The prior entry in the Plutarch translation project is found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2013/09/10/translation-and-notes-plutarchs-marriage-advice-one-who-love-evil-will-gain-evil/

 

Section 12:

 

The sun beat the wind.

When the man was whipped by the wind – because the wind was trying to force him to put off his coat by blowing hard – the man simply wrapped himself tight.

Now, afterward, the sun warmed him, becoming hot, then scorching. So, the man took off his coat – and his shirt.

Women are like this. When their husbands take away their trifles and luxuries by force, the women fight and become bitter. But if she is persuaded by words, she will meekly put them away and behave.

 

Comment:

This passage has some interesting comparisons to Peter’s instruction to wives. Peter is concerned with the wife’s witness of salvation to her husband.  He warns wives to avoid manipulating their husbands either by complaints or by wiles. Rather, they should put their efforts on being gracious and understanding. 

 

Peter’s use of the word “incorruptible” to describe the wife’s beauty also points toward the eschatological nature of Christian conduct: The Christian must not primarily concerned with the current state of affairs. Peter has stipulated that trial and heartache should not surprise us in this life. Therefore, our hope must be set upon Christ and his return.

Plutarch has a very different concern: How can a husband manipulate his wife’s behavior. He offers “good advice”. If you simply run roughshod over your wife, she won’t take it well. But if you use reason, you can convince here to “behave”.

 

3 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 1 Peter 3:1–6 (ESV)

 

Greek Text and Notes:

 

ὁ ἥλιος τὸν βορέαν ἐνίκησεν. ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ μὲν ἀνέμου βιαζομένου τὸ ἱμάτιον ἀφελέσθαι καὶ λαμπρὸν καταπνέοντος μᾶλλον ἔσφιγγε καὶ συνεῖχε τὴν περιβολὴν τοῦ δʼ ἡλίου μετὰ τὸ πνεῦμα θερμοῦ γενομένου θαλπόμενος εἶτα καυματιζόμενος καὶ τὸν χιτῶνα τῷ ἱματίῳ προσαπεδύσατο. τοῦτο ‘o ποιοῦσιν αἱ πλεῖσται γυναῖκες· ἀφαιρουμένοις τοῖς ἀνδράσι βίᾳ τὴν τρυφὴν καὶ τὴν πολυτέλειαν διαμάχονται καὶ χαλεπαίνουσιν· ἂν πείθωνται μετὰ λόγου, πράως ἀποτίθενται καὶ μετριάζουσιν.^[1]

ὁ ἥλιος τὸν βορέαν ἐνίκησεν

The sun the northwind conquered.

Goodwin gets at the plainness and quality of the sentence by adding the phrase, “It is a common proverb”. Plutarch does not say this is a proverb; however, the sentence has the force of a proverb.

ἐνίκησεν:  Aorist, nikein: it is just a fact, the sun won.

ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος

For the man

Postpositive gar (for). Nominative.  Plutarch begins a father involved sentence by clearly stating the subject.

τοῦ μὲν ἀνέμου βιαζομένου

who is being tormented by the wind.

A forward pointing contrast is being set up by the “men”. The pronoun “who” is not expressly stated but is necessary to start the clause due to the contrast.

Biazo is strong verb. Goodwin’s translation “ruffles”, whatever it sounded like to his ears is altogether too trite. “Ruffles” sounds like something involving a baby. Biazo has the sense of violence.

The genitive anemou here indicates agency: The man is being troubled “of the wind” (English, by the agency of the wind).

τὸ ἱμάτιον ἀφελέσθαι καὶ λαμπρὸν καταπνέοντος

the clothes to put off and sharply blowing against

τὸ ἱμάτιον: Article is used to mark possession (rather than a genitive pronoun).

ἀφελέσθαι: an infinitive is used to mark the wind’s purpose.

Lampros could be either a lamp: The wind blew against the lamp. Or it could be an adjective describing the wind blowing. Both Goodwin and Babbit take it as an adjective, which is attested in the LSJ for use with “wind”:

5. metaph., of vigorous action, λ. ἄνεμος a keen wind, Hdt.2.96, cf.A.Ag.1180; λ. ἤδη καὶ μέγας καθιείς swooping down like a fresh and mighty breeze, Ar.Eq.430, cf. 760; λαμπρὸς φανήσεται he will come furiously forth, E.Heracl.280; λ. μάχη a keenly contested battle, Plb.10.12.5; -“ότερος κίνδυνος” Id.1.45.9. Adv. -ρῶς, ἐπικείμενοι vigorously, Th.7.71; utterly, λ. ἡττῆσθαι, λ. περιεστοιχίσθαι, Hld.4.4, 9.1.

