§3.11.1ὅτι μὲν οὖν τὰ ἀστεῖα ἐκ μεταφορᾶς τε τῆς ἀνάλογον λέγεται καὶ τῷ πρὸ ὀμμάτων ποιεῖν, εἴρηται· λεκτέον δὲ τί λέγομεν πρὸ ὀμμάτων, καὶ τί ποιοῦσι γίγνεται τοῦτο.
It has therefore been stated that clever sayings are derived from metaphor of the analogical kind and by bringing things before the eyes; but we must now explain what we mean by "before the eyes," and what must be done to produce this.
§3.11.2λέγω δὴ πρὸ ὀμμάτων ταῦτα ποιεῖν ὅσα ἐνεργοῦντα σημαίνει, οἷον τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἄνδρα φάναι εἶναι τετράγωνον μεταφορά, (ἄμφω γὰρ τέλεια), ἀλλʼ οὐ σημαίνει ἐνέργειαν· ἀλλὰ τὸ
ἀνθοῦσαν ἔχοντος τὴν ἀκμήν
ἐνέργεια, καὶ τὸ
σὲ δʼ ὥσπερ ἄφετον
ἐνέργεια, καὶ
"
τοὐντεῦθεν οὖν Ἕλληνες ᾄξαντες ποσίν· "
τὸ ᾄξαντες ἐνέργεια καὶ μεταφορά·
I say that those things bring before the eyes which signify things at work, as for instance, to say that a good man is "square" is a metaphor (for both are complete), but it does not signify activity; on the other hand, "having his prime in full bloom" is activity, and "you, like an animal let loose" is activity, and "τοὐντεῦθεν οὖν Ἕλληνες ᾄξαντες ποσίν· "here "darting forward" is both activity and a metaphor, for it expresses speed.
ταχὺ γὰρ λέγει. §3.11.3καὶ ὡς κέχρηται πολλαχοῦ Ὅμηρος, τὸ τὰ ἄψυχα ἔμψυχα ποιεῖν διὰ τῆς μεταφορᾶς.
And as Homer often uses it, making inanimate things animate by means of metaphor.
ἐν πᾶσι δὲ τῷ ἐνέργειαν ποιεῖν εὐδοκιμεῖ, οἷον ἐν τοῖσδε,
"
αὖτις ἐπὶ δάπεδόνδε κυλίνδετο λᾶας ἀναιδής,
"
καὶ
"
ἔπτατʼ ὀιστός,
"
καὶ
"
ἐπιπτέσθαι μενεαίνων,
"
καὶ
"
ἐν γαίῃ ἵσταντο λιλαιόμενα χροὸς ἆσαι,
"
καὶ
"
αἰχμὴ δὲ στέρνοιο διέσσυτο μαιμώωσα.
In all these cases, it is well received through producing activity, as in the following: "αὖτις ἐπὶ δάπεδόνδε κυλίνδετο λᾶας ἀναιδής, "and "ἔπτατʼ ὀιστός, "and "ἐπιπτέσθαι μενεαίνων, "and "ἐν γαίῃ ἵσταντο λιλαιόμενα χροὸς ἆσαι, "and "αἰχμὴ δὲ στέρνοιο διέσσυτο μαιμώωσα.
"
ἐν πᾶσι γὰρ τούτοις διὰ τὸ ἔμψυχα εἶναι ἐνεργοῦντα φαίνεται· τὸ ἀναισχυντεῖν γὰρ καὶ μαιμᾶν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἐνέργεια.
"For in all these, because they are animate, they appear to be at work; for being shameless, quivering furiously, and the rest are activities.
ταῦτα δὲ προσῆψε διὰ τῆς κατʼ ἀναλογίαν μεταφορᾶς· ὡς γὰρ ὁ λίθος πρὸς τὸν Σίσυφον, ὁ ἀναισχυντῶν πρὸς τὸν ἀναισχυντούμενον.
