γλαῦκ' εἰς Ἀθήνας

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

γλαῦκ’ Ἀθήναζε (glaûk’ Athḗnaze)

Etymology

The owl, which roosted in the rafters of the old Parthenon (the one burnt by Xerxes I), was the symbol of the city of Athens, and was sacred to its patron goddess, Athena. It was featured on Athens’ silver coins, and as Athens both mined its own silver and minted its own coins, bringing owls (either the real birds, or the coins) to Athens would be pointless.

Compare English coals to Newcastle.

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ɡlâu̯.keːs a.tʰɛ̌ː.naːs/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈɡlaʍ.kis aˈtʰe.nas/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈɣlaɸ.kis aˈθi.nas/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈɣlaf.cis aˈθi.nas/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈɣlaf.cis aˈθi.nas/

Phrase

γλαῦκ’ εἰς Ᾰ̓θήνᾱς • (glaûk’ eis Athḗnās)

Undertaking a pointless, redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical venture.

Usage notes

γλαῦκ’ is the elided form of γλαῦκα (glaûka).

Descendants

Czech: nosit sovy do Atén
Dutch: uilen naar Athene dragen
English: bring owls to Athens
Esperanto: porti strigojn al Ateno
German: Eulen nach Athen tragen

Greek: κομίζω γλαύκα εις Αθήνας (komízo gláfka eis Athínas)
Italian: portare nottole ad Atene, portare civette ad Atene
Slovak: nosiť sovy do Atén
Swedish: bära ugglor till Aten

References

γλαύξ in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press

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