ears standing up: of those preparing their ears to hear. 3.43 A mountain was in labor, then it gave birth to a mouse: when someone hoping for great things encounters small ones.

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ἐπὶ τῶν ἀδυνάτων. 3.37 Χυτρεοῦς θεός: ὀστράκινος, εὐτελής. 3.38 Χρυσὸς Κολοφώνιος: οἱ Κολοφώνιοι τὸν κάλλιστον χρυσὸν εἰργάζοντο. καὶ γὰρ πολύ φασι παραλλάττειν τοῦ ἄλλου τὸν Κολοφώνιον χρυσόν. 3.39 ** Ἐγὼ δὲ ᾤμην χρυσοχοήσειν: κέχρηται τῇ παροιμίᾳ Πλάτων· τί δὲ, ἦ δ' ὃς ὁ Θρασύμαχος, χρυσοχοεῖ. ἔλαβεν ἀρχὴν ἐντεῦθεν. ἔπεσέ τις φήμη ποτὲ εἰς τὸ πλῆθος τῶν Ἀθηναίων, ὡς ἐν Ὑμηττῷ χρυσοῦ ψῆγμα πολὺ φανείη καὶ φυλάττοιτο ὑπὸ τῶν μαχίμων μυρμήκων. οἱ δὲ ἀναλαβόντες ὅπλα ἐξέθεον ἐπ' αὐτούς· ἄπρακτοι δὲ ὑποστρέψαντες καὶ μάτην κακοπαθήσαντες ἔσκωπτον ἀλλήλους, λέγοντες σὺ δὲ ᾤου ψῆγμα πολὺ συλλέξας χρυσοχοήσειν καὶ πλουτήσειν. ἐχλευάζοντο δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν κωμικῶν· Εὔβουλος γοῦν φησίν· ἡμεῖς ποτ' ἄνδρας Κεκροπίδας ἐπείσαμεν, λαβόντας εἰς Ὑμηττὸν ἐξελθεῖν ὅπλα. Ψ. 3.40t Ψύρα τὸν ∆ιόνυσον: τὰ Ψύρα εὐτελὴς νῆσός ἐστι καὶ μικρὰ, πλησίον Χίου, μὴ δυναμένη οἶνον ἐνεγκεῖν. λέγομεν οὖν τὴν παροιμίαν ἐπὶ τῶν ἐν συμποσίῳ ἀνακειμένων καὶ μὴ πινόντων. λέλεκται δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν εὐτέλειαν σημαινόντων. 3.41 Ψεκὰς: ὁ δρόσος. οὕτως ἐκαλεῖτο Ἀντίμαχος, πτυελώδης ὤν. οὗτος δὲ μελῶν ἦν ποιητής. οὕτω δὲ ἐκαλεῖτο, διότι προσέῤῥαινε τοῖς ὁμιλοῦσι διαλεγόμενος. ἐδόκει δὲ ὁ Ἀντίμαχος ψήφισμα πεποιηκέναι, ὅτι τὸ ἱερὸν πῦρ οὐκ ἔξεστι φυσῆσαι. δεῖ κωμῳδεῖν ἐξ ὀνόματος, ὡς μὴ καθαρεύοντι. Ω. 3.42t Ὠσὶν ἑστῶσιν: ἐπὶ τῶν πρὸς τὸ ἀκοῦσαι τὰ ὦτα εὐτρεπιζομένων. 3.43 Ὤδινεν ὄρος, εἶτα μῦν ἀπέτεκεν: ὅταν ἐλπίσας τὶς μεγάλα μικροῖς ἐντύχῃ.