οι πελάτες που συνήθως δεν είναι στην πρώτη νεότητα...

[Theseus]

This paragraph describes a fish restaurant, packed full after ten in the evening:-
Και καθώς ακόμη το βραδάκι κάνει σχετική δροσιά κι ο μπάτης φρεσκάρει, οι πελάτες που συνήθως δεν είναι στην πρώτη νεότητα προτιμούν να συνωστίζονται στην κλειστή αίθουσα, μοναδική άλλωστε, του κέντρου. Φίσκα λοιπόν, καθώς ήταν και Σάββατο, αγωνίζονταν όλοι να φάνε καλύτερα κανοντας σήματα απεγνωσμένα προς τα γκαρσόνια.
Do these words in bold mean 'the customers who usually aren't in the prime of their life (?) prefer to be crowded together in the closed saloon, unique moreover (?!), at the centre of the restaurant'. I know that that is the general drift but it needs a better & more precise translation. :drool:

 

[daeman]

...
Just a pinch here and a twitch there, Theseus, using the exactly equivalent "prime of youth" phrase:

The patrons, usually not in the prime of youth, prefer to be crowded together in the closed saloon, which anyway is the only space of the restaurant.


"Short were her marriage joys; for, in the prime
Of youth, her lord expir'd before his time"

More to the point, as I've once read somewhere, for the life of me can't remember where:
"Happiness for a man is to be loved by his wife, to be respected by his children, and to be noticed by waiters."
Even two out of three ain't bad.

 

[Philip]

"the customers, who are usually not in their first youth, prefer to crowd together in the enclosed seating area, which in any case is the only one of the kentro.
I take μοναδική to refer to αίθουσα.

It's late here and I have a cold. The best my brain can do at the moment...

 

[pontios]

---

Or ... The customers, usually past their prime ....(for the sake of economy - if you can and/ or want to omit "youth" - plus a couple of other words)

 

[daeman]

...
Ψαράδες - Μαρίκα Παπαγκίκα

Σε καινούρια βάρκα μπήκα
και στον Αϊ Γιώργη βγήκα

Σε καινούρια βάρκα μπήκα
στην ψαροταβέρνα βγήκα

Είδα ναύτες παλικάρια
που ψαρεύανε τα ψάρια

Με γκαρσόνια παλικάρια
που σερβίρανε τα ψάρια

Έχετε, ψαράδες, ψάρια
αστακούς και καλαμάρια;

Έχετε, γκαρσόνια, ψάρια
αστακούς και καλαμάρια;

Έχουμε, δεν τα πουλούμε
μα σε φίλους τα κερνούμε

Έχουμε, δεν τα κερνούμε
μα όλα τα μοσχοπουλούμε

Έμπα μέσα, διάλεξέ τα
και παλάντζα, ζύγισέ τα

Έμπα μέσα, διάλεξέ τα
και παλάντζα, ζύγισέ τα

Πάρε βούρλα, βούρλισέ τα
κι όσο θέλεις πλήρωσέ τα

Πάρε πιάτα, σέρβιρέ τα
και ακριβοπλήρωσέ τα

Πάρε πιάτα, σέρβιρέ τα
κι όπως σου 'ρθει εσένα ειπέ τα

 

[Theseus]

Thanks to all! I hope, Philip, you are getting better! I get confused over μόνος, μοναχός & μοναδικός-- perhaps there is a general principle governing their usage. Άλλωστε in the vocabulary had only the two meanings 'moreover/besides'. The translation help was, as always, much appreciated.
A question to 'Man:-
In the traditional song Οι Ψαράδες, I need help with two verses:-
Πάρε βούρλα βούρλισέ τα
κι όσο θέλεις πλήρωσέ τα
Does this mean:-
Take idiots, drive them crazy
and charge them as much as you want

Or better

Take bulrushes, hang the fish by them
and pay for them as much as you want.


The second stanza that is puzzling me is:-
Πάρε πιάτα, σέρβιρέ τα
κι όπως σου 'ρθει εσένα ειπέ τα*

*what does this line mean? Ειπέ is clearly some sort of imperative because of the change of accent. Does the line mean 'take plates, serve the fish up & say whatever comes into your mind'?

 

[daeman]

...Οr better

Take bulrushes, hang the fish by them
and pay for them as much as you want.

...

Does the line mean 'take plates, serve the fish up & say whatever comes into your mind'?

For better, not worse, not in sickness but in health.

Ειρήσθω εν παρόδω, πες / ειπέ: imperative of the verb λέω / λέγω in active voice, εν παρόδω* λεχθέν.

---

πάροδος: καθεμία από τις δύο πλάγιες εισόδους στην ορχήστρα αρχαίου θεάτρου και συνεκδοχικά η πρώτη είσοδος του χορού στην ορχήστρα καθώς και το πρώτο χορικό άσμα που έψαλλε ο χορός κατά την είσοδό του από την πάροδο.

~ The chorus boy, singing from the sides