Humanitext Reader

Herodotus · Histories §1.198.1

Babylonian Burial Customs and Purification Rituals

Passage 198 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The author describes the Babylonian custom of burial in honey, lamentations similar to those in Egypt, and the purification ritual with incense and washing after marital intercourse, noting that Arabians practice the same.

§1.198.1ταφαὶ δέ σφι ἐν μέλιτι, θρῆνοι δὲ παραπλήσιοι τοῖσι ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ.
And their burials are in honey, and their lamentations are similar to those in Egypt.
ὁσάκις δʼ ἂν μιχθῇ γυναικὶ τῇ ἑωυτοῦ ἀνὴρ Βαβυλώνιος, περὶ θυμίημα καταγιζόμενον ἵζει, ἑτέρωθι δὲ ἡ γυνὴ τὠυτὸ τοῦτο ποιέει, ὄρθρου δὲ γενομένου λοῦνται καὶ ἀμφότεροι· ἄγγεος γὰρ οὐδενὸς ἅψονται πρὶν ἂν λούσωνται.
Whenever a Babylonian man has intercourse with his own wife, he sits around burning incense, and in another place the woman does this very same thing; and when dawn comes, both of them wash themselves; for they will touch no vessel until they have washed themselves.
ταὐτὰ δὲ ταῦτα καὶ Ἀράβιοι ποιεῦσι.
And the Arabians also do these very same things.

Notes

  1. 1.198.1τοῖσι ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ — The article `τοῖσι` (equivalent to Attic `τοῖς`, used pronominally here) refers back to `θρῆνοι` in the preceding clause. The noun is omitted, meaning "with those [lamentations] in Egypt," preserving structural symmetry in the comparison.
  2. 1.198.1ὁσάκις δʼ ἂν μιχθῇ — The temporal adverb `ὁσάκις` combined with the particle `ἄν` and the aorist passive subjunctive `μιχθῇ` (from `μίγνυμι`, "to mingle/have intercourse") forms a conditional-temporal clause expressing general repetition in the present ("whenever he has intercourse").
  3. 1.198.1ἄγγεος γὰρ οὐδενὸς ἅψονται — The verb `ἅπτομαι` ("to touch") governs the genitive case, hence `ἄγγεος οὐδενὸς` ("any vessel") is in the genitive. The future tense `ἅψονται` expresses a strong volition or general rule in the present.
  4. 1.198.1πρὶν ἂν λούσωνται — In a temporal clause following a negative main clause (`οὐδενὸς ἅψονται`), the construction `πρίν` + `ἄν` + subjunctive (aorist subjunctive third-person plural `λούσωνται`) presents a future limitation or condition ("until they have washed themselves").

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §1.198.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.198.1

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