κάλλιστον ἐφόδιον τῷ γήρᾳ ἡ παιδεία (Aristotle, quoted by Diogenes Laertius 5.21) → the finest provision for old age is education

[demeter]

Looking for a translation of this phrase and a reference if possible.  Thanks

[wings]

Hi there.

First problem is that your phrase is not complete. The second one is that you don't mention any source text.

How could we provide an accurate translation, giving some reference, too? Could you possibly provide some context?

Thanks in advance.

[demeter]

Sorry if my request was terse.  I saw the phrase on a small copy of a statue (not sure of whom) and recognized some of the words since I speak modern Greek, but I didn't understand it and it appeared to me to be written in ancient Greek.  I was hoping that someone in the forum might have run across it somewhere.  The words above are the entire inscription, as far as I am aware.

[Pieter_87]

καλλιστον: superlative of 'καλασ' = the best
εφοδιον:
τωι γηραι: dative singular of 'ο γηρασ' = with / by oldness / a high age
η παιδι: dative singular of 'η παισ' = with / by a child / a girl

Quite hard to make a sentence out of it. Mostly because I really dont know what εφοδιον means. Sure looks like a verb to me, but I can't find it in the dictionairy. It looks like a word which is used in the bible, cause when you look it up via google you will find mostly bible websites. You really don't know what kinda statue it was?

PS: sorry for the minor mistakes in it, but I don't have a greek keyboard here... :)

[wings]

Well, I insist that the sentence is incomplete. There are at least a few letters missing at the end of the sentence. It could be "Kάλλιστον εφόδιον τωι γήραι η παιδεία" - and this is it, most possibly.

The English translation should then be "Education is the best qualification for the older age/when you get very old".

I hope this helps.

Vicky

[Pieter_87]

Well, I insist that the sentence is incomplete. There are at least a few letters missing at the end of the sentence. It could be "Kάλλιστον εφόδιον τωι γήραι η παιδεία" - and this is it, most possibly.

The English translation should then be "Education is the best qualification for the older age/when you get very old".

I hope this helps.

Vicky

it might be some kind of dialect...