Καταπνέοντος: the participle is complementary. The purpose of the wind was to blow off the cloak and it also blew against the lamp.

 

μᾶλλον ἔσφιγγε καὶ συνεῖχε τὴν περιβολὴν

rather he pulled tight and closed the coat.

 

A.“σφίγξω”  

 

AP12.208 (Strat.): aor. “ἔσφιγξα” Alex.31, AP10.75 (Pall.), etc.:—Med., aor. “ἐσφιγξάμην” Hermesian.7.81, Nonn.D.15.247, al.:—Pass., aor. “ἐσφίγχθην” AP6.331 (Gaet.), (ἀπ-) Hp.Mochl.35: pf. “ἔσφιγμαι” D.H.7.72, Luc.Musc. Enc.3; inf. “ἐσφίγχθαι” Demetr.Eloc.244, Philostr.VA2.13: plpf. “συνέσφικτο” Procop.Gaz. p.168B.:—bind tight, bind fast:

 

I. of the person or thing bound, “ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε” A.Pr.58; “σφίγγετ᾽, ἀμαλλοδέται, τὰ δράγματα” Theoc.10.44; κεκρύφαλοι ς. τεὴν τρίχα; AP5.259 (Paul. Sil.); “κρημνᾷ ἑαυτὴν σφίγξασα ἐκ τοῦ τραχήλου” Luc. Asin.24; “ς. πύλας” shut close, AP5.293.5 (Agath.); τόκους clutch, ib. 11.289 (Pall.); ς. τὴν φράσιν straiten, abridge, Plu.2.1011e, cf. Demetr.Eloc.244; πολλῷ χρόνῳ τὸν λόγον σφίγξαντες having severely restrained their utterance, Plu.2.6e:—Pass., “ἐσφίγγετο πέπλος ζωστῆρι” Theoc.7.17; “ς. ὑπὸ τοῦ βρόχου” D.S.12.17; “σφιγχθεὶς χέρας” APl.4.198 (Maec.); “ς. δράκοντι” AP6.331 (Gaet.); “οὐ κατὰ τοὺς σφῆκας πάνυ ἐσφιγμένοι” Luc.Musc.Enc.3:—also Med. (in act. sense), Hermesian.7.81, Nonn.D.13.11, al.

 

2. of the thing used in binding, στραγγαλίδας ἐσφίγγετε you tied knots fast, i.e. raised all sorts of difficulties, Pherecr.21; “ς. τὴν ἀγκύλην τῆς ἐμβάδος” Alex.31; “σφίγξω σοῖς περὶ ποσσὶ πέδην” AP5.178 (Mel.); σφίγγουσα τὰ πρὸς τοῖς γόνασι (sc. σπάργανα) Sor.1.84; “νεβρίδα στέρνοισι” Nonn.D.1.36; “πέπλα . . ἑῷ καρήνῳ” Musae.252; “σφιγχθεὶς στέφανος” AP12.135 (Asclep.).

 

II. bind or hold together, “αἰθὴρ ς. περὶ κύκλον ἅπαντα” Emp.38.4; “ς. πάντα” Pl.Ti.58a; “ὁ ὠκεανὸς ς. τὴν οἰκουμένην” Arist.Mu.393b9, cf. Melinno ap.Stob.3.7.12, AP5.293.20 (Agath.).

 

2. tie up in a bundle, “ἀργύριον” LXX 4 Ki.12.10.

 

3. tighten up, τὴν ἐκ τῆς μαλακῆς τρίψεως ἀραιότητα ς. Gal.6.91; of astringents, ib.477; σύες . . τοῖς ἄρρεσιν ἐμφερῶς ἐσφιγμέναι sows with firm flesh like boars, Sor.1.30; “ὑπὸ τῆς ἐμφύτου θερμασίας ἀναχαλᾶται τῶν ἐσφιγμένων ἕκαστον” Id.2.10.

 

The coat: the article (again) used of possession.

τοῦ δʼ ἡλίου μετὰ τὸ πνεῦμα θερμοῦ γενομένου θαλπόμενος

But the son after the wind  

θερμοῦ γενομένου

became warm

θαλπόμενος εἶτα καυματιζόμενος

heating then scorching

θάλπ-ω

A.“-ψω” Orph.Fr.258, Alciphr.2.4: fut. Med. in pass. sense “θάλψομαι” Id.3.42:—heat, soften by heat, Od.21.179, al.:—Pass., “ἐτήκετο κασσίτερος ὣς . . θαλφθείς” Hes.Th.864, cf. S.Tr.697: metaph., to be softened, deceived, “αἴ κε μὴ θαλφθῇ λόγοις” Ar.Eq.210.

