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Histories

§2.35.1-2.35.4

Peculiar Customs and Laws of the Egyptians

As the author begins his detailed account of Egypt, he lists numerous examples of how Egyptian environmental conditions, customs, and laws are reversed compared to those of other peoples, including gender roles, habits of daily life, priesthood, and filial duties.

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§2.35.1

Νείλου μέν νυν πέρι τοσαῦτα εἰρήσθω· ἔρχομαι δὲ περὶ Αἰγύπτου μηκυνέων1 τὸν λόγον, ὅτι πλεῖστα θωμάσια ἔχει ἢ ἡ ἄλλη πᾶσα χώρη καὶ ἔργα λόγου μέζω παρέχεται πρὸς πᾶσαν χώρην· τούτων εἵνεκα πλέω περὶ αὐτῆς εἰρήσεται.

​Let so much be said concerning the Nile; but I am going to lengthen my discourse about Egypt, because it possesses far more wonders than any other country, and presents works greater than words can describe in comparison with every other land. For these reasons, more shall be said about it.

§2.35.2

Αἰγύπτιοι ἅμα τῷ οὐρανῷ τῷ κατὰ σφέας ἐόντι ἑτεροίῳ καὶ τῷ ποταμῷ2 φύσιν ἀλλοίην παρεχομένῳ ἢ οἱ ἄλλοι ποταμοί, τὰ πολλὰ πάντα ἔμπαλιν τοῖσι ἄλλοισι ἀνθρώποισι ἐστήσαντο ἤθεά τε καὶ νόμους· ἐν τοῖσι αἱ μὲν γυναῖκες ἀγοράζουσι καὶ καπηλεύουσι, οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες κατʼ οἴκους ἐόντες ὑφαίνουσι· ὑφαίνουσι δὲ οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι ἄνω τὴν κρόκην ὠθέοντες, Αἰγύπτιοι δὲ κάτω.

​The Egyptians, along with having a climate peculiar to themselves and a river that presents a nature different from other rivers, have established for themselves customs and laws which are, in almost all respects, the reverse of those of other men. Among them, the women go to market and trade, while the men stay at home and weave; and while others weave by pushing the woof upwards, the Egyptians push it downwards.

§2.35.3

τὰ ἄχθεα οἱ μὲν ἄνδρες ἐπὶ τῶν κεφαλέων φορέουσι, αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων. οὐρέουσι αἱ μὲν γυναῖκες ὀρθαί, οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες κατήμενοι. εὐμαρείῃ χρέωνται3 ἐν τοῖσι οἴκοισι, ἐσθίουσι δὲ ἔξω ἐν τῇσι ὁδοῖσι ἐπιλέγοντες ὡς τὰ μὲν αἰσχρὰ ἀναγκαῖα δὲ ἐν ἀποκρύφῳ ἐστὶ ποιέειν χρεόν,4 τὰ δὲ μὴ αἰσχρὰ ἀναφανδόν.

​Men carry burdens on their heads, but women on their shoulders. Women urinate standing, but men sitting. They ease nature in their houses, but eat outside in the streets, declaring that things which are shameful but necessary should be done in secret, but those which are not shameful should be done openly.

§2.35.4

ἱρᾶται5 γυνὴ μὲν οὐδεμία οὔτε ἔρσενος θεοῦ οὔτε θηλέης, ἄνδρες δὲ πάντων τε καὶ πασέων. τρέφειν τοὺς τοκέας τοῖσι μὲν παισὶ οὐδεμία ἀνάγκη μὴ βουλομένοισι, τῇσι δὲ θυγατράσι πᾶσα ἀνάγκη καὶ μὴ βουλομένῃσι.

​No woman serves as a priest for either a god or a goddess, but men are priests of all gods and goddesses. To support their parents is no necessity for sons if they do not wish to, but for daughters there is an absolute necessity even if they do not wish to.

Syntax notes5 items
  1. 2.35.1ἔρχομαι ... μηκυνέων

    The verb of motion ἔρχομαι is combined with the future participle μηκυνέων to express immediate future or intention ("I am going to lengthen").

  2. 2.35.2ἅμα τῷ οὐρανῷ ... καὶ τῷ ποταμῷ

    The preposition ἅμα governs the dative nouns (τῷ οὐρανῷ, τῷ ποταμῷ) accompanied by participles (ἐόντι, παρεχομένῳ), expressing the simultaneous occurrence of these environmental conditions.

  3. 2.35.3εὐμαρείῃ χρέωνται

    The noun εὐμαρείη, originally meaning "ease" or "convenience," is used here as a euphemism for bodily waste or easing nature. It is governed by the verb χράομαι (to use, practice) in the dative, meaning "to relieve oneself."

  4. 2.35.3ποιέειν χρεόν

    The infinitive ποιέειν (to do) depends on the indeclinable neuter χρεόν (Ionian form of χρεών, meaning "it is necessary"), which here functions as the predicate with the copula ἐστί.

  5. 2.35.4ἱρᾶται

    Third-person singular present of ἱράομαι (to serve as a priest). The subject is the feminine singular noun γυνή. The deities served are expressed in the genitive (ἔρσενος θεοῦ, θηλέης).

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.35.1-2.35.4