Forgive me, then, for bringing owls to Athens as a thanks-offering. — Goethe, in a letter to Wilhelm von Humboldt.
Etymology:
- Calque of Ancient Greek proverb γλαῦκ' εἰς Ἀθήνας. The owl, which roosted in the rafters of the old Parthenon, was the symbol of the city of Athens, and was sacred to its patron goddess, Athena. It was featured on Athens’ silver coins, and as Athens both mined its own silver and minted its own coins, bringing owls to Athens would be pointless.
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Forgive me, then, for bringing owls to Athens as a thanks-offering. — Goethe, in a letter to Wilhelm von Humboldt.
Submitted on September 01, 2009
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アテネにフクロウを連れてくる
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"bring owls to athens." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Dec. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/bring-owls-to-athens_2605>.
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