Humanitext Reader

Herodotus · Histories §2.52.1-2.52.3

Pelasgian Adoption of the Names of the Gods

Passage 268 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Explains how the Pelasgians originally worshipped the gods without names and later adopted the names of the gods of Egyptian origin upon consulting the oracle of Dodona, which were subsequently passed on to the Greeks.

§2.52.1ἔθυον δὲ πάντα πρότερον οἱ Πελασγοὶ θεοῖσι ἐπευχόμενοι, ὡς ἐγὼ ἐν Δωδώνῃ οἶδα ἀκούσας, ἐπωνυμίην δὲ οὐδʼ οὔνομα ἐποιεῦντο οὐδενὶ αὐτῶν· οὐ γὰρ ἀκηκόεσάν κω.
Previously, the Pelasgians, as I know from what I heard in Dodona, offered all sacrifices while praying to the gods, but they did not use any title or name for any of them; for they had not yet heard of any.
θεοὺς δὲ προσωνόμασαν σφέας ἀπὸ τοῦ τοιούτου, ὅτι κόσμῳ θέντες τὰ πάντα πρήγματα καὶ πάσας νομὰς εἶχον.
They called them "gods" for the following reason, because they had set all things in order and held all distributions.
§2.52.2ἔπειτα δὲ χρόνου πολλοῦ διεξελθόντος ἐπύθοντο ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου ἀπικόμενα τὰ οὐνόματα τῶν θεῶν τῶν ἄλλων, Διονύσου δὲ ὕστερον πολλῷ ἐπύθοντο.
But then, after a long time had passed, they learned the names of the other gods which had come from Egypt, and they learned that of Dionysus much later.
καὶ μετὰ χρόνον ἐχρηστηριάζοντο περὶ τῶν οὐνομάτων ἐν Δωδώνῃ· τὸ γὰρ δὴ μαντήιον τοῦτο νενόμισται ἀρχαιότατον τῶν ἐν Ἕλλησι χρηστηρίων εἶναι, καὶ ἦν τὸν χρόνον τοῦτον μοῦνον.
And after some time, they consulted the oracle at Dodona concerning these names; for indeed, this oracle is considered to be the oldest of those among the Greeks, and at that time it was the only one.
§2.52.3ἐπεὶ ὦν ἐχρηστηριάζοντο ἐν τῇ Δωδώνῃ οἱ Πελασγοὶ εἰ ἀνέλωνται τὰ οὐνόματα τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν βαρβάρων ἥκοντα, ἀνεῖλε τὸ μαντήιον χρᾶσθαι.
When, therefore, the Pelasgians inquired of the oracle at Dodona whether they should adopt the names that had come from the barbarians, the oracle responded that they should use them.
ἀπὸ μὲν δὴ τούτου τοῦ χρόνου ἔθυον τοῖσι οὐνόμασι τῶν θεῶν χρεώμενοι· παρὰ δὲ Πελασγῶν Ἕλληνες ἐξεδέξαντο ὕστερον.
From that time on, they offered sacrifices using the names of the gods; and the Greeks later received this from the Pelasgians.

Notes

  1. 2.52.1θεοὺς δὲ προσωνόμασαν σφέας ἀπὸ τοῦ τοιούτου, ὅτι κόσμῳ θέντες τὰ πάντα πρήγματα καὶ πάσας νομὰς εἶχον — This passage presents Herodotus' own folk etymology, linking the word for gods (θεοί) to the participle θέντες (having placed/set, from the verb τίθημι).
  2. 2.52.2ἀπικόμενα — A supplementary participle (present middle) functioning as the complement of the verb of learning/perceiving ἐπύθοντο, meaning 'they learned that the names had arrived (from Egypt).'
  3. 2.52.3εἰ ἀνέλωνται — A deliberative subjunctive in an indirect question (3rd person plural aorist middle of ἀναιρέω). Although it could have been changed to the optative (ἀνέλοιντο) because the main verb is in a past historical tense, the subjunctive is retained for vividness.
  4. 2.52.3ἀνεῖλε — The aorist active 3rd person singular of the verb ἀναιρέω. When the subject is the oracle (μαντήιον), it carries the technical meaning of 'to give a response' or 'to direct by oracle.'

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §2.52.1-2.52.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.52.1-2.52.3

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