Σχολαστικῷ τὴν σταφυλὴν τμηθέντι παρήγγειλεν ὁ ἰατρὸς μὴ λαλεῖν. ὁ δὲ τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ ἐπέταξεν ἀντασπάζεσθαι ἀντ’ αὐτοῦ τοὺς προσαγορεύοντας. εἶτα αὐτὸς πρὸς ἕκαστον ἔλεγε· “μὴ πρὸς ὕβριν αὐτὸ δέξῃ, εἰ ὁ δοῦλός μου ἀντ’ ἐμοῦ ἀσπάζεταί σε· ἐκέλευσε γάρ με ὁ ἰατρὸς μὴ λαλεῖν.”
(Philogelos 7)
A student dunce has his uvula removed. After the operation, the doctor tells him not to try talking. So whenever anyone greets him, he has his slave return the greeting. But then he explains to each one, ‘Don’t feel insulted that my slave does the greeting for me: my doctor told me not to talk.’ (tr. William Berg)
Crambe Repetita 