[sc. A proverbial phrase] used in reference to those who have been fortunate beyond their hopes and deserts, and then give themselves airs at their present circumstances. For Mandron was chosen admiral amongst Athenians, despite being unworthy of the office.[1] The 'fig-wood' ship indicates a cheap one.[2]
*)ege/neto kai\ *ma/ndrwni suki/nh nau=s: le/getai e)pi\ tw=n par' e)lpi/da kai\ par' a)ci/an eu)tuxhsa/ntwn, ei)=ta qruptome/nwn e)pi\ toi=s parou=sin. o( ga\r *ma/ndrwn par' *)aqhnai/ois nau/arxos h(|re/qh, a)na/cios w)\n th=s a)rxh=s. h( de\ suki/nh nau=s to\ eu)tele\s dhloi=.
Slightly expanded from
Photius,
Lexicon epsilon33 Theodoridis. See also
Zenobius 3.44 (
Choliambica adespota fr. 8) and other paroemiographers; cf.
mu 138,
sigma 1324 (end).
[1] Mandron is not regarded by Athenian prosopography as an historical person, and indeed no known Athenian bears the name. A deep-rooted error for
Andron? Alternatively -- and because, also, the Athenians had no office of admiral (
nauarchos) -- we should perhaps question the phrase 'amongst Athenians'. For Mandros king of the Bebrycians, near Lampsacus, see
Plutarch,
Moralia 255 (
Mulierum Virtutes #18);
Polyaenus 7.31. The Mandros of the proverb can hardly be him; nevertheless there is a tantalizing link between the geographical location of his kingdom and the fact that
Zenobius (above) says not that the Mandron of the proverb was 'chosen admiral amongst Athenians' but 'elected admiral for the Hellespont region'.
[2] Conventional woods for shipbuilding were fir, pine and cedar: see Russell Meiggs,
Trees and Timber in the Ancient Mediterranean World (Oxford 1982) 118-120.
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