The History of Monsters. 181

if we consider the contemptible nature and fragility of men, other adages present themselves, such as "a man of three letters." This is said ironically of someone who considers himself well-born and noble. The proverb’s origin is traced back to an ancient custom where free-born men would record their *praenomen*, *nomen*, and *cognomen* with three letters on their insignia; for example, they would write M. T. C. for Marcus Tullius Cicero. Then there is the "three-obol man," cited by Plautus to describe someone of no value, as if they were worth only three obols. Similar to this is the "three-as man," used for someone of no worth, valued at a mere three *asses* (the *as* being a type of small copper coin used in antiquity). "A man not worth even one" refers to the most worthless of men, using a metaphor from the roll of the dice, where the number one is the lowest value. Related to this is the "man worth an obol," a phrase used jokingly of one who wished to be counted among the ranks of men. This adage arose from the custom of the Athenian Republic, which gave one obol from the public treasury each day to those enrolled in the city's lists; these were called the "approved," while those not yet approved or enrolled were judged not yet "worth an obol." "A man more miserable than gladiators" was once said of the unlucky, since in single combat, either one or both usually perish. Among the Greeks, one finds the expression *pompholyx anthropos*, or "man is a bubble." This refers to the fragility of human life and was perhaps taken from Lucian, who compared human life to bubbles born in the water, which appear for a moment and vanish instantly. Very similar is *anthropos keramos*, the "earthenware man," meaning someone soft, weak, and fragile; the adage is drawn from clay vessels that break even from a light blow.

The vices that often stain humanity have also given rise to adages. "Ambronian men" was a term for those who lived by plunder and wicked arts; for according to Festus Pompeius, the Ambrones were a people of Gaul whom a flooding sea drove from their territories, forcing them to live by robbery as they wandered through foreign lands. "Even a mouse might bite a wicked man" signifies that vengeance, in one way or another, never fails to find the wicked. "The man who always contradicts" is used for the stupid and unskilled who never admit defeat in an argument; this appears to be mentioned by Galen in the book where he refutes a certain Julian who was slandering the aphorisms of Hippocrates. "One thing suffices for a man, another for social custom" was recorded by Varro, targeting those who follow fashion in their speech rather than right reason. It should be noted that "humanity" (*humanitas*) is used in this context to mean social curiosity or refinement. Among the Greeks, we read of the "deer-like man," which strikes at timid men who trust in flight more than strength; in this, they imitate deer, which do not fight back against hunters but seek safety with their feet. "It is always a holiday for lazy men" is a proverb that originated with the Tarentines, who, out of a love for leisure and luxury, celebrated many feast days throughout the year. This matches another proverb: "To the idle, it is always a festival," since pagans abstained from profane business during festival times; indeed, several festival days were granted to farmers so they might recover from their exhaustion through play.

"Quieter than a statue" describes a silent and melancholic person, for while a statue may represent the likeness of a wise man, it utters no speech. Opposed to this is a Greek adage, *anthropos bombylios*, or the "buzzing-bee man," which targets the talkative; for the *bombylios* is a type of bee named for its noise, yet it is useless for making honey. "A man who is drunk or asleep should not be woken" advises that one should not provoke hornets, nor should one refresh a hatred over which time has drawn a veil of forgetfulness. "Neither God nor man" is cited by Pindar, perhaps regarding a shrewd person whom neither God nor man can deceive. Similar to this is a common Greek expression, the "goose-fox man," which targets someone who is as garrulous as a goose and as crafty as a fox, for the word is composed of "goose" and "fox." "A man like the Euripus" is spoken of the inconstant; for the Euripus is a part of the sea between the port of Aulis in Boeotia and the island of Euboea which, as Strabo records, ebbs and flows with a very rapid reversal seven times every day and night. "The Lydian man had no business, but went out and made some for himself" can likewise refer to an inconstant and restless person. This adage is said to have originated with Croesus, King of the Lydians, who, though previously fortunate, provoked Cyrus against himself and finally, having been defeated, fell into infinite calamities. "The character of men corresponds to their region" seems to be taken