I Herkules dupa, kiedy ludzi kupa.
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What it means
“Even Hercules is helpless when there is a crowd against him.” However strong or capable one person may be, they cannot defeat a large group alone. Numbers can beat individual strength.
English equivalent
Even Hercules cannot contend against two.
Vocabulary
- Herkules — Hercules
- dupa — ass, a vulgar word; here it means helpless or useless
- kupa — heap or crowd; also a vulgar word for poop
Grammar note
This is a nominal sentence with no stated verb. The rhyme 'dupa / kupa' is deliberately crude and funny. 'Kiedy' here means 'when' or 'if'.
Cultural context
The rude rhyme is part of the proverb's folk humour. The message is serious, but the wording is earthy and comic.
Intermediate
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