[B-Greek] phagw

Polycarp66 at aol.com Polycarp66 at aol.com
Sun Mar 9 18:15:41 EST 2003


In a message dated 3/9/2003 5:34:53 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
biblicalscribe at hotmail.com writes:

> I should be more specific in my phagw question. I apologize if I did not get 
> 
> the transliteration correct -- I think phagw is right. The verb I refer to 
> is "to eat."  Someone I know has made a theological argument based on his 
> assertion that "phagw" is a figurative verb to eat, while "esthiw" is a 
> literal verb to eat. I have understood, however, that the difference 
> between 
> "phagw" and "esthiw" is more like the difference between the English "eat" 
> and "dine." Can anyone clear this up for me? Thanks to those who have 
> already replied! Sincerely, Matt Miller
> 

I'm not sure what "figurative" eating would be.  To get away from the sacred 
to the quite profane, I give you Aristophanes' Ecclesiazusae (I take no 
responsibility for the original or for the translation)

Blepuros:
K'AGW EPEIDAN APOPATHSW:  NUN DE MOU 
AXRAS TIS EGKLHiSAS' EXEI TA SITIA

Anhr:
MWN hHN QRASUBOULOS EIPE TOIS LAKWNIKOIS?

Blepuros:
NH TO DIONUSON ENEXETAI GOUN MOI SFODRA.
ATAR TI DRASW?  KAI GAR OUDE TOUTO ME
MONON TO LUPOUN ESTIN, ALL' hOTAN ** FAGW, **
hOPOI BADIEITAI MOI TO LOIPON hH KOPROS.
NUN MEN GAR hOUTOS BEBALANWKE THN QURAN,
hOSTIS POT' ESQ' ANQRWPOS AXRADOUSIOS.
TIS AN OUN IATRON MOI METELQOI KAI TINA?
TIS TWN KATA PRWKTON DEINOS ESTI THN TEXNHN?
ALL' OID', AMUNWN, ALL' ISWS ARNHSETAI.
ANTISQENH TIS KALESATW PASHi TEXNHi.
hOUTOS GAR ANHR hENEKA GE STENAGMATWN 
OIDEN TI PRWKTOS BOULETAI XEZHTIWN.
hW POTNI' EISEIQUIA MH ME PERIIDHiS
DIARRAGENTA MHDE BEBALANWMENON,
hINA MH GENWMAI SKWRAMIS KWMWiDIKH.
____________________

Blepyrus:
I am going to have a look too, when I have finished crapping; but I really 
think [355] there must be a wild pear obstructing my rectum.    

Man:
Is it the one which Thrasybulus spoke about to the Lacedaemonians?  

Blepyrus:
Oh! oh! oh! how stopped up I am!  Whatever am I to do?  It's not merely for 
the present that I am frightened; but when ** I have eaten, ** [360] where is 
my crap to find an outlet now? This damned McPear fellow has bolted the door. 
Call a doctor; but who is the cleverest in this branch of the science? 
[365] Amynon? Perhaps he would not come. Ah! Antisthenes! Let him be brought 
to me, cost what it will. To judge by his noisy sighs, that man knows what an 
arse wants, when it needs to crap. Oh! venerated Ilithyia! I shall burst 
unless [370] the door gives way. Have pity! pity! Let me not become a 
thunder-mug for the comic poets.    
_______________________

This is not "Holy Ghost Greek" but the language of everyday life.  There is 
nothing figurative about it such as the phrase "feed on him in your hearts" 
in some eucharistic liturgies.  It requires very real elimination.  

gfsomsel







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