§1ἡ μυῖα ἔστι μὲν οὐ τὸ σμικροτάτον τῶν ὀρνέων, ὅσον ἐμπίσι καὶ κώνωψι καὶ τοῖς ἔτι λεπτοτέροις παραβάλλειν, ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον ἐκείνων μεγέθει προὔχει ὅσον αὐτὴ μελίττης ἀπολείπεται.
The fly is not the smallest of winged creatures, as far as one may compare it with midges, gnats, and those even more delicate, but it exceeds them in size as much as it falls short of the bee.
ἐπτέρωται δὲ οὐ κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις, ὡς τοῖς μὲν ἁπανταχόθεν κομᾶν τοῦ σώματος, τοῖς δὲ ὠκυπτέροις χρῆσθαι, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὰς ἀκρίδας καὶ τέττιγας καὶ μελίττας ἐστὶν ὑμενόπτερος, τοσοῦτον ἁπαλώτερα ἔχουσα τὰ πτερὰ ὅσον τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς ἐσθῆτος ἡ Ἰνδικὴ λεπτοτέρα καὶ μαλακωτέρα· καὶ μὴν διήνθισται κατὰ τοὺς ταῶνας, εἴ τις ἀτενὲς βλέποι ἐς αὐτήν, ὁπόταν ἐκπετάσασα πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον πτερύσσηται.
It is not winged in the same manner as the others, so as to have plumage all over its body, or to use swift pinions, but like locusts, cicadas, and bees, it is membranous-winged, having wings as much more delicate as Indian raiment is thinner and softer than Greek; and indeed, it is adorned in the manner of peacocks, if anyone should look closely at it, whenever it spreads its wings and flutters towards the sun.
§2ἡ δὲ πτῆσις οὔτε κατὰ τὰς νυκτερίδας εἰρεσίᾳ συνεχεῖ τῶν πτερῶν οὔτε κατὰ τὰς ἀκρίδας μετὰ πηδήματος οὔτε ὡς οἱ σφῆκες μετὰ ῥοιζήματος, ἀλλʼ εὐκαμπὴς πρὸς ὅ τι ἂν μέρος ὁρμήσῃ τοῦ ἀέρος.
Its flight is neither like that of bats with a continuous rowing of wings, nor like that of locusts with hopping, nor like that of wasps with a whirring, but is flexible toward whatever part of the air it may dash.
καὶ μὴν κἀκεῖνο πρόσεστιν αὐτῇ, τὸ μὴ καθʼ ἡσυχίαν, ἀλλὰ μετʼ ᾠδῆς πέτεσθαι οὐκ ἀπηνοῦς οἵα κωνώπων καὶ ἐμπίδων, οὐδὲ τὸ βαρύβρομον τῶν μελιττῶν ἢ τῶν σφηκῶν τὸ φοβερὸν καὶ ἀπειλητικὸν ἐνδεικνυμένης, ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτόν ἐστι λιγυρωτέρα, ὅσον σάλπιγγος καὶ κυμβάλων αὐλοὶ μελιχρότεροι.
And indeed, this also belongs to it, that it flies not in silence, but with a song, not harsh like that of gnats and midges, nor showing the deep drone of bees or the frightening and threatening sound of wasps, but is as much clearer in tone as flutes are sweeter than trumpets and cymbals.
§3τὸ δὲ ἄλλο σῶμα ἡ μὲν κεφαλὴ λεπτότατα τῷ αὐχένι συνέχεται καὶ ἔστιν εὐπεριάγωγος, οὐ συμπεφυκυῖα ὡς ἡ τῶν ἀκρίδων· ὀφθαλμοὶ δὲ προπετεῖς, πολὺ τοῦ κέρατος ἔχοντες· στέρνον εὐπαγές, καὶ ἐμπεφύκασιν αὐτῇ τῇ ἐντομῇ οἱ πόδες οὐ κατὰ τοὺς σφῆκας πάνυ ἐσφιγμένῃ.
