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Plutarch · Greek Questions §44-48

The Single-Eaters of Aegina and Labrandean Zeus

Passage 10 of 12 · Greek

Summary

This section explains the historical and mythological origins of the festival of the 'single-eaters' in Aegina (§44), the axe of Labrandean Zeus in Caria (§45), the Trallians' purification custom using vetches (§46), the Elean proverb about Sambicus (§47), and the hero-shrine of Odysseus in Lacedaemon (§48).

§44τίνες ἐν Αἰγίνῃ οἱ μονοφάγοι;
Who are the "single-eaters" in Aegina?
τῶν ἐπὶ τὴν Τροίαν στρατευσάντων Αἰγινητῶν πολλοὶ μὲν ἐν ταῖς μάχαις ἀπώλοντο, πλείονες δὲ κατὰ πλοῦν ὑπὸ τοῦ χειμῶνος.
Of the Aeginetans who made the expedition against Troy, many perished in the battles, and more during the voyage by the storm.
ὀλίγους οὖν τοὺς περιλειπομένους οἱ προσήκοντες ὑποδεξάμενοι, τοὺς δʼ ἄλλους πολίτας ὁρῶντες ἐν πένθεσι καὶ λύπαις ὄντας, οὔτε χαίρειν ᾤοντο δεῖν φανερῶς οὔτε θύειν τοῖς θεοῖς, ἀλλὰ κρύφα καὶ κατʼ οἰκίαν ἕκαστοι τοὺς σεσωσμένους ἀνελάμβανον ἑστιάσεσι καὶ φιλοφροσύναις, αὐτοὶ διακονούμενοι πατράσι καὶ συγγενέσι καὶ ἀδελφοῖς καὶ οἰκείοις, ἀλλοτρίου μηδενὸς παρεισιόντος.
Therefore, when their relatives received the few who survived, seeing the other citizens to be in mourning and grief, they thought it not right either to rejoice openly or to sacrifice to the gods, but secretly and at home each received those who had been saved with feasting and hospitality, themselves serving their fathers, relatives, brothers, and kinsmen, with no stranger entering.
ταῦτʼ οὖν ἀπομιμούμενοι τῷ Ποσειδῶνι θυσίαν ἄγουσι τοὺς καλουμένους θιάσους, ᾗ καθʼ αὑτοὺς ἐφʼ ἡμέρας ἑκκαίδεκα μετὰ σιωπῆς ἑστιῶνται, δοῦλος δʼ οὐ πάρεστιν εἶτα ποιήσαντες Ἀφροδίσια διαλύουσι τὴν ἑορτήν· ἐκ δὲ τούτου μονοφάγοι καλοῦνται. §45διὰ τί τοῦ Λαβρανδέως Διὸς ἐν Καρίᾳ τὸ ἄγαλμα πέλεκυν ἠρμένον οὐχὶ δὲ σκῆπτρον ἢ κεραυνὸν πεποίηται;
In imitation of this, they hold a sacrifice to Poseidon called "thiasoi," in which they feast by themselves for sixteen days in silence, and no slave is present; then, having celebrated the Aphrodisia, they dissolve the festival; and from this they are called "single-eaters." Why is the statue of Labrandean Zeus in Caria made holding an axe aloft, and not a sceptre or a thunderbolt?
ὅτι Ἡρακλῆς Ἱππολύτην ἀποκτείνας καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ὅπλων αὐτῆς λαβὼν τὸν πέλεκυν Ὀμφάλῃ δῶρον ἔδωκεν.
Because Heracles, having slain Hippolyte and taken her axe along with her other weapons, gave it as a gift to Omphale.
οἱ δὲ μετʼ Ὀμφάλην Λυδῶν βασιλεῖς ἐφόρουν αὐτὸν ὥς τι τῶν ἄλλων ἱερῶν ἐκ διαδοχῆς παραλαμβάνοντες, ἄχρι Κανδαύλης ἀπαξιώσας ἑνὶ τῶν ἑταίρων φορεῖν ἔδωκεν.
The kings of the Lydians after Omphale wore it as one of the other sacred things, receiving it by succession, until Candaules, disdaining to do so, gave it to one of his companions to wear.
ἐπεὶ δὲ Γύγης ἀποστὰς ἐπολέμει πρὸς αὐτόν, ἦλθεν Ἄρσηλις ἐκ Μυλασέων ἐπίκουρος τῷ Γύγῃ μετὰ δυνάμεως, καὶ τόν τε Κανδαύλην καὶ τὸν ἑταῖρον αὐτοῦ διέφθείρε, καὶ τὸν πέλεκυν εἰς Καρίαν ἐκόμισε μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων λαφύρων.
But when Gyges revolted and made war against him, Arselis came from Mylasa as an ally to Gyges with a force, and slew both Candaules and his companion, and carried the axe to Caria with the rest of the spoils.
καὶ Διὸς ἄγαλμα κατασκευάσας τὸν πέλεκυν ἐνεχείρισε, καὶ Λαβρανδέα τὸν θεὸν προσηγόρευσε· Λυδοὶ γάρ λάβρυν τὸν πέλεκυν ὀνομάζουσι. §46διὰ τί Τραλλιανοὶ καθαρτῆρα καλοῦσι τὸν ὄροβον καὶ χρῶνται μάλιστα πρὸς τὰς ἀφοσιώσεις καὶ τοὺς καθαρμούς;
And having set up a statue of Zeus, he placed the axe in its hand and called the god Labrandeus; for the Lydians call the axe "labrys." Why do the Trallians call the vetch "purifier," and use it especially for expiations and purifications?
