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Herodotus · Histories §4.74.1

Hemp in Scythia and Thracian Garments

Passage 638 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The author describes the properties of hemp growing in Scythia by comparing it with flax, and mentions that the Thracians make garments from it.

§4.74.1ἔστι δέ σφι κάνναβις φυομένη ἐν τῇ χώρῃ πλὴν παχύτητος καὶ μεγάθεος τῷ λίνῳ ἐμφερεστάτη· ταύτῃ δὲ πολλῷ ὑπερφέρει ἡ κάνναβις.
They have hemp growing in their country, which, except for its thickness and size, is extremely like flax; but in these respects the hemp far surpasses it.
αὕτη καὶ αὐτομάτη καὶ σπειρομένη φύεται, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς Θρήικες μὲν καὶ εἵματα ποιεῦνται τοῖσι λινέοισι ὁμοιότατα· οὐδʼ ἄν, ὅστις μὴ κάρτα τρίβων εἴη αὐτῆς, διαγνοίη λίνου ἢ καννάβιος ἐστί· ὃς δὲ μὴ εἶδε κω τὴν κανναβίδα, λίνεον δοκήσει εἶναι τὸ εἷμα.
This grows both of itself and from sowing, and from it the Thracians even make garments very like those made of flax; nor could anyone, unless he were very well acquainted with it, distinguish whether they are of flax or of hemp; and he who has not yet seen hemp will think the garment to be of flax.

Notes

  1. §4.74.1ταύτῃ — Dative feminine singular of the demonstrative pronoun, referring back to the preceding παχύτητος καὶ μεγάθεος (thickness and size, both feminine nouns). It means "in this respect" (i.e., in thickness and size), explaining that hemp grows much thicker and larger than flax.
  2. §4.74.1τρίβων — An adjective meaning "experienced" or "well acquainted with," which governs the genitive. Here it takes αὐτῆς (hemp, or products made of it) as its genitive object.
  3. §4.74.1λίνου ἢ καννάβιος ἐστί — λίνου and καννάβιος are genitives of material or characteristic, meaning "whether (the garment) is of flax or of hemp." They form an indirect question dependent on the preceding verb διαγνοίη (distinguish).

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.74.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.74.1

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