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§2.119.1-2.119.3

Menelaus Recovers Helen and Flees after Child Sacrifice

Menelaus recovers Helen and his treasures in Egypt, but when unfavorable winds prevent his departure, he commits the impious act of sacrificing local children and is forced to flee to Libya.

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§2.119.1

ἀπικόμενος δὲ ὁ Μενέλεως ἐς τὴν Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἀναπλώσας ἐς τὴν Μέμφιν, εἴπας τὴν ἀληθείην τῶν πρηγμάτων, καὶ ξεινίων ἤντησε μεγάλων καὶ Ἑλένην ἀπαθέα κακῶν1 ἀπέλαβε, πρὸς δὲ καὶ τὰ ἑωυτοῦ χρήματα πάντα.

​When Menelaus arrived in Egypt and sailed up to Memphis, having told the truth of the matter, he both received great hospitality and recovered Helen unharmed by any ills, and furthermore all his own possessions.

§2.119.2

τυχὼν μέντοι τούτων ἐγένετο Μενέλεως ἀνὴρ ἄδικος ἐς Αἰγυπτίους. ἀποπλέειν γὰρ ὁρμημένον2 αὐτὸν ἶσχον ἄπλοιαι· ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτο ἐπὶ πολλὸν τοιοῦτον ἦν, ἐπιτεχνᾶται πρῆγμα οὐκ ὅσιον·

​However, having obtained these things, Menelaus became an unjust man toward the Egyptians. For when he was eager to sail away, unfavorable winds held him back; and when this situation continued as such for a long time, he devised an impious deed.

§2.119.3

λαβὼν γὰρ δύο παιδία ἀνδρῶν ἐπιχωρίων ἔντομα σφέα ἐποίησε.3 μετὰ δὲ ὡς ἐπάιστος ἐγένετο τοῦτο ἐργασμένος,4 μισηθείς τε καὶ διωκόμενος οἴχετο φεύγων τῇσι νηυσὶ ἐπὶ Λιβύης· τὸ ἐνθεῦτεν δὲ ὅκου ἔτι ἐτράπετο οὐκ εἶχον εἰπεῖν5 Αἰγύπτιοι. τούτων δὲ τὰ μὲν ἱστορίῃσι ἔφασαν ἐπίστασθαι, τὰ δὲ παρʼ ἑωυτοῖσι γενόμενα ἀτρεκέως ἐπιστάμενοι λέγειν.

​For he took two children of the local men and made them victims of sacrifice. Afterwards, when it became known that he had done this, being hated and pursued, he fled and went away with his ships toward Libya. From that point on, where else he turned, the Egyptians were unable to say. Of these matters, they said they knew some by inquiry, but others, which had happened in their own land, they spoke of knowing them with certainty.

Syntax notes5 items
  1. 2.119.1ἀπαθέα κακῶν

    The adjective ἀπαθής (unharmed) is accompanied by the genitive of separation or deprivation, κακῶν, meaning 'free from/unharmed by any ills.'

  2. 2.119.2ὁρμημένον

    Perfect middle-passive participle of ὁρμάω, expressing a state of being 'eager' or 'fully prepared' to do something. It agrees with the accusative object αὐτόν and takes the infinitive ἀποπλέειν.

  3. 2.119.3ἔντομα σφέα ἐποίησε

    This is an idiomatic expression ἔντομα ποιεῖν (to slaughter as a sacrifice) with the third person plural pronoun σφέα (them) inserted. It refers specifically to the throat-cutting sacrifice (ἔντομα) often offered to underworld deities or the dead.

  4. 2.119.3ὡς ἐπάιστος ἐγένετο τοῦτο ἐργασμένος

    A copulative/predicative construction with the adjective ἐπάιστος (detected, discovered) and the participle ἐργασμένος (having done), analogous to the construction δῆλός ἐστιν + participle, meaning 'when it became known that he had done this.'

  5. 2.119.3οὐκ εἶχον εἰπεῖν

    The verb ἔχω with an infinitive (εἰπεῖν) is used in the sense of 'to be able to.' Since it is in the imperfect εἶχον, it means 'they were unable to say (because they did not know).'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.119.1-2.119.3