Against the Professors, Books I-VI of Against the Learned Section 274

καὶ μὴν οὐ ταῦτα μόνον τοῖς ποιηταῖς δεξιῶς εἰρῆσθαι φαίνεται ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ περὶ θεῶν, οἷόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ παρὰ τῷ Κὑριπίδῃ λεχθὲν ἐν Φρρίξῳ (fr. 235 2auck) ὅστις δὲ θνητῶν οἴεται καθʼ ἡμέραν κακόν τι πράσσων τοὺς θεοὺς λεληθέναι, δοκεῖ πονηρά, καὶ δοκῶν ἁλίσκεται ὅταν σχολὴν ἄγουσα τυγχάνῃ δίκη. ἀλλʼ εἴπερ ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τούτοις ἐοικόα χρειώδη ἐστί, λαμβάνεται δʼ οὐ χωρίς γραμματικῆς, ἔσται καὶ ἡ γραμ- ματικὴ τῶν βιωφελῶν.

Moreover, not only these statements but also those about the gods appear to have been skillfully expressed by the poets, such as what Euripides says in Phrixus (fr. 235 Nauck): “Whoever among mortals thinks, while doing some evil day by day, that he escapes the gods’ notice, thinks wickedly, and while thinking so is caught whenever Justice happens to have leisure.” But if these and similar things are useful, and cannot be apprehended without grammar, grammar too will be among the things beneficial to life.

Ils estiment que les poètes ont heureusement parlé non seulement de ces sujets, mais aussi des dieux, comme Euripide dans Phrixos (fr. 235 Nauck): «Celui des mortels qui pense, parce qu’il commet chaque jour quelque mal, échapper aux dieux, pense criminellement; et sa pensée est prise en faute lorsque Justice trouve enfin du loisir.» Si ces paroles et leurs semblables sont utiles et ne peuvent être saisies sans la grammaire, celle-ci comptera parmi les choses utiles à la vie.