Zenobius 4.62
To play the Cretan
English
Proverb
To play the Cretan
Explanation
they used the word for "to lie and deceive," and they say the proverb spread from Idomeneus the Cretan. For when, they say, a quarrel arose among the Greeks at Troy about who was greatest, and all were eager to take to themselves the bronze gathered from the spoils, Idomeneus was made judge; he, having received from them the appropriate pledges that they would abide by his judgement, ranked himself before all the chieftains. Whence, "to play the Cretan."
Greek
Proverb
Κρητίζειν
Explanation
ἐπὶ τοῦ ψεύδεσθαι καὶ ἀπατᾶν ἔτατλον τὴν λέξιν, καὶ φασὶν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἰδομενέως τοῦ Κρητὸς τὴν παροιμίαν διαδοθῆναι. Λέγεται γὰρ διαφορᾶς ποτὲ γενομένης τοῖς ἐν Τροίᾳ Ἕλλησιν περὶ τοῦ μείζονος, καὶ πάντων προθυμουμένων τὸν συναχθέντα χαλκὸν ἐκ τῶν λαφύρων πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἀποφέρεσθαι, γενόμενον κριτὴν τὸν Ἰδομενέα, καὶ λαβόντα παρ’ αὐτῶν τὰς ἐνδεχομένας πίστεις ἐφ’ ᾧ κατακολουθῆσαι τοῖς κριθησομένοις, ἀντὶ πάντων τῶν ἀριστέων ἑαυτὸν προτάξαι. Διὸ λέγεσθαι τὸ Κρητίζειν.
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0098.tlg001.1st1K-grc1:4.62