- 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-grc2:4.59.1-4.59.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
The author lists the gods worshiped by the Scythians, providing their equivalent Scythian names, and notes that they construct shrines and altars only for Ares.
τὰ μὲν δὴ μέγιστα οὕτω σφι εὔπορα ἐστί, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ νόμαια κατὰ τάδε σφι διακέεται. θεοὺς μὲν μούνους τούσδε ἱλάσκονται, Ἱστίην μὲν μάλιστα, ἐπὶ δὲ1 Δία καὶ Γῆν, νομίζοντες τὴν Γῆν τοῦ Διὸς εἶναι γυναῖκα, μετὰ δὲ τούτους, Ἀπόλλωνά τε καὶ οὐρανίην Ἀφροδίτην καὶ Ἡρακλέα καὶ Ἄρεα. τούτους μὲν πάντες Σκύθαι νενομίκασι, οἱ δὲ καλεόμενοι βασιλήιοι Σκύθαι καὶ τῷ Ποσειδέωνι θύουσι.
Thus they are well provided with the greatest matters, but their other customs are established for them as follows. They propitiate these gods alone: Histia most of all, and next Zeus and Ge, believing Ge to be the wife of Zeus; and after these, Apollo, Heavenly Aphrodite, Heracles, and Ares. All Scythians worship these, but those who are called the Royal Scythians also sacrifice to Poseidon.
ὀνομάζεται δὲ σκυθιστὶ Ἱστίη μὲν Ταβιτί, Ζεὺς δὲ ὀρθότατα κατὰ γνώμην γε τὴν ἐμὴν καλεόμενος2 Παπαῖος, Γῆ δὲ Ἀπί. Ἀπόλλων δὲ Γοιτόσυρος, οὐρανίη δὲ Ἀφροδίτη Ἀργίμπασα, Ποσειδέων δὲ Θαγιμασάδας. ἀγάλματα δὲ καὶ βωμοὺς καὶ νηοὺς οὐ νομίζουσι ποιέειν πλὴν Ἄρεϊ. τούτῳ δὲ νομίζουσι.3
In the Scythian tongue, Histia is called Tabiti, and Zeus, most correctly in my judgment, Papaios, and Ge, Api. Also Apollo is called Goitosyros, Heavenly Aphrodite Argimpasa, and Poseidon Thagimasadas. They do not make it their custom to set up images, altars, or temples, except for Ares; but for him, they do make it their custom.
- 4.59.1ἐπὶ δὲ
Used adverbially to mean "furthermore" or "next." It does not directly govern the subsequent accusatives Δία καὶ Γῆν, which function as objects of ἱλάσκονται.
- 4.59.2ὀρθότατα κατὰ γνώμην γε τὴν ἐμὴν καλεόμενος
The participle καλεόμενος ("being called") functions as a supplement to the omitted main verb of the clause (such as ὀνομάζεται or καλέεται). The author's subjective evaluation "most correctly in my judgment" is inserted to affirm the appropriateness of the Scythian name for Zeus, "Papaios" (evoking "father").
- 4.59.2πλὴν Ἄρεϊ. τούτῳ δὲ νομίζουσι
The dative Ἄρεϊ in the first clause indicates for whom the making of images, etc. (ποιέειν) is intended (dative of advantage/purpose). In the following clause τούτῳ δὲ νομίζουσι, the infinitive ποιέειν is omitted, establishing the contrast "but for him, they do make it their custom (to do so)."