Zenobius 5.63
Stir every stone
English
Proverb
Stir every stone
Explanation
proverb. For when Xerxes marched against the Greeks, defeated at Salamis, he himself withdrew, but left Mardonius behind to make war on the Greeks. He too being defeated in the battle at Plataea, a rumour spread that Mardonius had left a treasure in the enclosure of his tent. Polycrates the Theban, having bought the spot, kept seeking the treasure for a long time; getting nowhere, he sent to Delphi and asked how he might find the riches. Apollo answered, they say: "Stir every stone." Whence the proverb prevailed.
Greek
Proverb
Πάντα λίθον κίνει
Explanation
παροιμία. Ὅτε γὰρ Ξέρξης ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἐπεστράτευσεν, ἡττηθεὶς περὶ Σαλαμῖνα, αὐτὸς μὲν ἀνέζευξε, Μαρδόνιον δὲ κατέλιπε πολεμήσοντα τοῖς Ἕλλησιν. Ἡττηθέντος δὲ καὶ τούτου τὴν ἐν Πλαταιαῖς μάχην, φήμη τις κατέσχεν, ὡς ἐν τῷ περιβόλῳ τῆς σκηνῆς ὁ Μαρδόνιος θησαυρὸν καταλέλοιπε. Πριάμενος οὖν Πολυκράτης ὁ Θηβαῖος τὸν τόπον, χρόνον μὲν πολὺν ἐζήτει τὸν θησαυρόν· ὡς δ’ οὐδὲν ἐπέραινε, πέμψας εἰς Δελφοὺς ἐπηρώτα, πῶς ἂν εὕροι τὰ χρήματα. Τὸν δὲ Ἀπόλλωνα ἀποκρίνασθαί φασι, πάντα λίθον κίνει· ὅθεν ἡ παροιμία ἐκράτησεν.
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0098.tlg001.1st1K-grc1:5.63