Zenobius 4.82
Of a bad crow, a bad egg
English
Proverb
Of a bad crow, a bad egg
Explanation
some say this proverb is from the bird, that neither itself is fit to eat, nor is the egg it lays. Others, from Corax the Syracusan rhetor, the first to teach the rhetorical art. By him, they say, a pupil named Tisias, when payment was demanded and he was brought to court, said to Corax: "If you defeat me, Corax, I have learned nothing, and you will get nothing; if you lose, you likewise will not collect your fee." The judges, marvelling at the youth's sophistry, exclaimed, "Of a bad crow, a bad egg." The proverb is said of the wicked who do wicked deeds.
Greek
Proverb
Κακοῦ κόρακος κακὸν ὠόν
Explanation
τὴν παροιμίαν ταύτην οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ πτηνοῦ ζώου φασὶν εἰρῆσθαι, ὅτι οὔτε αὐτὸς βρωτός ἐστιν, οὔτε τὸ ὠὸν ὃ ἔχει. Οἱ δὲ, ἀπὸ Κόρακος τοῦ Συρακουσίου ῥήτορος, πρώτου διδάξαντος τέχνην ῥητορικήν. Ὑπὸ γὰρ τούτου, ὡς φασί, μαθητὴς Τισίας ὀνόματι μισθὸν ἀπαιτούμενος καὶ εἰςαγόμενος εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον, εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Κόρακα· Εἰ μέν με νικήσεις, ὦ Κόραξ, οὐδὲν μεμάθηκα, καὶ οὐ λήψῃ τί· εἰ δ’ ἡττηθήσῃ, οὐ κομιῇ τὸν μισθὸν ὡσαύτως. Θαυμάσαντες οὖν οἱ δικασταὶ τὸ σόφισμα τοῦ νεανίσκου ἐπεφώνησαν, Κακοῦ κόρακος κακὸν ὠόν. Εἴρηται δὲ ἡ παροιμία ἐπὶ τῶν πονηρῶν πονηρὰ ποιούντων.
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0098.tlg001.1st1K-grc1:4.82