[B-Greek] Cherry Tree?

Richard Ghilardi qodeshlayhvh at juno.com
Mon Jul 20 02:50:21 EDT 2009


Hello Folks,

In his collection of ancient Greek proverbs appropriately titled, ARXAIES
ELLHNIKES PAROIMIES, D. S. Baker has the following:

MIA LOXNH OU TREFEI DYO ERIQAKOYS.
MIA KERASIA DEN TREFEI DYO KISSES. (DHMOTIKH)
One cherry tree will not hold two jays.

Baker says that this proverb is anonymous.
The English appears to be an accurate translation of the Modern Greek.
But I don't see how either of them could be a translation of the ancient
tongue. The verbs are all correct. Both Greeks are present and the
English is future, but that's OK in rendering proverbs. The problem is
with the subject and object.

First of all, LOXNH is not to be found in LSJ. Is this a Greek word? What
does it mean? The Greek for 'cherry tree' is, of course, KERASEA and
KERASIA or KERASOS and KERASION. Does LOXNH exist in some other Greek
lexicon? 

Secondly, ERIQAKOS doesn't mean 'jay' or KISSA. LSJ defines it as
'robin-redbreast' 'Erithacus rubecula', an entirely different species.

Can anyone explain to me what's going on here?

Yours in His grace,

Richard Ghilardi - qodeshlayhvh at juno.com
West Haven, Connecticut USA
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