Life in Secret; An Iron-Mind; Rapacious-Simon: Three More Proverbs

As always, proverbs drawn from the Suda:

λάθε βιώσας· “Live in secret”: This is said customarily in a proverb but enacted by deed. “Live in secret so that I might expect no one living or deed to understand what I say”

Λάθε βιώσας: τοῦ τε ἐν παροιμίᾳ λέγεσθαι εἰωθότος, ἔργῳ βεβαιωθέντος ὑπ’ ἐκείνου, τοῦ λάθε βιώσας: ὥστε οὐδένα τῶν τότε ζώντων ἀνθρώπων οὔτε τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἐλπίσαιμ’ ἂν εἰδέναι οἷον λέγω.

“Neokles, an Athenian philosopher and Epicurus’ brother. He wrote a book defending his own choice [of discipline]. The saying “Live in secret” is his.

Νεοκλῆς, ᾿Αθηναῖος, φιλόσοφος, ἀδελφὸς ᾿Επικούρου. ὑπὲρ τῆς ἰδίας αἱρέσεως. ὅτι Νεοκλέους ἐστὶ τό, λάθε βιώσας.

“Iron mind: This means an unpersuadable spirit. There is also the saying “Atlas’ iron shoulders.” The fact is that a Samian man named Glaukos first developed the welding of iron. From this we have the proverb “The art of Glaukos” which is applied to things done easily.”

Σιδηρέαν ψυχήν: τὴν ἀμείλικτον. καὶ σιδηρέους ῎Ατλαντος ὤμους. ὅτι Γλαῦκός τις Σάμιος πρῶτος σιδήρου κόλλησιν ἐξεῦρε. καὶ παροιμία· Γλαύκου τέχνη, ἐπὶ τῶν ῥᾳδίως κατεργαζομένων.

“Simôn, Simônos: a proper name. There is also the proverb “more rapacious than Simon”. This comes from Aristophanes, whenever men saw Simon, they immediately became wolves. He was a sophist who stole public property.”

Σίμων, Σίμωνος: ὄνομα κύριον. καὶ παροιμία· Σίμωνος ἁρπακτικώτερος. ᾿Αριστοφάνης· ὅταν ἴδωσι Σίμωνα, λύκοι ἐξαίφνης γίνονται. σοφιστὴς δὲ ἦν, ὃς τῶν δημοσίων ἐνοσφίζετο.