 

II. heat, warm, without any notion of softening, καῦμ᾽ ἔθαλπε (sc. ἡμᾶς) S. Ant.417; θερμὴ ἡμᾶς ἀκτὶς θ. Ar.Av.1092; keep warm, “χλανιδίων ἐρειπίοις θάλπουσα καὶ ψύχουσα” Trag.Adesp.7: prov., θ. τὸν δίφρον, of an idle life, Herod.1.37; “θ. τὰς κοχώνας” Id.7.48; τὴν βαίτην θάλπουσαν εὖ ib.129:—Pass., Hp.Aff.4; θάλπεσθαι τοῦ θέρους to be warm in summer, X.Cyr.5.1.11; “τῷ πυρὶ θάλψομαι” Alciphr.3.42: metaph., ἔτι ἁλίῳ θάλπεσθαι to be alive, Pi.N.4.14.

 

2. warm at the fire, dry, “θάλπεται ῥάκη” S.Ph.38, cf. E.Hel.183 (lyr.).

 

3. hatch, “ᾠά” Gp.14.1.4: so abs., sit, ib.3; θ. ἐπὶ τῶν νοσσῶν, ἐπὶ τῶν ᾠῶν, LXXDe. 22.6.

 

III. metaph., of passion, heat, inflame, “ἣ Διὸς θάλπει κέαρ ἔρωτι” A.Pr.590, cf. S.Fr.474 (Pass.); “ἔθαλψεν ἄτης σπασμός” Id.Tr. 1082:—Pass., “ἱμέρου βέλει τεθάλφθαι πρός τινος” A.Pr.650; θάλπῃ (2sg.) “ἀνηκέστῳ πυρί” S.El.888; “εἴ σευ θάλπεταί τι τῶν ἔνδον” Herod. 2.81.

 

2. comfort, “ὕπνος . . θάλπει κέαρ” B.Fr.3.11, cf. Fr.16.2, Com.Adesp.5.16D.; cherish, foster, “ἄλλον θάλπε φίλον” Theoc.14.38; “ὡς ἐὰν τροφὸς θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα” 1 Ep.Thess.2.7; “τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα” Ep.Eph.5.29; “τὸ ἀσθενοῦν” Alciphr.2.4; “θ. καὶ τρέφειν” PMasp.6B132 (vi A.D.); τὴν πόλιν θ. tend it with fostering care, OGI194.5 (Egypt, i B.C.).

 

3. ἐμὲ οὐδὲν θ. ἡ δόξα I care nothing for glory, Alciphr.2.2; “ἐμὲ οὐδὲν θ. κέρδος” Aristaenet.1.24.

 

IV. intr., to be full of heat, vigorous, Arist.Pr.879a33; θάλψαι τρεῖς ποίας to live three summers, AP7.731 (Leon.).

καυματ-ίζω ,

A.burn, scorch up, Apoc.16.8:—Pass., to be burnt up, Ev.Matt.13.6; become heated, suffer from heat, Plu.2.100b, 691f, Arr.Epict.1.6.26, Sor.1.108, M.Ant.7.64.

καὶ τὸν χιτῶνα τῷ ἱματίῳ προσαπεδύσατο

and the coat and the shirt he took off.

τοῦτο ‘o ποιοῦσιν αἱ πλεῖσται γυναῖκες

This is what most women do.

ἀφαιρουμένοις τοῖς ἀνδράσι βίᾳ

When taking away by their husbands by force

When their husbands take away by force

Bia: Dative of manner.

τὴν τρυφὴν καὶ τὴν πολυτέλειαν

The luxury and the extravagance

The objects taken by the husband; hence the accusative case. The article is again used to indicate possession: their luxury

διαμάχονται καὶ χαλεπαίνουσιν

they battle and become bitter.

ἂν πείθωνται μετὰ λόγου

Yet, if they are persuaded by word

An + subjunctive: A third class (or a modified 5^th class) conditional: ean + subjunctive. The apodosis contains both a passive & an indicative.  Wallace notes,  “For the most part this condition is a simple condition. That is, the speaker gives no indication about the likelihood of its fulfillment. His presentation is neutral” (697). He also notes this structure presents a “generic” circumstance.  Plutarch doesn’t know whether you’ll take his advice; he’s merely “stating the facts”.

Meta + genitive: association.

πράως ἀποτίθενται καὶ μετριάζουσιν

meekly she will put it away and keep control

---