Expert: Maria - 6/8/2008

Question
Hello. Can yo translate this to English:

Erre es korakas.


Christy

Answer
Hello,

the ancient Greek phrase ”Erre es korakas” (Latin transliteration of “έρρε  ες  κόρακας “) we read also in Aristophanes “Plutus”, line 604, literally means :“Go to  the ravens/ crows!” which is the equivalent of “Go to  hell!” / “Go to ruin!”/ "Go to hang"/ “Hang it!”.

In short it is a popular ancient Greek curse as both ravens and crows were associated with death just because of their carrion-eating reputation.

Best regards,
Maria
_____________________________________________
Note that:

-Erre (2nd.person singular, imperative of the verb “errô “) = Go

-es  (preposition wich takes the accusative) = to

-korakas (accusative plural of “korax”, genitive 'korakos' meaning ‘crow /raven’) = the ravens/ crows, that is “hell”/ “ruin”/”hang” .


-Aristophanes (ca. 448 BC- ca.380 BC) is a  great Greek playwright, known as the Father of Comedy.

-Latin transliteration is the ancient Greek text written in Latin alphabet we use still today.This because the system often does not allow to use the Greek letters.