Humanitext Reader

Herodotus · Histories §2.50.1-2.50.3

Egyptian Origins of the Names of Greek Gods

Passage 266 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The author points out that most names of Greek gods originate from Egypt, lists the exceptions, traces the origin of Poseidon's name to Libya, and notes that the Egyptians do not practice hero worship at all.

§2.50.1σχεδὸν δὲ καὶ πάντων τὰ οὐνόματα τῶν θεῶν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐλήλυθε ἐς τὴν Ἑλλάδα.
And indeed, almost all the names of the gods have come from Egypt to Greece.
διότι μὲν γὰρ ἐκ τῶν βαρβάρων ἥκει, πυνθανόμενος οὕτω εὑρίσκω ἐόν· δοκέω δʼ ὦν μάλιστα ἀπʼ Αἰγύπτου ἀπῖχθαι.
For that they come from the barbarians, I find by inquiry to be the case; and I believe, at any rate, that they have come especially from Egypt.
§2.50.2ὅτι γὰρ δὴ μὴ Ποσειδέωνος καὶ Διοσκούρων, ὡς καὶ πρότερόν μοι ταῦτα εἴρηται, καὶ Ἥρης καὶ Ἱστίης καὶ Θέμιος καὶ Χαρίτων καὶ Νηρηίδων, τῶν ἄλλων θεῶν Αἰγυπτίοισι αἰεί κοτε τὰ οὐνόματα ἐστὶ ἐν τῇ χώρῃ.
For indeed, except for Poseidon and the Dioscuri—as has also been mentioned by me before—and Hera, Hestia, Themis, the Graces, and the Nereids, the names of the other gods have always existed from all time in the land of the Egyptians.
λέγω δὲ τὰ λέγουσι αὐτοὶ Αἰγύπτιοι.
And I say what the Egyptians themselves say.
τῶν δὲ οὔ φασι θεῶν γινώσκειν τὰ οὐνόματα, οὗτοι δέ μοι δοκέουσι ὑπὸ Πελασγῶν ὀνομασθῆναι, πλὴν Ποσειδέωνος· τοῦτον δὲ τὸν θεὸν παρὰ Λιβύων ἐπύθοντο·
And as for the gods whose names they say they do not know, these seem to me to have been named by the Pelasgians, except for Poseidon; and of this god they learned from the Libyans.
§2.50.3οὐδαμοὶ γὰρ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς Ποσειδέωνος οὔνομα ἔκτηνται εἰ μὴ Λίβυες καὶ τιμῶσι τὸν θεὸν τοῦτον αἰεί.
For no people from the beginning have possessed the name of Poseidon except the Libyans, and they have always honored this god.
νομίζουσι δʼ ὦν Αἰγύπτιοι οὐδʼ ἥρωσι οὐδέν.
In any case, the Egyptians do not pay any worship to heroes either.

Notes

  1. §2.50.1διότι μὲν γὰρ ἐκ τῶν βαρβάρων ἥκει, πυνθανόμενος οὕτω εὑρίσκω ἐόν — Here `διότι` is used in the sense of `ὅτι` ('that'), introducing a noun clause that serves as the object of `εὑρίσκω`. `ἐόν` is the Ionic present participle of `εἶναι` (equivalent to Attic `ὄν`), forming the object-complement construction `οὕτω εὑρίσκω ἐόν` ('I find by inquiry that this is so').
  2. §2.50.2ὅτι γὰρ δὴ μὴ — The phrase `ὅτι μὴ` is an idiomatic expression meaning 'except' or 'save.' Here, the intensifying particles `γὰρ δὴ` are inserted between them, yielding the meaning 'for indeed, except for...'.
  3. §2.50.2τῶν δὲ οὔ φασι θεῶν γινώσκειν τὰ οὐνόματα — The relative pronoun `τῶν` (the Ionic article acting as a relative pronoun) modifies `θεῶν`, forming a relative clause ('the gods whose names they say they do not know'). This entire phrase is topicalized at the beginning of the sentence and is later picked up by the demonstrative pronoun `οὗτοι` in the main clause. The verb phrase `οὔ φασι` features negative transportation, meaning 'they say they do not...'.
  4. §2.50.3νομίζουσι δʼ ὦν Αἰγύπτιοι οὐδʼ ἥρωσι οὐδέν — The verb `νομίζω` typically takes an accusative, but here it is used with the dative (`ἥρωσι`) to mean 'to pay religious respect to' or 'to worship (gods or heroes).' `οὐδέν` is used adverbially to strengthen the negative ('not at all').

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §2.50.1-2.50.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.50.1-2.50.3

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