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A proverb: for the hare [is] a cowardly animal. Hence a man from Rhegium was called a hare; for they used to satirize the people of Rhegium for cowardice. There is a proverb: 'the hare runs [to save] his life'. In reference to those taking risks with their lives and stoutly contesting something.[1]
Also a[another] proverb: 'the Carpathian [brought in] the hare'. In reference to those who are harming themselves; for the Carpathians, who lived on an island and had no hares, introduced them; when [the hares] proliferated, they ravaged the crops.[2]

Lagôs peri tôn kreôn: paroimia. deilon gar to zôion ho lagôs. hothen kai ho Rhêginos lagôs elechthê: kai gar tous Rhêginous epi deiliai ekômôidoun. paroimia de tis estin, ho lagôs tên peri tôn kreôn trechei. epi tôn diakinduneuontôn tais psuchais kai pros touto karterôs agônizomenôn tattomenê. kai paroimia: ho Karpathios ton lagôn. epi tôn heautous blaptontôn: hoi gar Karpathioi nêson oikountes kai lagôous ouk echontes epêgagonto: hoi polloi genomenoi elumainonto tous karpous.

[1] = Photius, Lexicon lambda24 Theodoridis; cf. Zenobius 4.85 and other paroemiographers. For Rhegion, in the toe-end of Italy, see rho 120, rho 121 (with the cowardice aspect), rho 122. For the idiom 'for his life' compare Aristophanes, Frogs 191 (with Dover's note): dou=lon ou)k a)/gw, ei) mh\ nenauma/xhke th\n peri\ tw=n krew=n.
[2] From Aristotle, Rhetoric 1413a (and numerous subsequent authors): kai\ ai( paroimi/ai de\ metaforai\ a)p' ei)/dous e)p' ei)=dos ei)si/n: oi(=on a)/n tis w(s a)gaqo\n peiso/menos au)to\s e)paga/ghtai, ei)=ta blabh=|, "w(s o( *karpa/qio/s", fasin, "to\n lagw/": a)/mfw ga\r to\ ei)rhme/non pepo/nqasin. See also omicron 105 and omicroniota 121.

David Whitehead (augmented notes and keywords; cosmetics) on 3 February 2004@03:22:17.
David Whitehead (augmented notes and keywords) on 27 March 2013@05:37:11.
David Whitehead (expanded n.1) on 16 May 2016@03:29:03.

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