Callimachus · Iambs §9.1

Witty Speech of the Olive as the Meanest Tree

Passage 10 of 22 · Greek

Summary

A fragment from Callimachus is quoted, in which the olive tree speaks wittily and refers to itself as the meanest of all trees.

§9.1ἐγὼ φαύλη δένδρων ἁπάντων εἰμί. () "παρὰ δὲ Καλλιμάχῳ ἀστειζομένη ἡ ἐλαία φησίν· ἐγὼ φαύλη πάντων τῶν δένδρων εἰμί. "

I am the meanest of all trees. () "And in Callimachus, the olive tree, speaking wittily, says: 'I am the meanest of all trees.'"

§9.1δένδρων ἁπάντων — Genitive of comparison or partitive genitive with the positive adjective φαύλη ("mean, paltry"), expressing a superlative sense ("the meanest of all trees") or a comparative sense ("inferior to all trees").
§9.1ἀστειζομένη — Present participle of the verb ἀστεΐζομαι ("to act with urbanity, speak wittily, jest"). Here it describes the olive tree speaking with self-deprecating wit or refined irony in calling itself "paltry."

Callimachus, Iambs §9.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0533.tlg007.humanitext-grc1:9.1

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