ἦ ὅτι Λέλεγες καὶ Μινύαι τὸ παλαιὸν ἐξελάσαντες αὐτοὺς τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὴν χώραν κατέσχον, ὕστερον δʼ οἱ Τραλλιανοὶ κατελθόντες καὶ κρατήσαντες, ὅσοι τῶν Λελέγων οὐ διεφθάρησαν οὐδʼ ἔφυγον ἀλλὰ διʼ ἀμηχανίαν βίου καὶ ἀσθένειαν ὑπελείφθησαν αὐτόθι, τούτων οὐδένα λόγον ἔχοντες οὔτε ζώντων οὔτε ἀπολλυμένων νόμον ἔθεντο τὸν κτείναντα Μινύην ἢ Λελέγην Τραλλιανῶν καθαρὸν εἶναι, μέδιμνον ὀρόβων ἀπομετρήσαντα τοῖς οἰκείοις τοῦ φονευθέντος;
Is it because the Leleges and Minyae in ancient times drove them out and occupied their city and land, but later, when the Trallians returned and prevailed, they took no account of those of the Leleges who were neither destroyed nor fled but were left behind there through lack of livelihood and weakness, whether they lived or perished, and made a law that any of the Trallians who killed a Minyan or a Lelegian should be pure upon measuring out a medimnus of vetches to the relatives of the slain man?
§47διὰ τί παρὰ τοῖς Ἠλείοις παροιμιῶδὲς ἐστι τὸ ʼδεινότερα Σαμβίκου παθεῖνʼ;
Why among the Eleans is it proverbial to say "to suffer worse things than Sambicus"?
λέγεταί τινα Σάμβικον Ἠλεῖον ἔχοντα πολλοὺς ὑφʼ ἑαυτῷ συνεργοὺς πολλὰ περικόψαι τῶν ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ χαλκῶν ἀναθημάτων καὶ ἀποδόσθαι, τέλος δὲ συλῆσαι τὸ τῆς ἐπισκόπου Ἀρτέμιδος ἱερόν τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶ μὲν ἐν Ἤλιδι, καλεῖται δʼ Ἀριστάρχειον.
It is said that a certain Sambicus of Elis, having many accomplices under him, cut off and sold many of the bronze offerings in Olympia, and finally plundered the temple of Artemis the Overseer; this is in Elis, and is called Aristarcheum.
εὐθὺς οὖν μετὰ ταύτην τὴν ἱεροσυλίαν ἁλόντα βασανίζεσθαι διʼ ἐνιαυτοῦ περὶ ἑκάστου τῶν κεκοινωνηκότων ἀνακρινόμενον, καὶ οὕτως ἀποθανεῖν καὶ τὴν παροιμίαν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐκείνου πάθεσι γενέσθαι.
Immediately after this temple-robbery, therefore, having been captured, he was tortured for a year, being interrogated concerning each of those who had shared in it, and thus died, and the proverb arose from his sufferings.
§48διὰ τί ἐν Λακεδαίμονι παρὰ τὸ τῶν Λευκιππίδων ἱερὸν ἵδρυται τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως ἡρῷον;
Why in Lacedaemon is a hero-shrine of Odysseus established beside the temple of the Leucippides?
Ἐργῖνος, εἷς τῶν Διομήδους ἀπογόνων, ὑπὸ Τημένου πεισθεὶς ἐξέκλεψε τὸ παλλάδιον ἐξ Ἄργους, συνειδότος Λεάγρου καὶ συνεκκλέπτοντος ἦν δʼ οὗτος εἷς τῶν Τημένου συνήθων.
Erginus, one of the descendants of Diomedes, having been persuaded by Temenus, carried off the Palladium from Argos, with Leagrus being privy to it and helping to carry it off; this man was one of the intimates of Temenus.
ὕστερον δὲ τῷ Τημένῳ γενόμενος διʼ ὀργῆς ὁ Λέαγρος εἰς Λακεδαίμονα μετέστη τὸ παλλάδιον κομίζων.
Later, Leagrus, having fallen into anger with Temenus, removed to Lacedaemon, bringing the Palladium.
οἱ δὲ βασιλεῖς δεξάμενοι προθύμως ἱδρύσαντο πλησίον τοῦ τῶν Λευκιππίδων ἱεροῦ, καὶ πέμψαντες εἰς Δελφοὺς διεμαντεύοντο περὶ σωτηρίας αὐτοῦ καὶ φυλακῆς.
The kings, having received it eagerly, established it near the temple of the Leucippides, and sending to Delphi, they consulted the oracle about its safety and preservation.
ἀνελόντος δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ ἕνα τῶν ὑφελομένων τὸ παλλάδιον φύλακα ποιεῖσθαι, κατεσκεύασαν αὐτόθι τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως τὸ ἡρῷον, ἄλλως τε καὶ προσήκειν τῇ πόλει τὸν ἥρωα διὰ τὸν τῆς Πηνελόπης γάμον ὑπολαβόντες.
When the god answered that they should make one of those who stole the Palladium its guardian, they constructed the hero-shrine of Odysseus there, thinking especially that the hero was connected with the city through his marriage to Penelope.

