Carrying a Model Corpse at Egyptian Banquets — Herodotus, Histories Book 2 (2.78.1), Greek & English

§2.78.1

ἐν δὲ τῇσι συνουσίῃσι τοῖσι εὐδαίμοσι αὐτῶν, ἐπεὰν ἀπὸ δείπνου γένωνται,¹ περιφέρει ἀνὴρ νεκρὸν ἐν σορῷ ξύλινον πεποιημένον, μεμιμημένον ἐς τὰ μάλιστα καὶ γραφῇ καὶ ἔργῳ, μέγαθος² ὅσον τε πηχυαῖον ἢ δίπηχυν, δεικνὺς δὲ ἑκάστῳ τῶν συμποτέων λέγει ἐς τοῦτον ὁρέων πῖνέ τε καὶ τέρπευ· ἔσεαι γὰρ ἀποθανὼν³ τοιοῦτος. ταῦτα μὲν παρὰ τὰ συμπόσια ποιεῦσι.

In the social gatherings of their wealthy men, when they have finished their dinner, a man carries round a corpse in a coffin, made of wood, painted and carved as realistically as possible, about one or two cubits in length; and showing it to each of the guests, he says: “Look upon this, and drink and be merry; for when you are dead, such as this you shall be.” This is what they do at their drinking parties.

Syntax notes3 items

2.78.1ἀπὸ δείπνου γένωνται
The preposition ἀπό here expresses completion, making the phrase ἀπὸ δείπνου γίνομαι an idiomatic expression meaning "to finish dinner" or "to rise from the meal." The aorist subjunctive γένωνται is used with the conjunction ἐπεάν (= ἐπεί + ἄν) to introduce a general temporal-conditional clause.
2.78.1μέγαθος
An Ionic form of the noun μέγεθος, functioning as an accusative of respect ("in respect of size" or "in length") qualifying the subsequent adjectives πηχυαῖον ἢ δίπηχυν ("one or two cubits long").
2.78.1ἀποθανὼν
Aorist active participle of ἀποθνῄσκω, masculine nominative singular, agreeing with the subject of the main future verb ἔσεαι (2nd person singular). It functions as an adverbial participle of time or condition ("when you are dead" or "if you die").

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.78.1