As for the rest of its body, the head is joined to the neck very delicately and is easily turned about, not fused as that of locusts is; its eyes are prominent, having much of the nature of horn; its breast is sturdy, and its legs are joined to the segment itself, which is not at all tightly constricted like those of wasps.
ἡ γαστὴρ δὲ ὠχύρωται καὶ αὐτῇ καὶ θώρακι ἔοικεν ζώνας πλατείας καὶ φολίδας ἔχουσα.
Its abdomen is fortified, and resembles a cuirass, having broad bands and scales.
ἀμύνεται μέντοι οὐ κατὰ τοὐρροπύγιον ὡς σφὴξ καὶ μέλιττα, ἀλλὰ τῷ στόματι καὶ τῇ προβοσκίδι, ἣν κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς ἐλέφασι καὶ αὐτὴ ἔχουσα προνομεύει τε καὶ ἐπιλαμβάνεται καὶ προσφῦσα κατέχει κοτυληδόνι κατὰ τὸ ἄκρον ἐοικυῖαν.
It defends itself, however, not by its rump like wasps and bees, but by its mouth and proboscis, which it possesses just like elephants do, and with which it grazes, grasps, and, clinging close, holds fast with what resembles a sucker at the tip.
ἐκ δὲ αὐτῆς ὀδοὺς προκύπτει, ᾧ κεντοῦσα πίνει τοῦ αἵματος — πίνει μὲν γὰρ καὶ γάλακτος, ἡδὺ δὲ αὐτῇ καὶ τὸ αἷμα — οὐ μετὰ μεγάλης ὀδύνης τῶν κεντουμένων.
From this, a tooth protrudes, with which it pricks and drinks blood—for it drinks milk too, but blood is also sweet to it—without great pain to those who are pricked.
ἑξάπους δὲ οὖσα τοῖς μὲν τέσσαρσι βαδίζει μόνοις, τοῖς δὲ προσθίοις δυσὶ καὶ ὅσα χερσὶ χρῆται.
Being six-legged, it walks on four only, and uses the two front ones for all things as hands.
ἴδοις ἂν οὖν αὐτὴν ἐπὶ τεττάρων βεβηκυῖαν ἔχουσάν τι ἐν τοῖν χεροῖν μετέωρον ἐδώδιμον, ἀνθρωπίνως πάνυ καὶ καθʼ ἡμᾶς.
You may therefore see it standing on four, holding something edible aloft in its two hands, in a thoroughly human and like-our-own fashion.
§4γίνεται δὲ οὐκ εὐθὺς τοιαύτη, ἀλλὰ σκώληξ τὸ πρῶτον ἤτοι ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἢ ἄλλων ζῴων ἀποθανόντων· εἶτα κατʼ ὀλίγον πόδας τε ἐκφέρει καὶ φύει τὰ πτερὰ καὶ ἐξ ἑρπετοῦ ὄρνεον γίνεται καὶ κυοφορεῖ δὲ καὶ ἀποτίκτει σκώληκα μικρὸν τὴν μυῖαν ὕστερον.
It does not become such immediately, but is at first a worm arising either from dead men or from other dead animals; then, little by little, it puts forth legs and grows wings and from a crawling thing becomes a winged creature, and itself conceives and brings forth a small worm, which later becomes the fly.
σύντροφος δὲ ἀνθρώποις ὑπάρχουσα καὶ ὁμοδίαιτος καὶ ὁμοτράπεζος ἁπάντων γεύεται πλὴν ἐλαίου· θάνατος γὰρ αὐτῇ τοῦτο πιεῖν.
Being a companion to humans, sharing their life and their table, it tastes of everything except olive oil; for to drink this is death to it.
καὶ μέντοι ὠκύμορος οὖσα — πάνυ γὰρ ἐς στενὸν ὁ βίος αὐτῇ συμμεμέτρηται — τῷ φωτὶ χαίρει μάλιστα κἀν τούτῳ πολιτεύεται· νυκτὸς δὲ εἰρήνην ἄγει καὶ οὔτε πέτεται οὔτε ᾄδει, ἀλλʼ ὑπέπτηχε καὶ ἀτρεμεῖ.
