know thyself and thou wilt know the universe and the gods → γνῶθι σαυτὸν καὶ θὰ γνωρίσεις τὸ σύμπαν καὶ τὸ θεῖον

spiros · 8 · 6648

spiros

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Δεν βρήκα αναφορά για την πλήρη φράση, είναι η παρακάτω;

Γνώθι σαυτόν και θα γνωρίσεις το σύμπαν και το θείον
ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΑΥΤΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΘΑ ΓΝΩΡΙΣΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΣΥΜΠΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΟ ΘΕΙΟΝ
« Last Edit: 18 Dec, 2022, 17:50:20 by spiros »
Look up Multiple Greek, Ancient Greek and Latin dictionaries — Οὕτω τι βαθὺ καὶ μυστηριῶδες ἡ σιγὴ καὶ νηφάλιον, ἡ δὲ μέθη λάλον· ἄνουν γὰρ καὶ ὀλιγόφρον, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πολύφωνον (Plutarch)




spiros

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It is so strange though that the English phrase is so popular (vis-à-vis the Greek hits): Know thyself and thou wilt know the universe and the gods
« Last Edit: 29 Sep, 2008, 17:21:32 by spiros »
Look up Multiple Greek, Ancient Greek and Latin dictionaries — Οὕτω τι βαθὺ καὶ μυστηριῶδες ἡ σιγὴ καὶ νηφάλιον, ἡ δὲ μέθη λάλον· ἄνουν γὰρ καὶ ὀλιγόφρον, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πολύφωνον (Plutarch)


billberg23

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That happens all the time, though, on the Web.  Someone comes up with an intriguing phrase and, to lend it authority, attributes it to an ancient source like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, or (in this case) Apollo's temple at Delphi.  Once it's on the Internet, it spreads like an airborne virus.

In fact, there was no such inscription in or on the temple — only the two Δελφικὰ παραγγέλματα, ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΑΥΤΟΝ and ΜΗΔΕΝ ΑΓΑΝ.  (Pausanias 10.24.1)
« Last Edit: 29 Sep, 2008, 17:50:33 by billberg23 »



spiros

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Yes, you are right.
Look up Multiple Greek, Ancient Greek and Latin dictionaries — Οὕτω τι βαθὺ καὶ μυστηριῶδες ἡ σιγὴ καὶ νηφάλιον, ἡ δὲ μέθη λάλον· ἄνουν γὰρ καὶ ὀλιγόφρον, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πολύφωνον (Plutarch)


billberg23

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The Greek version you cite is an interesting mixture of ancient (Γνώθι σαυτόν) and modern (θα γνωρίσεις) Greek.  Is it actually proverbial in modern Greek, and in those very words?  Do you know how old it is?  Back in June, I attempted a purely ancient Greek version of an almost identical statement (Σαυτὸν γνοὺς καὶ πάντα γνώσει τὰ τῶν θεῶν τε καὶ τοῦ κόσμου μυστήρια.), but of course was only shooting in the dark.


spiros

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Haven't got a clue, it is something I found on the web...
http://projetbabel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=65028
Look up Multiple Greek, Ancient Greek and Latin dictionaries — Οὕτω τι βαθὺ καὶ μυστηριῶδες ἡ σιγὴ καὶ νηφάλιον, ἡ δὲ μέθη λάλον· ἄνουν γὰρ καὶ ὀλιγόφρον, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πολύφωνον (Plutarch)


Gil Delors

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That happens all the time, though, on the Web.  Someone comes up with an intriguing phrase and, to lend it authority, attributes it to an ancient source like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, or (in this case) Apollo's temple at Delphi.  Once it's on the Internet, it spreads like an airborne virus.

In fact, there was no such inscription in or on the temple — only the two Δελφικὰ παραγγέλματα, ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΑΥΤΟΝ and ΜΗΔΕΝ ΑΓΑΝ.  (Pausanias 10.24.1)

I was told this phrase in ancient Greek with its French translation (I speak no ancient or modern Greek) by an editor of the most renowned French newspaper in the late 80s, when the Internet was not widespread and we were not yet using it.

Today, I am looking for the exact original Greek version, and have only found this so far:

"""
Know thyself, a message from the gods
This message isn’t merely a simple piece of advice or recommendation. The words were written at the entrance to the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. However, they were meant to serve as an appeal or even a warning that went far beyond mere ethical or religious values. Pausanias, the famous traveler of the second century AD, stated in his work, Description of Greece, that the phrase on the temple was inscribed in gold.

The sibyls were wise women who’d trained since childhood to reveal the message of the oracles. In their room, the following inscription was written:

“I warn you, whoever you are, Oh! You who want to probe the “Arcana of Nature”, that if you do not find “within yourself” that which you are looking for, you shall not find it outside either! If you ignore the excellences of your own house, how do you pretend to find other excellences? Within you is hidden the treasure of treasures! “Know Thyself” and you will know the Universe and the Gods.
"""


 

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