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Headword: *)\h tri\s e(\c h)\ trei=s ku/boi
Adler number: eta,635
Translated headword: either triple six or three aces
Vetting Status: high
Translation:
Triple six declares total victory, but three aces defeat.
Greek Original:
*)\h tri\s e(\c h)\ trei=s ku/boi: to\ me\n tri\s e(\c th\n pantelh= ni/khn dhloi=, to\ de\ trei=s ku/boi th\n h(=ttan.
Notes:
This proverb also occurs at omicroniota 106, tau 934, tau 1005, tau 1006. For ku/bos as the ace or one spot on ancient dice see kappa 2602 and omicroniota 106. It is uncertain in what game this alternative occurs; probably a dicing game, similar to modern zanzi, where the pot continued to grow as each player throwing an ace was forced to ante an agreed sum and the first triple six took the whole pot. Perhaps triple aces forced retirement from the game.
For further discussion see tau 1006.
References:
J.P. Toner, Leisure and Ancient Rome (Cambridge, 1995) 89-101
H. Lamer, "Lusoria tabula", in Pauly-Wissowa, Real-Encyclopadie 13 (1938) esp. 1933ff.
L. Becq de Fouquières, Les jeux des anciens (1873)
R. Lanciani, "Gambling and cheating in ancient Rome," North American Review 155 (1892) 97-102
Keywords: daily life; proverbs
Translated by: Robert Dyer on 29 November 2000@15:32:39.
Vetted by:
David Whitehead (cosmetics) on 11 September 2002@08:30:22.
David Whitehead (tweaks and cosmetics) on 5 April 2010@08:24:18.
David Whitehead on 21 December 2012@04:52:22.
Catharine Roth (cosmetics) on 26 December 2012@13:58:37.

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