γλαῦκ' εἰς Ἀθήνας

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• γλαῦκ’ Ἀθήναζε (glaûk’ Athḗnaze)

Etymology

The owl, which roosted in the rafters of the old Parthenon (the one burnt by Xerxes I), was the symbol of the city of Athens, and was sacred to its patron goddess, Athena. It was featured on Athens’ silver coins, and as Athens both mined its own silver and minted its own coins, bringing owls (either the real birds, or the coins) to Athens would be pointless.

Compare English coals to Newcastle.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ɡlâu̯.keːs a.tʰɛ̌ː.naːs/ → /ˈɣlaɸ.cis aˈθi.nas/ → /ˈɣlaf.cis aˈθi.nas/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ɡlâu̯.keːs a.tʰɛ̌ː.naːs/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈɡlaʍ.kis aˈtʰe̝.nas/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈɣlaɸ.cis aˈθi.nas/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈɣlaf.cis aˈθi.nas/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈɣlaf.cis aˈθi.nas/

Phrase

γλαῦκ’ εἰς Ᾰ̓θήνᾱς • (glaûk’ eis Athḗnās)

1. Undertaking a pointless, redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical venture.

Usage notes

• γλαῦκ’ is the elided form of γλαῦκα (glaûka).

Descendants

Descendants

• Czech: nosit sovy do Atén
• Dutch: uilen naar Athene dragen
• English: bring owls to Athens
• Esperanto: porti strigojn al Ateno
• German: Eulen nach Athen tragen

• Greek: κομίζω γλαύκα εις Αθήνας (komízo gláfka eis Athínas)
• Italian: portare nottole ad Atene, portare civette ad Atene
• Slovak: nosiť sovy do Atén
• Swedish: bära ugglor till Aten

References

• “γλαύξ”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press