And he attached these attributes by means of metaphor by analogy; for as the stone is to Sisyphus, so is the shameless person to the one who is shamelessly treated.
§3.11.4ποιεῖ δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς εὐδοκιμούσαις εἰκόσιν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀψύχων ταὐτά· "
κυρτά, φαληριόωντα· πρὸ μέν τʼ ἄλλʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐπʼ ἄλλα· "
κινούμενα γὰρ καὶ ζῶντα ποιεῖ πάντα, ἡ δʼ ἐνέργεια κίνησις.
He does the same also in his highly esteemed similes applied to inanimate things: "κυρτά, φαληριόωντα· πρὸ μέν τʼ ἄλλʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐπʼ ἄλλα· "for he makes everything moving and alive, and activity is motion.
§3.11.5δεῖ δὲ μεταφέρειν, καθάπερ εἴρηται πρότερον, ἀπὸ οἰκείων καὶ μὴ φανερῶν, οἷον καὶ ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ τὸ ὅμοιον καὶ ἐν πολὺ διέχουσι θεωρεῖν εὐστόχου, ὥσπερ Ἀρχύτας ἔφη ταὐτὸν εἶναι διαιτητὴν καὶ βωμόν· ἐπʼ ἄμφω γὰρ τὸν ἀδικούμενον καταφεύγειν.
And one must take metaphors, as has been said before, from things that are appropriate but not obvious, just as in philosophy also it is the mark of a well-aimed mind to discern similarity even in things far apart, as Archytas said that an arbitrator and an altar are the same; for to both the injured person flies for refuge.
ἢ εἴ τις φαίη ἄγκυραν καὶ κρεμάθραν τὸ αὐτὸ εἶναι· ἄμφω γὰρ ταὐτό τι, ἀλλὰ διαφέρει τῷ ἄνωθεν καὶ κάτωθεν.
Or if someone were to say that an anchor and a pot-hanger are the same; for both are the same sort of thing, but they differ in being from above and from below.
καὶ τὸ ἀνωμαλίσθαι τὰς πόλεις ἐν πολὺ διέχουσιν ταὐτό, ἐν ἐπιφανείᾳ καὶ δυνάμεσι τὸ ἴσον.
And to "make states even" in widely differing things is the same, namely, equality in surface area and in power.
§3.11.6ἔστιν δὲ καὶ τὰ ἀστεῖα τὰ πλεῖστα διὰ μεταφορᾶς καὶ ἐκ τοῦ προσεξαπατᾶν· μᾶλλον γὰρ γίγνεται δῆλον ὅ τι ἔμαθε παρὰ τὸ ἐναντίως ἔχειν, καὶ ἔοικεν λέγειν ἡ ψυχὴ
ὡς ἀληθῶς, ἐγὼ δὲ ἥμαρτον
. καὶ τῶν ἀποφθεγμάτων δὲ τὰ ἀστεῖά ἐστιν ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὅ φησι λέγειν, οἷον τὸ Στησιχόρου, ὅτι οἱ τέττιγες ἑαυτοῖς χαμόθεν ᾄσονται. καὶ τὰ εὖ ᾐνιγμένα διὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ἡδέα (μάθησις γάρ ἐστι καὶ μεταφορἄ, καὶ (ὃ λέγει Θεόδωρος) τὸ καινὰ λέγειν.
And most clever sayings are through metaphor and from deceiving in advance; for it becomes clearer that one has learned something from the fact that it is the opposite, and the soul seems to say: "How true, but I was mistaken." And of apophthegms, those are clever which do not mean what they literally say, as that of Stesichorus, that "the cicadas will sing to themselves from the ground." And well-constructed riddles are pleasing for the same reason (for there is learning and metaphor), and also (what Theodorus says) saying new things.
