Erasmus, Adagia 45 – In Vado
The proverbial metaphor To be in the shallows is used to mean: in safety, and beyond the point of danger. It’s taken from either swimmers or sailors. Terence has:
The whole affair is in the shallows.
Plautus, in his Aulularia, writes:
This business seems to be pretty much in the shallows of safety now.
The shallows are the lowest part of the water. Anyone who stands in them has already escaped the danger of being submerged.
45 – IN VADO
Metaphora prouerbialis In vado esse pro eo, quod est: in tuto citraque discrimen, sumpta a natantibus aut nauigantibus. Terentius:
Omnis res in vado est.
Plautus in Aulularia:
Haec propemodum iam esse in vado salutis res videtur.
Vadum autem est aquae fundus; in quo quisquis constiterit, is iam effugit periculum ne mergatur
