- 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-grc2:4.168.1-4.168.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-11
The description of the geographical distribution and customs of the Libyan tribes begins, introducing the lifestyle, unique practices of women, and pre-marital customs involving the king among the Adyrmachidae adjacent to Egypt.
οἰκέουσι δὲ κατὰ τάδε Λίβυες. ἀπʼ Αἰγύπτου ἀρξάμενοι1 πρῶτοι Ἀδυρμαχίδαι Λιβύων κατοίκηνται, οἳ νόμοισι μὲν τὰ πλέω2 Αἰγυπτίοισι χρέωνται, ἐσθῆτα δὲ φορέουσι οἵην περ οἱ ἄλλοι Λίβυες. αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν ψέλιον περὶ ἑκατέρῃ τῶν κνημέων φορέουσι χάλκεον· τὰς κεφαλὰς δὲ κομῶσαι, τοὺς φθεῖρας ἐπεὰν λάβωσι τοὺς ἑωυτῆς ἑκάστη ἀντιδάκνει καὶ οὕτω ῥίπτει.
The Libyans dwell in the following manner. Starting from Egypt, the first of the Libyans who are settled are the Adyrmachidae, who for the most part practice Egyptian customs, but wear clothing like that of the other Libyans. Their women wear a bronze ring around each of their shins; they let the hair of their heads grow long, and whenever each of them catches her own lice, she bites them in return and so throws them away.
οὗτοι δὲ μοῦνοι Λιβύων τοῦτο ἐργάζονται, καὶ τῷ βασιλέι μοῦνοι τὰς παρθένους μελλούσας συνοικέειν ἐπιδεικνύουσι. ἣ δὲ ἂν τῷ βασιλέι ἀρεστὴ γένηται,3 ὑπὸ τούτου διαπαρθενεύεται. παρήκουσι δὲ οὗτοι οἱ Ἀδυρμαχίδαι ἀπʼ Αἰγύπτου μέχρι λιμένος τῷ οὔνομα Πλυνός ἐστι.4
These are the only ones of the Libyans who do this, and they are the only ones who show to the king the virgins who are about to marry. Whichever of them is pleasing to the king has her virginity taken by him. These Adyrmachidae extend from Egypt as far as the harbor named Plynus.
- 4.168.1ἀπʼ Αἰγύπτου ἀρξάμενοι
A participial phrase meaning "starting from Egypt." The participle ἀρξάμενος agrees with the subject and is used idiomatically to indicate a geographical or sequential starting point, translated as "beginning with" or "starting from."
- 4.168.1τὰ πλέω
Neutre plural accusative used adverbially to mean "for the most part" or "mostly." Here it modifies the verb χρέωνται (to use).
- 4.168.2ἣ δὲ ἂν τῷ βασιλέι ἀρεστὴ γένηται
A relative clause expressing a present general condition, composed of the relative pronoun ἥ + ἄν + the subjunctive γένηται. Corresponding to the present tense of the main clause (the middle-passive indicative διαπαρθενεύεται), it expresses a general rule: "whichever of them is pleasing..."
- 4.168.2τῷ οὔνομα Πλυνός ἐστι
Composed of the dative relative pronoun τῷ (agreeing with the antecedent λιμένος) and οὔνομα (name), which is an accusative of respect. Literally, "to which the name is Plynus," representing a dative of possession to mean "named Plynus."