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Histories

§7.92.1

Lycian Contingent, Their Equipment, and Origins

Describes the number of ships provided by the Lycians, their unique armor and attire, and their historical origin from Crete, taking their name from Lycus the Athenian.

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§7.92.1

λύκιοι δὲ παρείχοντο νέας πεντήκοντα θωρηκοφόροι τε ἐόντες καὶ κνημιδοφόροι, εἶχον δὲ τόξα κρανέινα1 καὶ ὀιστοὺς καλαμίνους ἀπτέρους καὶ ἀκόντια, ἐπὶ δὲ2 αἰγὸς δέρμα περὶ τοὺς ὤμους αἰωρεύμενον, περὶ δὲ τῇσι κεφαλῇσι πίλους πτεροῖσι περιεστεφανωμένους· ἐγχειρίδια δὲ καὶ δρέπανα εἶχον. Λύκιοι δὲ Τερμίλαι ἐκαλέοντο ἐκ Κρήτης γεγονότες,3 ἐπὶ δὲ Λύκου τοῦ Πανδίονος ἀνδρὸς Ἀθηναίου ἔσχον τὴν ἐπωνυμίην.

​The Lycians provided fifty ships; they wore breastplates and greaves, and had bows of cornel-wood, featherless reed arrows, and javelins; they had goat-skins hanging over their shoulders, and caps on their heads crowned with feathers; they also had daggers and falchions. The Lycians were formerly called Termilae, being of Cretan origin, but they took their name after Lycus, the son of Pandion, an Athenian.

Syntax notes3 items
  1. 7.92.1κρανέινα

    Made of cornel-wood (Cornus mas). This wood is extremely hard and tough, and was highly favored in antiquity for making bows and spear shafts.

  2. 7.92.1ἐπὶ δὲ

    Here, ἐπί is used adverbially to mean "moreover" or "in addition," rather than as a preposition. The noun phrases αἰγὸς δέρμα ... and πίλους ... in the following clause function as objects to the omitted verb εἶχον ("they had").

  3. 7.92.1γεγονότες

    Perfect participle of the verb γίγνομαι, used here to mean "having descended from" or "originating from," indicating their migration from Crete.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.92.1