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Herodotus · Histories §4.168.1-4.168.2

Territory and Peculiar Customs of the Adyrmachidae

Passage 732 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The description of the geographical distribution and customs of the Libyan tribes begins, introducing the lifestyle, unique practices of women, and pre-marital customs involving the king among the Adyrmachidae adjacent to Egypt.

§4.168.1οἰκέουσι δὲ κατὰ τάδε Λίβυες.
The Libyans dwell in the following manner.
ἀπʼ Αἰγύπτου ἀρξάμενοι πρῶτοι Ἀδυρμαχίδαι Λιβύων κατοίκηνται, οἳ νόμοισι μὲν τὰ πλέω Αἰγυπτίοισι χρέωνται, ἐσθῆτα δὲ φορέουσι οἵην περ οἱ ἄλλοι Λίβυες.
Starting from Egypt, the first of the Libyans who are settled are the Adyrmachidae, who for the most part practice Egyptian customs, but wear clothing like that of the other Libyans.
αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν ψέλιον περὶ ἑκατέρῃ τῶν κνημέων φορέουσι χάλκεον· τὰς κεφαλὰς δὲ κομῶσαι, τοὺς φθεῖρας ἐπεὰν λάβωσι τοὺς ἑωυτῆς ἑκάστη ἀντιδάκνει καὶ οὕτω ῥίπτει.
Their women wear a bronze ring around each of their shins; they let the hair of their heads grow long, and whenever each of them catches her own lice, she bites them in return and so throws them away.
§4.168.2οὗτοι δὲ μοῦνοι Λιβύων τοῦτο ἐργάζονται, καὶ τῷ βασιλέι μοῦνοι τὰς παρθένους μελλούσας συνοικέειν ἐπιδεικνύουσι.
These are the only ones of the Libyans who do this, and they are the only ones who show to the king the virgins who are about to marry.
ἣ δὲ ἂν τῷ βασιλέι ἀρεστὴ γένηται, ὑπὸ τούτου διαπαρθενεύεται.
Whichever of them is pleasing to the king has her virginity taken by him.
παρήκουσι δὲ οὗτοι οἱ Ἀδυρμαχίδαι ἀπʼ Αἰγύπτου μέχρι λιμένος τῷ οὔνομα Πλυνός ἐστι.
These Adyrmachidae extend from Egypt as far as the harbor named Plynus.

Notes

  1. 4.168.1ἀπʼ Αἰγύπτου ἀρξάμενοι — A participial phrase meaning "starting from Egypt." The participle ἀρξάμενος agrees with the subject and is used idiomatically to indicate a geographical or sequential starting point, translated as "beginning with" or "starting from."
  2. 4.168.1τὰ πλέω — Neutre plural accusative used adverbially to mean "for the most part" or "mostly." Here it modifies the verb χρέωνται (to use).
  3. 4.168.2ἣ δὲ ἂν τῷ βασιλέι ἀρεστὴ γένηται — A relative clause expressing a present general condition, composed of the relative pronoun ἥ + ἄν + the subjunctive γένηται. Corresponding to the present tense of the main clause (the middle-passive indicative διαπαρθενεύεται), it expresses a general rule: "whichever of them is pleasing..."
  4. 4.168.2τῷ οὔνομα Πλυνός ἐστι — Composed of the dative relative pronoun τῷ (agreeing with the antecedent λιμένος) and οὔνομα (name), which is an accusative of respect. Literally, "to which the name is Plynus," representing a dative of possession to mean "named Plynus."

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.168.1-4.168.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.168.1-4.168.2

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