Notes

  1. 301eὀλίγους οὖν τοὺς περιλειπομένους — The adjective ὀλίγους is placed in the predicative position before the articular noun phrase τοὺς περιλειπομένους. It translates as 'received those who survived, they being few,' emphasizing the tragic scarcity of the survivors.
  2. 301f — Relative pronoun in the dative feminine singular, taking the preceding θυσίαν (sacrifice) as its antecedent. It functions circumstantially to mean 'in which [sacrifice/ritual],' introducing the specific practices of their private feasting.
  3. 302aἀπαξιώσας — Participle of the verb ἀπαξιόω (to deem unworthy). In this context, it means 'deeming it unworthy of himself [to wear the axe],' modifying the subject Candaules and explaining his refusal to wear the sacred axe himself, which he instead gave to his companion.
  4. 302bἦ ὅτι — A combination of the interrogative particle ἦ and the causal conjunction ὅτι. This is a formulaic expression in Plutarch's 'Quaestiones' to introduce a hypothetical explanation for the question raised at the beginning of the chapter, meaning 'Is it because...?'
  5. 302cἁλόντα βασανίζεσθαι — A combination of the aorist participle ἁλόντα (having been captured, from ἁλίσκομαι) and the present infinitive βασανίζεσθαι (to be tortured). They are part of the accusative-with-infinitive construction (A.C.I.) governed by the verb λέγεται at the beginning of the paragraph, agreeing with the accusative subject Σάμβικον.
  6. 302dἕνα τῶν ὑφελομένων τὸ παλλάδιον φύλακα ποιεῖσθαι — An accusative-with-infinitive construction conveying the command of the Delphic oracle. The god directed them 'to make one of those who carried off the Palladium its guardian.' Since Odysseus was famously one of the original thieves of the Palladium from Troy, this oracle logically explains the foundation of his hero-shrine in Sparta.

Cite this passage

Plutarch, Greek Questions §44-48. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg084b.humanitext-grc3:44-48

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