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[sc. A kind of] papyrus.[1]
Aelian [writes]: "[Apollo] orders him to render to Nikanor a bundle of Byblian worth four hundred gold pieces; but if he is unwilling, he will continually raise the price and demand the amount of gold pieces that are added, until he gives in and renders as much as he has been asked at that point by the voice [applying?] to all."[2]
And [there is] a proverb: "but a Byblian's seedhead does not hold a big ear," in reference to those who are not able to make do with their own resources, inasmuch as the Byblian is weak and cannot support a big seedhead.[3]

*bu/blon: pa/puron. *ai)liano/s: keleu/ei to\n me\n a)podo/sqai tw=| *nika/nori fa/kellon bu/blou tetrakosi/wn xrusw=n: e)a\n de\ mh\ e)qe/lh|, a)ei\ prosepitima=n kai\ e)paitei=n tou= xrusi/ou prostiqe/nta, e(/ws a)\n a)peipw\n dw=| o(/son a)\n ai)thqei\s tu/xh| th=| e)pi\ pa/sais fwnh=|. kai\ paroimi/a: *bu/blou de\ karpo\s ou) kratei= sta/xun me/gan, e)pi\ tw=n ou) duname/nwn toi=s i)di/ois xrh=sqai kaloi=s, paro/son a)sqenh\s ou)=sa h( bu/blos ou) du/natai me/gan fe/rein karpo/n.

[1] In several senses (see LSJ s.v.), chiefly: the plant, Cyperus Papyrus, and/ or its component parts; the papyrus sheets, rolls and books made from it; and the writings thereon, especially sacred ones -- ultimately, indeed, "the Bible" (through bybl-/bibl- assimilation).
[2] Aelian fr. 44f Domingo-Forasté (41 Hercher), on the invalid Nikanor and the quack doctor; cf. phi 26. The last phrase here, th=| e)pi\ pa/sais fwnh=|, is obscure: the "voice" has been mentioned earlier in the fragment (N. r(h/gnusi fwnh\n i(ke/tin; for the idiom see LSJ s.v. r(h/gnumi, under A.4) but what is the feminine noun implicit in "all"?
[3] cf. Zenobius 2.73 (omitting 'big'). The proverb itself is an iambic trimeter.

David Whitehead (augmented notes; added keyword; cosmetics) on 18 April 2002@03:19:26.
David Whitehead (modified notes) on 30 August 2002@04:35:39.
David Whitehead (another keyword) on 30 November 2005@10:09:36.
Catharine Roth (updated reference in note 2) on 14 June 2011@01:50:38.
David Whitehead (more keywords; tweaks and cosmetics) on 4 June 2012@06:42:51.
David Whitehead (cosmetics) on 24 September 2015@03:50:01.

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