πάταγος
ἢ λέγε τι σιγῆς κρεῖττον ἢ σιγὴν ἔχε → either say something better than silence or keep silence (Menander)
English (LSJ)
[πᾰ], ὁ,
A clatter, crash, as of trees falling, π. δέ τε ἀγνυμενάων (sc. γίγνεται) Il.16.769 ; π. δέ τε γίγνετ' ὀδόντων chattering of the teeth, 13.283 ; plash of a body falling into water, ἐν δ' ἔπεσον μεγάλῳ π. 21.9, cf. Pi.P.1.24 ; rattle or crash of thunder, Ar.Nu. 382, cf. Arist. Mu.395a13 ; π. ἀνέμων D.H.Comp.16 ; rumbling caused by flatulence, Hp.VM22 ; but never of the human voice (exc. in late Greek, βληχᾶσθαι καὶ κρώζειν ἐν ὑποκρίσει τὸν ἔξηχον π. Porph.Chr.35) : hence βοῇ καὶ πατάγῳ χρεώμενοι means, with a great shouting and clashing of arms, Hdt.3.79, cf. 7.211 ; π. δορός A.Th.103 (lyr.) ; τόξων S.Tr.518 (lyr.) ; ἀσπίδων E.Heracl.832, Ar.Ach.539 ; π. χύτρειος Id.Lys.329 (lyr.). (Onomatop. word.)
