Zenobius 5.33

Not without Theseus, at least

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English

Proverb

Explanation

Theseus shared exploits with many heroes. He helped Meleager in the hunt for the Calydonian boar, fought with Pirithous against the Centaurs, and with Heracles against the Amazons. So whenever some marvellous deed is done by more than one, we are wont to say of it, "Not without Theseus, at least." The story of Meleager and the Calydonian boar runs thus. When Meleager was born, the Fates appearing said: "Meleager will die when the brand burning on the hearth is consumed." Hearing this, his mother Althaea snatched up the brand and laid it in a chest. Meleager, becoming a brave man, ended in this fashion. Oeneus his father, sacrificing the firstfruits of the year's crops to the gods, forgot Artemis. She in anger sent forth a wild boar, exceeding in size and strength, who ravaged the land of the Calydonians and ruined their crops. Against this boar Oeneus called all the bravest of Greece together; and to whoever should slay the beast he promised the hide as a prize. Many having gathered, Meleager too went out to the hunt, summoning Theseus as ally. Atalanta daughter of Schoeneus also coming with the chiefs, all together surrounded the boar. Atalanta first shot the boar in the back; Meleager struck him through the flank and killed him, took the hide, and bestowed it on Atalanta as a favour. The sons of Thestius — Althaea's brothers — being there, and disliking that a woman should have the prize, took the hide from Atalanta, saying that it belonged to them by kinship if Meleager would not take it. Meleager in anger killed the sons of Thestius, but gave the hide to Atalanta. Althaea, grieving over the loss of her brothers, kindled the brand, and Meleager suddenly died. Theseus fought along with Pirithous when he made war on the Centaurs. For Pirithous, in courting Hippodamia, was feasting the Centaurs as her kinsmen. Being unaccustomed to wine, they drank it greedily and grew drunk; and when the bride was being brought in they tried to ravish her. Pirithous, with Theseus, armed himself and joined battle; and Theseus killed many of them. Theseus also went with Heracles against the Amazons. For when Eurystheus had ordered Heracles to bring the girdle of Hippolyte, queen of the Amazons, Heracles went off and asked her for it. She agreeing to give it, Hera, keeping her grudge against him, taking the likeness of one of the Amazons, went round to all the rest saying that the visitor was carrying off their queen and meant to take her girdle, which she had received from Ares as token of her royalty. Hearing this, the Amazons came armed against Heracles. He, supposing the matter was treachery, killed Hippolyte and took the girdle, fought the rest, and sailed away. For this reason later Heracles, wishing to take vengeance on the Amazons, marched against them, taking Theseus with him as ally; and warring with him as ally he subdued them.

Greek

Proverb

Οὐκ ἄνευ γε Θησέως

Explanation

Θησεὺς πολλοῖς ἀριστεῦσι συνηγωνίσατο. Τῷ γὰρ Μελεάγρῳ συνήργησε πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Καλυδωνίου κάπρου θήραν, τῷ Πειρίθῳ συνεμάχησε κατὰ τῶν Κενταύρων καὶ Ἡρακλεῖ πρὸς τὰς Ἀμαζόνας. Ὅταν οὖν θαυμαστόν τι πραχθῇ οὐχ ὑπὸ μόνου τινὸς, εἰώθαμεν λέγειν αὐτῷ, Οὐχ ἄνευ γε Θησέως.

