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Transcription
1 [centred] Ab
Absurdities - When the Greeks w'd [would]
convey the idea that a man was absurdly, fool-
ishly ^ [added above] (or improperly) employed, they said: --- He ploughs the
air - washes the Ethiopian - holds the ser-
pent by the tail & takes the bull by the horns ...
He catches the wind [with] a net - changes a fly into
an elephant & takes the spring from the gear ...
He is making ropes of sand - ploughing on
a rock & taking oil to extinguish fire, He
puts a rope to the eye of a needle - drains
water with a sieve - numbers the waves,
paves the meadows - fans with a father [feather] -
strikes with a straw & clears [cleaves?] the clouds ...
He takes a spear to kill a fly - speak[s]
of things more ancient than chaos -
roasts snow in a furnace, & holds a look-
ing glass to a mole. - He is building a bridge
over the sea - making clothes for fishes -
writing on the surface of the water - takes
a post to kill a bee - setting an ox to catch
a hare - doing what is done & seeking figs
where only brambles grow. - He is teach-
ing iron the swim, - a dog to bark - a cock
to crow ... a wasp to sting & a fish to bite.
[illegible, 3-4 words crossed out]
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