Zenobius 1.26

The heavenly goat

Illustrated proverb 1.26

English

Proverb

The heavenly goat

Explanation

Cratinus says: just as Amalthea is the goat of Zeus, so the "heavenly goat" is of those who take bribes. They are wont, in comic mockery, so to call those who furnish to others bountiful means of making money, since the man who held Amalthea's horn had everything he wished.

Greek

Proverb

Αἴξ οὐρανία

Explanation

Κρατῖνος φησὶ καθάπερ Διὸς αἶγα Ἀμαλθείαν, οὕτω καὶ τῶν δωροδοκούντων αἶγα οὐρανίαν. Οἱ δὲ τοὺς εἰς τὸ ἀργυρίζεσθαί τισιν ἀφθόνως ἀφορμὰς παρέχοντας οὕτως εἰώθασι λέγειν κωμῳδοῦντες, ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ τῆς Ἀμαλθείας κέρας ἔχων πᾶν ὃ ἐβούλετο εἶχεν.

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0098.tlg001.1st1K-grc1:1.26