«No tener perro» (Ar., Rh. II 1401a18–19)
Journal
Hypnos
ISSN
1413-9138
Publisher
Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University
Date Issued
2025
Author(s)
Lévystone, David
Type
text::journal::journal article
Abstract
Entre los proverbios que Aristóteles utiliza como ejemplos en la Retórica, una fórmula ha dejado particularmente perplejos a los editores y comentaristas del texto: «es vergonzosísimo no tener perro». Se han propuesto diferentes explicaciones del significado que podría tener este dicho común y, de ahí, del argumento de Aristóteles en este pasaje. Ninguna es completamente satisfactoria. Proponemos entender el significado de este dicho, a partir del uso popular del término κύων, ‘perro’, en la poesía erótica tardía y en la comedia clásica, que asocian al perro con el sexo masculino. ©El autor ©Hypnos.
Among the proverbs that Aristotle uses as examples in the Rhetoric, one formula has perplexed editors and commentators of the text: “it is most shameful not to have a dog.” Different explanations have been proposed for the meaning of this common saying and, hence, of Aristotle’s argument in this passage. None of them is entirely satisfactory. I propose to understand the meaning of this proverb from the popular use of the term κύων, ‘dog’, in late erotic poetry and in classical comedy, which associate the dog with the masculine sexual organ. ©Author ©Hypnos.
Among the proverbs that Aristotle uses as examples in the Rhetoric, one formula has perplexed editors and commentators of the text: “it is most shameful not to have a dog.” Different explanations have been proposed for the meaning of this common saying and, hence, of Aristotle’s argument in this passage. None of them is entirely satisfactory. I propose to understand the meaning of this proverb from the popular use of the term κύων, ‘dog’, in late erotic poetry and in classical comedy, which associate the dog with the masculine sexual organ. ©Author ©Hypnos.
License
Acceso Abierto
How to cite
Lévystone, D. (2025). «No tener perro» (Ar., Rh. II 1401a18–19). Hypnos, 54(1). 15-30