And indeed, being short-lived—for its life has been measured out into a very narrow compass—it rejoices most in the light and in this conducts its life; but by night it keeps peace, and neither flies nor sings, but cowers and remains still.
§5σύνεσιν δὲ οὐ μικρὰν αὐτῆς εἰπεῖν ἔχω, ὁπόταν τὸν ἐπίβουλον καὶ πολέμιον αὐτῇ τὸν ἀράχνην διαδιδράσκῃ· λοχῶντά τε γὰρ ἐπιτηρεῖ καὶ ἀντίον αὐτῷ ὁρᾷ ἐκκλίνουσα τὴν ὁρμήν, ὡς μὴ ἁλίσκοιτο σαγηνευθεῖσα καὶ περιπεσοῦσα ταῖς τοῦ θηρίου πλεκτάναις.
And I can speak of no small intelligence on its part, whenever it escapes its plotter and enemy, the spider; for it watches him lying in ambush and, looking straight at him, evades his onset, so as not to be captured, snared, and falling into the coils of the beast.
τὴν μὲν γὰρ ἀνδρίαν καὶ τὴν ἀλκὴν αὐτῆς οὐχ ἡμᾶς χρὴ λέγειν, ἀλλʼ ὃς μεγαλοφωνότατος τῶν ποιητῶν Ὅμηρος· τὸν γὰρ ἄριστον τῶν ἡρώων ἐπαινέσαι ζητῶν οὐ λέοντι ἢ παρδάλει ἢ ὑῒ τὴν ἀλκὴν αὐτοῦ εἰκάζει, ἀλλὰ τῷ θάρσει τῆς μυίας καὶ τῷ ἀτρέστῳ καὶ λιπαρεῖ τῆς ἐπιχειρήσεως· οὐδὲ γὰρ θράσος ἀλλὰ θάρσος φησὶν αὐτῇ προσεῖναι.
For its courage and prowess need not be spoken of by us, but by Homer, the most loud-voiced of poets; for seeking to praise the best of the heroes, he does not liken his prowess to a lion, a leopard, or a wild boar, but to the boldness of the fly and to the fearless and persistent nature of its attack; for he says that not rashness but courage belongs to it.
καὶ γὰρ εἰργομένη, φησίν, ὅμως οὐκ ἀφίσταται, ἀλλʼ ἐφίεται τοῦ δήγματος.
For even when barred, he says, it does not stand off, but longs for the bite.
οὕτω δὲ πάνυ ἐπαινεῖ καὶ ἀσπάζεται τὴν μυῖαν, ὥστε οὐχ ἅπαξ οὐδʼ ἐν ὀλίγοις μέμνηται αὐτῆς, ἀλλὰ πολλάκις· οὕτω κοσμεῖ τὰ ἔπη μνημονευομένη.
And he so thoroughly praises and embraces the fly, that he mentions it not once nor in few places, but often; so much does she adorn his verses when remembered.
ἄρτι μὲν τὴν ἀγελαίαν πτῆσιν αὐτῆς ἐπὶ τὸ γάλα διέρχεται, ἄρτι δὲ τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν, ὁπότε τοῦ Μενέλεω τὸ βέλος ἀποκρούεται, ὡς μὴ ἐπὶ τὰ καιριώτατα ἐμπέσοι, εἰκάζων μητρὶ κηδομένῃ κοιμωμένου αὐτῇ τοῦ βρέφους, τὴν μυῖαν αὖθις ἐπεισάγει τῷ παραδείγματι.
Now he goes through its flocking flight after milk, and now, when Athena wards off the weapon from Menelaus, lest it fall upon the most vital parts, likening her to a mother caring for her sleeping infant, he introduces the fly again in the comparison.
καὶ μὴν καὶ ἐπιθέτῳ καλλίστῳ αὐτὰς ἐκόσμησεν ἀδινὰς προσειπὼν καὶ τὴν ἀγέλην αὐτῶν ἔθνη καλῶν.
And indeed, he also adorned them with the most beautiful epithet, calling them "busy" and calling their flock "tribes."