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Herodotus · Histories §2.88.1

The Third and Cheapest Method of Embalming

Passage 304 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

This chunk describes the third and cheapest method of embalming, used for the poor, which involves purging the belly with radish-juice, salting for seventy days, and returning the body.

§2.88.1ἡ δὲ τρίτη ταρίχευσις ἐστὶ ἥδε, ἣ τοὺς χρήμασι ἀσθενεστέρους σκευάζει· συρμαίῃ διηθήσαντες τὴν κοιλίην ταριχεύουσι τὰς ἑβδομήκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ ἔπειτα ἀπʼ ὦν ἔδωκαν ἀποφέρεσθαι.
The third method of embalming is this, which prepares those who are poorer in means: having purged the cavity with radish-juice, they salt it for seventy days and then give it back to be carried away.

Notes

  1. 2.88.1ἀπʼ ὦν ἔδωκαν — An example of tmesis, where the Ionic particle ὦν (equivalent to Attic οὖν) is inserted between the preposition ἀπό and the verb ἔδωκαν (3rd person plural aorist of ἀποδίδωμι, "to give back").
  2. 2.88.1ἀποφέρεσθαι — An infinitive of purpose used with ἀπέδωκαν. It can be interpreted as middle ("to carry away for themselves") or passive ("to be carried away"), indicating that the relatives take the body back.
  3. 2.88.1χρήμασι — Dative of respect ("with respect to means/wealth"), modifying the comparative ἀσθενεστέρους ("weaker", meaning poorer).

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §2.88.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.88.1

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