# Συν Αθηνά και χείρα κίνει = God helps them that help themselves



## nickel (Aug 15, 2011)

Μέρα που είναι σήμερα, ο Γιώργος Καρατζαφέρης σκέφτηκε να στραφούμε στην Παναγιά για βοήθεια. «Η Υπέρμαχος Στρατηγός πάντα βοηθούσε το έθνος σε στιγμές κρίσης. Ίσως περισσότερο από κάθε άλλη φορά, τώρα πρέπει να δεηθούμε για την εκ νέου βοήθειά της, από τη στιγμή που υπάρχει μια πλήρης ανεπάρκεια από τους κυβερνώντες. Η Παναγία να μας βοηθήσει».

Εγώ πάλι θα θυμηθώ τους αρχαίους, τον Αίσωπο:
*Ναυαγός*
ἀνὴρ πλούσιος Ἀθηναῖος μεθ' ἑτέρων τινῶν ἔπλει. καὶ δὴ χειμῶνος σφοδροῦ γενομένου καὶ τῆς νηὸς περιτραπείσης οἱ μὲν λοιποὶ πάντες διενήχοντο, ὁ δὲ Ἀθηναῖος παρ’ ἕκαστα τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν ἐπικαλούμενος μυρία ἐπηγγέλλετο, εἰ περισωθείη. εἷς δέ τις τῶν συννεναυαγηκότων παρανηχόμενος ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν· *“σὺν Ἀθηνᾷ καὶ χεῖρα κίνει.”* ἀτὰρ οὖν καὶ ἡμᾶς μετὰ τῆς τῶν θεῶν παρακλήσεως χρὴ καὶ αὐτούς τι ὑπὲρ αὑτῶν λογιζομένους δρᾶν. 

*Naufragus*
Dives quidam Atheniensis olim cum aliis nonnullis navigabat. Tempestate autem ingenti exorta, subversaque navi, reliqui omnes se natatu servarunt. Sed Atheniensis, subinde Minervam invocans, sescenta ei promittebat si ex undis eriperetur, cum adnatans ex naufragis unus “Cum Minerva,” inquit, “tu quoque manus move.” Qui in calamitates incidere, necesse est pro se laborare, ac deinde Deum quoque, ut auxilium afferat, invocare. 
http://millefabulae.blogspot.com/2010/12/illustrated-minerva-et-naufragus.html​Εκτός από το παραπάνω λατινικό 
*Cum Minerva, tu quoque manus move*
υπάρχει και το:
*Minerva auxiliante, manum etiam admove.*

Παραλλαγή του ελληνικού εδώ:
http://books.google.com/books?id=OVdEAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA140#v=onepage&q&f=false
και στην έκδοση του Chambry:
http://mythfolklore.net/aesopica/chambry/53.htm ή http://el.wikisource.org/wiki/Αισώπου_Μύθοι/Ανήρ_ναυαγός
όπου: *Σὺν Ἀθηνᾷ καὶ σὺ χεῖρα κινεῖ.*

Αγγλική μετάφραση από τη Laura Gibbs:
THE SHIPWRECKED MAN AND ATHENA
A wealthy Athenian was making a sea voyage with some companions. A terrible storm blew up and the ship capsized. All the other passengers started to swim, but the Athenian kept praying to Athena, making all kinds of promises if only she would save him. Then one of the other shipwrecked passengers swam past him and said, *'While you pray to Athena, start moving your arms!'*
So too we should think of ourselves and do something on our own in addition to praying to the gods. The fable shows that it is better to gain the favour of the gods by our own efforts than to fail to take care of ourselves and be rescued by supernatural powers. When disaster comes upon us, we should make every possible effort on our own behalf and only then ask for divine assistance. 
http://mythfolklore.net/aesopica/oxford/480.htm​

Το αντίστοιχο αγγλικό, πάντως, είναι το: *God helps them that help themselves* (του Βενιαμίν Φραγκλίνου).

Αντιγράφω από το _Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs_:

Cf. [Aeschylus _Fragments_ 395] φιλεῖ δὲ τῷ κάμνοντι συσπεύδειν θεός, God likes to assist the man who toils; early 15th-cent. Fr. _aidez uous_, _Dieu uos aidera_, help yourself, God will help you.
_Dii facientes adiuuant_. The goddes do helpe the doers.
[1545 R. Taverner tr. _Erasmus’ Adages_ (ed. 2) 57]
Shipmen cal to God for helpe, and God will helpe them, but so not withstandying, if they helpe them selfes.
[1551 T. Wilson _Rule of Reason_ S1V]
Help thy self, and God will help thee.
[1668 R. B. _Adagia Scotica_ 21]
*God helps them that help themselves*.
[1736 B. Franklin _Poor Richard’s Almanack_ (June)]
God does not promise us each and all that… the ravens shall come to feed us: as the proverb most truly says, He helps them that help themselves.
[1892 H. P. Liddon _Sermons on Some Words of Christ_ iii.]
A widow of eighty-nine… had hit an intruder over the head with the family Bible and sent him flying. ‘The Lord helps those who help themselves!’ she’d declared, cackling with triumph in front of the cameras.
[1990 C. Fremlin _Listening in Dusk_ xxvii.]
And what does the future hold? He quotes his grandmother: ‘The Lord helps those who help themselves’.
[2002 _Spectator_ 19 Jan. 33]






Θυμίζω ότι η σύγχρονη εκδοχή είναι:
«Άγιε Νικόλα, βόηθα με»,
στο οποίο ο άγιος απαντά:
«Κούνα κι εσύ το χέρι σου!»


----------



## Zazula (Aug 15, 2011)

nickel said:


> Θυμίζω ότι η σύγχρονη εκδοχή είναι:
> «Άγιε Νικόλα, βόηθα με»,
> στο οποίο ο άγιος απαντά:
> «Κούνα κι εσύ το χέρι σου!»


Υπάρχει κι άλλη σύγχρονη εκδοχή, εδώ από τη «δική μας» Isiliel: http://www.e-steki.gr/showpost.php?p=473854&postcount=45.


----------



## nickel (Aug 16, 2011)

Από το _Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs_:

*God helps those who help themselves*
Those who are self-reliant and make an effort are more likely to get what they want than those who sit back and wait for divine assistance: “I wish you all success, Paul, and I thank you for wishing me to share in your good fortune. God helps those who help themselves, and he will help you if you only deserve it” (Horatio Alger, _Paul Prescott’s Charge_, 1865).
The proverb is of ancient origin. It is sometimes used facetiously as a justification for stealing, or in the extended form “God helps those who help themselves, but God help those who are caught helping themselves.” Variants of this proverb: God helps them that help themselves; heaven helps those who help themselves.​


----------

