myths about biblical language study - myth #3
Myth #3, ancient metaphors always need to be unpacked to be understood in the modern target language.
Some metaphors that have come down to us from ancient sources and are still viable. Working on of Ajax speech:
Soph. Ajax, 477-478
The first metaphor does require some minor transformation. According to LSJ πρίασθαι οὐδενὸς λόγου to buy at no price, S.Aj.477 is roughly equivalent to "I wouldn't give you anything for ... ". The last half of the statement "a man warmed by false hopes" is almost totally transparent.
Some metaphors that have come down to us from ancient sources and are still viable. Working on of Ajax speech:
Soph. Ajax, 477-478
Οὐκ ἂν πριαίμην οὐδενὸς λόγου βροτὸν
ὅστις κεναῖσιν ἐλπίσιν θερμαίνεται·
The first metaphor does require some minor transformation. According to LSJ πρίασθαι οὐδενὸς λόγου to buy at no price, S.Aj.477 is roughly equivalent to "I wouldn't give you anything for ... ". The last half of the statement "a man warmed by false hopes" is almost totally transparent.
posted by C. Stirling Bartholomew | 2:45 PM
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