Herodotus · Histories §4.109.1-4.109.2

Differences between Budini and Geloni and Local Wildlife

Passage 673 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The author explains the differences in language, lifestyle, and physical appearance between the Budini and the Geloni, and describes the forests, lakes, and wild animals of their territory, along with their practical uses.

§4.109.1Βουδῖνοι δὲ οὐ τῇ αὐτῇ γλώσσῃ χρέωνται καὶ Γελωνοί, οὐδὲ δίαιτα ἡ αὐτή.

But the Budini do not use the same language as the Geloni, nor is their lifestyle the same.

οἱ μὲν γὰρ Βουδῖνοι ἐόντες αὐτόχθονες νομάδες τε εἰσὶ καὶ φθειροτραγέουσι μοῦνοι τῶν ταύτῃ, Γελωνοὶ δὲ γῆς τε ἐργάται καὶ σιτοφάγοι καὶ κήπους ἐκτημένοι, οὐδὲν τὴν ἰδέην ὅμοιοι οὐδὲ τὸ χρῶμα.

For the Budini, being indigenous, are nomads and are the only ones of the people in these parts who eat pine-cones; whereas the Geloni are tillers of the soil and eat grain and possess gardens, and are not at all like them in appearance or in complexion.

ὑπὸ μέντοι Ἑλλήνων καλέονται καὶ οἱ Βουδῖνοι Γελωνοί, οὐκ ὀρθῶς καλεόμενοι.

However, by the Greeks even the Budini are called Geloni, being incorrectly so called.

§4.109.2ἡ δὲ χώρη σφέων πᾶσα ἐστὶ δασέα ἴδῃσι παντοίῃσι· ἐν δὲ τῇ ἴδῃ τῇ πλείστῃ ἐστὶ λίμνη μεγάλη τε καὶ πολλὴ καὶ ἕλος καὶ κάλαμος περὶ αὐτήν.

And their country is all thickly wooded with forests of every kind; and in the largest forest there is a lake, both great and abundant in water, and a marsh, and reeds around it.

ἐν δὲ ταύτῃ ἐνύδριες ἁλίσκονται καὶ κάστορες καὶ ἄλλα θηρία τετραγωνοπρόσωπα, τῶν τὰ δέρματα παρὰ τὰς σισύρνας παραρράπτεται, καὶ οἱ ὄρχιες αὐτοῖσι εἰσὶ χρήσιμοι ἐς ὑστερέων ἄκεσιν.

In this lake are caught otters and beavers, and other square-faced beasts, whose skins are sewn as borders on cloaks of skin, and their testicles are useful to them for the curing of uterine diseases.

Notes

4.109.1φθειροτραγέουσι — The verb φθειροτραγέω (from φθείρ 'louse' or 'pine-cone seed' + τρώγω 'gnaw, eat') was historically translated as 'eating lice', but based on the vegetation of the region (southern Russia/Siberia), modern scholars generally interpret it as 'eating pine-cones' or 'eating pine-nuts' (specifically the seeds of Pinus cembra, which were called φθεῖρες).
4.109.1οὐδὲν τὴν ἰδέην ὅμοιοι οὐδὲ τὸ χρῶμα — The accusatives τὴν ἰδέην and τὸ χρῶμα are accusatives of respect (specification) modifying the adjective ὅμοιοι, meaning 'not at all like them in appearance or in complexion.' The adverbial accusative οὐδὲν negates the entire phrase.
4.109.2παρὰ τὰς σισύρνας παραρράπτεται — In accordance with Greek grammar (Schema Atticum), the singular verb παραρράπτεται is used with the neuter plural subject τὰ δέρματα. The preposition παρά with the accusative means 'alongside' or 'along the edge of,' describing the action of sewing the skins as borders or fringes onto the cloaks of skin (σισύρνα).
4.109.2αὐτοῖσι — This dative is a dative of advantage (reference) referring to the people (the Budini and Geloni), meaning 'useful to them,' rather than referring to the animals (beavers) mentioned just before (which would require a genitive pronoun if referring to the animals themselves).

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.109.1-4.109.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.109.1-4.109.2

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