portare nottole ad Atene
Italian
Alternative forms
- portare civette ad Atene (literally “carry owls to Athens”)
Etymology
Literally “carry noctules/owls to Athens”, calque from Ancient Greek proverb γλαῦκ' εἰς Ἀθήνας (glaûk' eis Athḗnas). Compare English bring owls to Athens.
Verb
- (idiomatic) To bring owls to Athens, to carry coals to Newcastle; to undertake a pointless, redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical venture.
- Synonym: portare vasi a Samo (literally “carry jars to Samos”)