Aesopic Proverbs 81-90: Birds, Camels, and Misadventures in Urination

81.
“The highest peaks are equal.”
Interpretation:
“Great wealth and great poverty have the same repose from cares.”
᾿Ακρότητες ἰσότητες.
῾Ερμηνεία.
Πλοῦτος ὁ πολὺς καὶ πεν̣ί̣α̣ με<γάλη>
᾿Ανάπαυσιν ἴσην φροντί<δων ἔχουσι.>

82.
“The old woman will oppose you <…>”
Interpretation:
“Even a wise man will be led to his downfall if he does not restrain his ears from idle talk.”
᾿Απαντήσει σοι γρα<ῦς ……….>α
῾Ερμηνεία.
Εἰς πτῶμα πεσεῖται κ<αὶ ὁ σοφὸς ἀνὴ>ρ
Οὐ κωλύων τὰ ὦτα φληνάφων λόγων.

83.
“A man’s character may be seen from his speech.”
᾿Ανδρὸς χαρακτὴρ ἐκ λόγου γνωρίζεται.

[No Interpretation]

84.
“The sparrow’s soul is with its millet.”
Interpretation:
“A person will fix attention where the indulgence of pleasure may be found.”
῾Η ψυχὴ τοῦ στρουθοῦ παρὰ τὴν κέγχρον.
῾Ερμηνεία.
᾿Εκεῖ τὴν διάνοιαν ἄνθρωπος στρέφει,
῎Ενθα καὶ <ἡ> τῆς ἡδονῆς τρυφὴ κεῖται.

85.
“Either say what you think or think what you say.”
<Interpretation>
“The crow who plumes himself with peacock’s feathers is a poor speaker, but richly dressed.
῍Η λάλει ὡς φρονεῖς ἢ φρόνει ὡς λαλεῖς.
<῾Ερμηνεία.>
Πένης τὴν γλῶτταν καὶ πλούσιος τὴν στολὴν
Κόραξ ταῶνός ἐστι τοῖς πτεροῖς κομῶν.

86.
“The camel said to his mother, ‘I will be a dancer,’ and she responded, ‘My son, even your walking is beautiful.’”
Interpretation:
“Let those, whose wicked ways hinder life, be barred from passing life in enjoyment.”
῾Η κάμηλος ἔλεγε τῇ μητρί “ὀρχήσομαι,” κἀκείνη “τέκ-
νον,” φησί, “καὶ ὁ περίπατός σου καλός ἐστιν.”
῾Ερμηνεία.
Οἷς μοχθηρίᾳ τρόπων κωλύζεται τὸ ζῆν,
Τούτοις ἀπηγορεύσθω τὸ τέρψει συζῆν.

87.
“You in my eye, and I upon your back.”
<Interpretation>
“In those whom you wish to strike, though not performing well… < … >”
Σὺ κατὰ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ μου κἀγὼ κατὰ τοῦ νώτου σου.
<῾Ερμηνεία.>
᾿Εν οἷς πλήττειν ἐθέλεις οὐ πράττων καλῶς
< >

88.
“And from a camel, a letter from Charon.”
Interpretation:
“A man without sense will send others falling to their graves with a fierce blow.”
Κἀξ καμήλου ἐπιστολὴ Χά<ρ>ωνος.
῾Ερμηνεία.
᾿Ανὴρ νοῦν οὐκ ἔχων θυμώδει <τῇ> πληγῇ
Τάφοις παραδίδωσι τοὺς ἐμπίπτοντας.

89.
“Orestes, who killed you?” – “My own knowledge of myself.”
Interpretation:
“Our mode of acting badly will render us all known and accountable.”
᾿Ορέστα, τίς σε ἀπώλεσεν; “ἡ ἰδία μου συνείδησις.”
῾Ερμηνεία.
῞Εκαστον ὑπεύθυνον ὧν πράττει κακῶς
῾Ο τρόπος ἀπελέγχει καὶ δῆλον ποιεῖ.

90.
“Go ahead and piss – you’re pissing on your skin.”
Interpretation:
“The one who wishes to throw bold reproaches to a lofty height will have his punishment poured upon his head.”
Οὔρει· κατὰ τοῦ δέρματος οὐρεῖς.
῾Ερμηνεία.
῾Ο βάλλειν τολμῶν εἰς ὕψος θρασεῖς ψόγους
᾿Επὶ κεφαλῆς ἕξει τὴν τιμωρίαν.