Ἡ δὲ περὶ τοῦ Μελεάγρου ἱστορία καὶ τοῦ Καλυδωνίου συὸς οὕτως ἔχει· Μελεάγρου γεννηθέντος φασὶ τὰς Μοίρας παραγενομένας εἰπεῖν, Τότε τελευτήσει Μελέαγρος, ὅταν ὁ καιόμενος ἐπὶ τῆς ἐσχάρας δαλὸς κατακαῇ. Τοῖτο ἀνούσασα ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ Ἀλθαία, τὸν δαλὸν ἀνείλετο, καὶ κατέθετο εἰς λάρνακα. Μελέαγρος δὲ ἀνὴρ γενναῖος γενόμενος τόνδε τὸν τρόπον ἐτελεύτησεν. Οἰνεὺς ὁ τούτου πατὴρ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν ἐτησίων καρπῶν τοῖς θεοῖς θύων, τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος ἐπελάθετο. Ἡ δὲ ὀργισθεῖσα κάπρον ἐφῆκεν ἄγριον, μεγέθει τε καὶ ῥώμῃ ἔξοχον, ὃς τὴν γῆν τῶν Καλυδωνίων διέφθειρε καὶ τοὺς καρποὺς ἐλυμαίνετο. Ἐπὶ τοῦτον τὸν κάπρον τοὺς ἀρίστους ἐκ τῆς Ἑλλάδος πάντας συνεκάλεσεν· καὶ τῷ κτείνοντι τὸν θῆρα τὴν δορὰν δώσειν ἀριστεῖον ἐπηγγείλατο. Πολλῶν οὖν συνελθόντων, καὶ ὁ Μελέαγρος ἐπὶ τὴν θήραν ἐξῆλθε, σύμμαχον προςκαλεσάμενος τὸν Θησέα. Συνελθούσης δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἀριστέων καὶ Ἀταλάντης τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ Σχοινέως, κοινῇ τὸν κάπρον περιέστησαν ἅπαντες. Πρώτη μὲν οὖν Ἀναλάντη τὸν κάπρον εἰς τὰ νῶτα ἐτόξευσε· Μελέαγρος δὲ κατὰ τοῦ κενεῶνος πλήξας ἀπέκτεινε, καὶ λαβὼν τὸ δέρας Ἀταλάντῃ χαριζόμενος ἔδωκε. Παρόντων δὲ ἐκεῖσε καὶ τῶν Θεστίου παίδων, τῶν ἀδελφῶν τῆς Ἀλθαίας, καὶ ἀδοξούντων εἰ τὰ ἀριστεῖα γυνὴ λήψεται’, τὸ δέρας ἐξ Ἀταλάντης ἀφείλοντο, λέγοντες κατὰ γένος αὐτῆς διαφέρειν, εἰ Μελέαγρος λαμβάνειν μὴ προαιροῖτο. Ὀργισθεὶς δὲ Μελέαγρος τοὺς μὲν Θεστίου παῖδας ἀπέκτεινε, τὸ δὲ δέρας Ἀταλάντῃ ἔδωκεν. Ἀλθαία δὲ λυπηθεῖσα ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἀπωλείᾳ τὸν δαλὸν ἀνῆψεν, καὶ ὁ Μελέαγρος ἐξαίφνης ἀπέθανε.

Συνεμάχησε δὲ τῷ Πειρίθῳ Θησεὺς, ὅτε κατὰ τῶν Κενταύρων συνεστήσατο πόλεμον. Πειρίθους γὰρ Ἱπποδάμειαν μνηστευόμενος, εἱστία Κενταύρους ὡς συγγενεῖς ὄντας αὐτῇ. Ἀσυνήθως δὲ ἔχοντες οἴνου, ἀφειδῶς ἐμφορησάμενοι ἐμέθυον, καὶ εἰςαγομένην τὴν νύμφην ἐπεχείρουν βιάζεσθαι. Ὁ δὲ Πειρίθους μετὰ Θησέως καθοπλισάμενος μάχην συνῆψε, Καὶ πολλοὺς ὁ Θησεὺς ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ἀνεῖλεν.

Ἀπῆλθε δὲ Θησεὺς καὶ μετὰ Ἡρακλέους πρὸς Ἀμαζόνας. Εὐρυσθέως γὰρ ἐπιτάξαντος Ἡρακλεῖ κομίσαι τὸν Ἱππολύτης ζωστῆρα, τῆς τῶν Ἀμαζόνων βασιλίσσης, ἀπελθὼν Ἡρακλῆς ἐζήτει τοῦτον. Τῆς δὲ συνθεμένης δοῦναι, Ἥρα μανίαν φυλάττουσα πρὸς αὐτὸν, εἰκασθεῖσα μιᾷ τῶν Ἀμαζόνων περιῄει πάσαις λέγουσα, ὅτι ὁ παραβαλὼν ξένος τὴν βασιλίδα βιάζεται, καὶ ταύτης τὸν ζωστῆρα, ὃν ἐξ Ἄρεος εἰς δεῖγμα τῆς βασιλείας εἴληφεν, ἀφελέσθαι βούλεται. Τοῦτο ἀκούσασαι Ἀμαζόνες, ἐφωπλισμέναι κατὰ τοῦ Ἡρακλέους ἐξῄεσαν. Νομίσας δὲ Ἡρακλῆς ἐκ δόλου τοῦτο γενέσθαι, τὴν μὲν Ἱππολύτην κτείνας τὸν ζωστῆρα ἀφαιρεῖται, πρὸς δὲ τὰς λοιπὰς ἀγωνισάμενος ἀποπλεῖ. Διὰ τοῦτο ὕστερον βουλόμενος Ἡρακλῆς Ἀμαζόνας ἀμύνασθαι, ἐστράτευσε κατ’ αὐτῶν, συμπαραλαβὼν καὶ Θησέα εἰς συμμαχίαν, ἃς καὶ κατεπολέμησε παρ’ αὐτοῦ συμμαχούμενος.

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0098.tlg001.1st1K-grc1:5.33