List of Greek Phrases/Proverbs

Α / A

Αγεωμετρητος μηδεις εισιτω

Ageômetriêtos mêdeis eisitô.

"Let no-one without geometry enter". Motto over the entrance to Plato's Academy.

Αει φερει τι Λιβυη κακον καινον

Aei pherei ti Libyê kakon/kainon.

"Libya always bears something evil/new", Aristotle. (Cf. Latin Ex Africa semper aliquid novi, "From Africa always something new".)

Αει κολοιος παρα κολοιω ιζανει

Aei koloios para koloiô hizanei.

"A jackdaw is always found near a jackdaw", i.e. birds of a kind flock together.

Αετου γηρας, κορυδου νεοτης

Aetou gêras, korydou neotos.

"An eagle's old age (is worth) a sparrow's youth".

Αναγκα δ'ουδε θεοι μαχονται

Anangka d'oude theoi makhontai.

"Even the Gods do not fight necessity", Simonides.

Ανθρωπος μετρον

Anthropos metron.

"Man the measure (of all things)", motto of Protagoras.

Απαξ λεγομενον

Hapax legomenon.

"Once said", i.e. a word that only occurs once in a text or body of literature.

Αριστον μεν υδωρ

Ariston men hydôr.

"Greatest however is water", Pindar.

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Β / B

Βρωμα θεων

Brôma theôn.

"Food of the gods" -- allegedly said by Nero of the poisoned mushrooms with which his mother Agrippina murdered Claudius.

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Γ / G

Γλαυκ' Αθηναζε/Γλαυκ' εις Αθηνας

Glauk' Athênaze/Glauk' eis Athênas.

"Owls to Athens", i.e. coals to Newcastle, ice to the Eskimos.

Γνωθηι σεαυτον

Gnôthi seauton.

"Know thyself" -- the motto over the entrance to the temple of Apollo at Delphi.

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Δ / D

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Ε / E

Εν οιδα οτι ουδεν οιδα

Hen oida hoti ouden oida

"I know one thing, that I know nothing", (Socrates in Plato's Apology)

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Ζ / Z

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Η / Ê

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Θ / Th

Θαλασση και πυρ και γυνη, κακα τρια

Thalassa kai pyr kai gynê, kaka tria.

"Sea and fire and woman, three evils."

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Ι / I

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Κ / K

Κακου  κορακος  κακον  ωον

Kakoû kórakos kakòn ôòn.

"From a bad crow, a bad egg", i.e. like father, like son.

Κακός ανήρ μακρόβιος

Kakos anêr makrobios

"A bad man lives long"

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Λ / L

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Μ / M

Μη γενοιτο

Mê genoito.

"Let it not be!"/"Heaven forfend!" -- phrase used frequently by St Paul.

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Ν / N

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Ξ / X

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Ο / O

Ου φροντις 'Ιπποκλειδη

Ou phrontis Hippokleidê.

"Hippocleides doesn't care." From a story in Herodotus (6.129), in which Hippocleides loses the chance to marry Cleisthenes' daughter after getting drunk and dancing on his head. Herodotus says the phrase was a common expression in his own day.

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Π / P

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Ρ / R

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Σ / S

Σπευδε βραδεως

Speude bradeôs.

"Hasten slowly" (cf. Latin festina lente), "less haste, more speed".

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Τ / T

Το γαρ ηδυ, εαν πολυ, ου τι γε ηδυ

To gar hêdy, ean poly, ou ti ge hêdy.

"A sweet thing tasted too often is no longer sweet."

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Υ / Y

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Φ / Ph

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Χ / Ch

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Ψ / Ps

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Ω / Ô

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See also:

• Greek language
• List of Latin phrases