- Source
- Herodotus. Godley, Alfred Denis, editor. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1920-1925 (printing).
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.81.1-2.81.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-06
Describes the traditional clothing of the Egyptians, specifically the linen 'calasiris' and woollen cloaks, and links their religious prohibition of wool in temples and burials to Orphic and Pythagorean mysteries.
ἐνδεδύκασι1 δὲ κιθῶνας λινέους περὶ τὰ σκέλεα θυσανωτούς, τοὺς καλέουσι καλασίρις· ἐπὶ τούτοισι δὲ εἰρίνεα εἵματα λευκὰ ἐπαναβληδὸν φορέουσι. οὐ μέντοι ἔς γε τὰ ἱρὰ ἐσφέρεται εἰρίνεα οὐδὲ συγκαταθάπτεταί σφι· οὐ γὰρ ὅσιον.
They wear linen tunics with fringes around their legs, which they call calasiris; and over these they wear white woollen cloaks thrown over their shoulders. However, woollen garments are not taken into the temples, nor are they buried with them; for that is not religiously lawful.
ὁμολογέουσι δὲ ταῦτα τοῖσι Ὀρφικοῖσι καλεομένοισι καὶ Βακχικοῖσι, ἐοῦσι δὲ Αἰγυπτίοισι καὶ Πυθαγορείοισι·2 οὐδὲ γὰρ τούτων τῶν ὀργίων μετέχοντα3 ὅσιον ἐστὶ ἐν εἰρινέοισι εἵμασι θαφθῆναι. ἔστι δὲ περὶ αὐτῶν ἱρὸς λόγος λεγόμενος.
In this they agree with the practices called Orphic and Bacchic, which are in fact Egyptian and Pythagorean; for it is not religiously lawful for one who takes part in these rites to be buried in woollen garments. There is a sacred story told about them.
- 2.81.1ἐνδεδύκασι
Perfect active of the verb ἐνδύω, representing a present state of wearing rather than a past action.
- 2.81.2ἐοῦσι δὲ Αἰγυπτίοισι καὶ Πυθαγορείοισι
The participle ἐοῦσι (Ionic for οὖσι, from εἰμί) with δέ agrees in the dative case with the preceding τοῖσι Ὀρφικοῖσι...καὶ Βακχικοῖσι. It functions as an explanatory insertion by the author, asserting that these rites are in fact Egyptian and Pythagorean.
- 2.81.2μετέχοντα
Accusative singular masculine of the present participle μετέχων. In the accusative-with-infinitive construction governed by the impersonal expression ὅσιον ἐστὶ, it functions as the subject of the passive infinitive θαφθῆναι ('for one who takes part in... to be buried').