Re: Simonides critique of Tischendorf in Memnon #2

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cjab
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Re: Simonides critique of Tischendorf in Memnon #2

Post by cjab »

Hi all, I've got another set of phrases that I am struggling with in putting it all together to make sense of it. Anyone got any ideas?

ἐξῆλθον ὥστερον καὶ παραλαβόντες καὶ τὸν ἀπὸ κώπης ἐπὶ βῆμα, ἀπόλογον Ἀλκίνου, Ἀλέξανδρον Γεωργιάδην,

My analysis:
ἐξῆλθον (verb 3rd pl aor ind act - they went out)
ὥστερον (ὕστερον - afterwards/later)
παραλαβόντες (masc nom plural - aorist active participle - received from)
τὸν (3rd person masculine singular, accusative)
ἀπὸ (from, away from, because of, as a result of)
κώπης (gen sing - handle OR nom masc plural - pieces of wood fit for making oars, spars)
ἐπὶ (on,upon, at near) βῆμα (foot, step, moment, platform, pulpit) = on foot?
ἀπόλογον (masc sing acc - story)
Ἀλκίνου, Ἀλέξανδρον Γεωργιάδην (Alcinous, Alexander, Georgiades),

mwh
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Re: Simonides critique of Tischendorf in Memnon #2

Post by mwh »

ἐξῆλθον ὕστερον καὶ παραλαβόντες καὶ τὸν ἀπὸ κώπης ἐπὶ βῆμα ἀπόλογον Ἀλκίνου, Ἀλέξανδρον Γεωργιάδην,

This means something like “Τhey went out later and inheriting the from-rags-to-riches tale of Alkinoos, Alexandros Georgiades,”
Presumably it’s insulting. ἀπὸ κώπης ἐπὶ βῆμα was an old proverbial expression applied to people of lowly origins who had advanced to high standing. “Alkinoos’ story” (deriving from the Odyssey), also proverbial, was used to refer disparagingly to any long and rambling tale.
i don’t know who Alexandros Georgiades was or how he fits in. I’m only vaguely familiar with Simonides' attacks on Tischendorf, but I do know that Simonides was a very learned man and a highly skilled con artist.

cjab
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Re: Simonides critique of Tischendorf in Memnon #2

Post by cjab »

Thanks for your input. As you say, the immediate context is one of insults and taunts.

I've tried researching "Alexandros Georgiades" but no luck. The best I can come up with is Anastasios Georgiadis Lefkias ( 1773 - 1853 ), a contemporary of Simonides, and a Greek benefactor, university professor and physician. "Despite his status as a physician he embodied the ideal model of Homo Universalis." May be Simonides has confused Alexandros with Anastasios here.

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