Thracian Customs of Marriage, Tattoos, and Labor — Herodotus, Histories Book 5 (5.6.1–5.6.2), Greek & English

§5.6.1

τῶν δὲ δὴ ἄλλων Θρηίκων ἐστὶ ὅδε νόμος· πωλεῦσι τὰ τέκνα ἐπʼ ἐξαγωγῇ, τὰς δὲ παρθένους οὐ φυλάσσουσι, ἀλλʼ ἐῶσι τοῖσι αὐταὶ βούλονται ἀνδράσι¹ μίσγεσθαι· τὰς δὲ γυναῖκας ἰσχυρῶς φυλάσσουσι καὶ ὠνέονται τὰς γυναῖκας παρὰ τῶν γονέων χρημάτων μεγάλων.²

Among the other Thracians, this is the custom: they sell their children for export, and they do not keep watch over their maidens, but allow them to consort with whatever men they themselves wish. However, they keep a strict watch over their wives, and purchase their wives from their parents for great sums of money.

§5.6.2

καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐστίχθαι εὐγενὲς κέκριται, τὸ δὲ ἄστικτον ἀγεννές. ἀργὸν εἶναι³ κάλλιστον, γῆς δὲ ἐργάτην ἀτιμότατον· τὸ ζῆν ἀπὸ πολέμου καὶ ληιστύος κάλλιστον.

And to be tattooed is judged noble, but to be untattooed is ignoble. To be idle is most honorable, but to be a tiller of the soil is most disgraceful. To live by war and plunder is most honorable.

Syntax notes3 items

5.6.1τοῖσι αὐταὶ βούλονται ἀνδράσι
An instance of relative attraction (assimilation), where the antecedent is drawn into the relative clause: equivalent to τούτοις τοῖς ἀνδράσιν οἷς αὐταὶ βούλονται, with the noun attracted to the dative required by the verb μίσγεσθαι.
5.6.1χρημάτων μεγάλων
Genitive of price, used with the verb ὠνέονται (purchase) to indicate the price paid for buying wives.
5.6.2ἀργὸν εἶναι
Infinitive functioning as the subject of the clause (with an implied copula ἐστί), where the predicate adjective κάλλιστον is in the neuter singular.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — note 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.6.1-5.6.2