γίγνεται δὲ ὅταν παράδοξον ᾖ, καὶ μή, ὡς ἐκεῖνος λέγει, πρὸς τὴν ἔμπροσθεν δόξαν, ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς γελοίοις τὰ παραπεποιημένα (ὅπερ δύναται καὶ τὰ παρὰ γράμμα σκώμματα· ἐξαπατᾷ γάρ), καὶ ἐν τοῖς μέτροις· οὐ γὰρ ὥσπερ ὁ ἀκούων ὑπέλαβεν· "
ἔστειχε δʼ ἔχων ὑπὸ ποσσὶ χίμεθλα· "
ὁ δʼ ᾤετο πέδιλα ἐρεῖν.
This happens when it is unexpected, and not, as he says, "contrary to previous opinion," but like the words with altered letters in jokes (which is also the power of jokes made by changing a letter; for they deceive), and in verses; for it does not turn out as the hearer supposed: "ἔστειχε δʼ ἔχων ὑπὸ ποσσὶ χίμεθλα· "whereas the hearer expected him to say "sandals (pedila)." And this must be clear as soon as it is spoken.
τούτου δʼ ἅμα λεγομένου δεῖ δῆλον εἶναι. τὰ δὲ παρὰ γράμμα ποιεῖ οὐχ ὃ λέγει λέγειν, ἀλλʼ ὃ μεταστρέφει ὄνομα, οἷον τὸ Θεοδώρου εἰς Νίκωνα τὸν κιθαρῳδὸν
θράξει σε
, προσποιεῖται γὰρ λέγειν τὸ
Θρᾷξ εἶ σύ
καὶ ἐξαπατᾷ· ἄλλο γὰρ λέγει.
But jokes by changing a letter do not say what they literally mean, but what a word is turned into by alteration, as that of Theodorus against Nikon the cithara-player, "he will trouble you (thraxei se)"; for he pretends to say "you are a Thracian (Thraix ei sy)" and deceives; for he says something else.
διὸ μαθόντι ἡδύ, ἐπεὶ εἰ μὴ ὑπολαμβάνει Θρᾷκα εἶναι, οὐ δόξει ἀστεῖον εἶναι.
Therefore it is pleasing to one who has understood, since if one does not assume that he is a Thracian, it will not seem to be clever.
§3.11.7καὶ τὸ
βούλει αὐτὸν πέρσαι
. δεῖ δὲ ἀμφότερα προσηκόντως λεχθῆναι.
And also: "βούλει αὐτὸν πέρσαι "But both meanings must be spoken appropriately.
οὕτω δὲ καὶ τὰ ἀστεῖα, οἷον τὸ φάναι Ἀθηναίοις τὴν τῆς θαλάττης ἀρχὴν μὴ ἀρχὴν εἶναι τῶν κακῶν· ὄνασθαι γάρ. ἢ ὥσπερ Ἰσοκράτης τὴν ἀρχὴν τῇ πόλει ἀρχὴν εἶναι τῶν κακῶν. ἀμφοτέρως γὰρ ὃ οὐκ ἂν ᾠήθη τις ἐρεῖν, τοῦτʼ εἴρηται, καὶ ἐγνώσθη ὅτι ἀληθές· τό τε γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν φάναι ἀρχὴν εἶναι οὐθὲν σοφόν, ἀλλʼ οὐχ οὕτω λέγει ἀλλʼ ἄλλως, καὶ ἀρχὴν οὐχ ὃ εἶπεν ἀπόφησιν, ἀλλʼ ἄλλως.
In the same way also clever sayings, as to say to the Athenians that "the rule (arche) of the sea was not the beginning (arche) of their evils; for they benefited from it." Or as Isocrates said, "the rule (arche) was the beginning (arche) of evils for the city." For in both cases, what one would not have thought anyone would say is spoken, and is recognized as true; for to say that the "rule is a beginning" is nothing wise, but he does not say it in this way but otherwise, and he does not deny "rule" in the sense of what he said, but otherwise.