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[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those who are poor, yet boastful. For this man [sc. Theagenes], though poor, used to say that he was rich. (There are also two other [men called] Theagenes: one wrote about Homer,[1] and another was mocked for his effeminacy.) This man, though poor, wished to be a leading importer; he was boastful and faked his wealth. He used to be called Smoke,[2] because he promised a lot and fulfilled nothing. Aeschines too [was] poor, but he too gave himself airs regarding wealth and claimed to be rich. Aeschines was the son of Sellus. And they used to call such people metaphorically Selluses; and boasting [they used to call] selli/zein.[3]

*qeage/nous xrh/mata ta/ t' *ai)sxi/nou: e)pi\ tw=n penh/twn, a)lazoneuome/nwn de/. ou(=tos ga\r pe/nhs w)\n e)/legen e(auto\n plou/sion ei)=nai. ei)si\ de\ kai\ a)/lloi du/o *qeage/neis, ei(=s me\n o( peri\ *(omh/rou gra/yas, e(/teros de\ e)pi\ malaki/ais skwpto/menos. ou(=tos de\ pe/nhs w)\n megale/mporos e)bou/leto ei)=nai, a)lazw/n, yeudo/ploutos. e)kalei=to de\ *kapno/s, o(/ti polla\ u(pisxnou/menos ou)de\n e)te/lei. kai\ o( *ai)sxi/nhs de\ pe/nhs, qrupto/menos kai\ au)to\s e)pi\ plou/tw| kai\ le/gwn e(auto\n plou/sion. h)=n de\ *ai)sxi/nhs *se/llou. e)/legon de\ e)k metafora=s tou\s toiou/tous *se/llous: kai\ to\ a)lazoneu/esqai selli/zein.

From the scholia to Aristophanes, Birds 822-3 (web address 1). See also the scholia to Wasps 325 and 1267 and to Peace 928; and Michael Apostolius, Collection of Proverbs 8.84.
Note that many modern editors of Aristophanes adopt Dindorf's emendation of the name to Theogenes.
[1] Theagenes of Rhegium (6th century BCE), identified as one of the first scholars of Homeric poetry (Tatianus, Oratio ad Graecos 31.2), founder of the "new grammar" (a grammar of the written word, as opposed to the spoken; Commentaria in Dionysii Thracis Artem Grammaticam, Scholia Vaticana 164.23-29), and forerunner of the allegorical method of interpreting the epics (Porphyrius, Quaestionum Homericarum ad Iliadem pertinentium reliquiae, on Iliad 20.67).
[2] See also epsilon 361, theta 80, upsilon 79 and the scholia to Aristophanes, Birds 1126.
[3] See also sigma 210 and sigma 259. See also Photius s.v. sese/llisai, Hesychius s.v. selli/zesqai, and Apostolius 15.41 (*sese/llisai kat’ *ai)sxi/nhn).

David Whitehead (modified headword; augmented notes and keywords; tweaks and cosmetics) on 7 January 2008@03:30:42.
David Whitehead (more keywords; tweaking) on 30 December 2012@07:07:09.
Catharine Roth (upgraded link, coding) on 31 December 2012@01:35:17.
David Whitehead (coding and other cosmetics) on 27 April 2016@10:22:33.

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