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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §12.15.1-12.15.3

Charondas' Law on the Guardianship of Orphans

Passage 109 of 723 · Greek

Summary

This chunk explains the law of Charondas concerning the guardianship of orphans, demonstrating how a seemingly simple law actually contains extraordinary wisdom that balances the orphans' safety with the preservation of their property.

§12.15.1ὁ δʼ οὖν Χαρώνδας καὶ ἕτερόν τινα νόμον ἀποδοχῆς ἀξιούμενον ἔγραψε, τὸν περὶ τῆς τῶν ὀρφανῶν φυλακῆς.
At any rate, Charondas also wrote another law that is deemed worthy of approval, namely the one concerning the guardianship of orphans.
οὗτος δʼ ἐξ ἐπιπολῆς μὲν θεωρούμενος οὐδὲν φαίνεται περιττὸν ἔχειν οὐδὲ ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιον, ἀναθεωρούμενος δὲ καὶ μετʼ ἀκριβείας ἐξεταζόμενος μεγάλην ἔχει σπουδήν τε καὶ δόξαν.
This law, when viewed on the surface, appears to have nothing extraordinary or worthy of approval, but when reconsidered and examined with precision, it possesses great importance and repute.
§12.15.2ἔγραψε γὰρ τῶν μὲν ὀρφανικῶν χρημάτων ἐπιτροπεύειν τοὺς ἀγχιστεῖς τοὺς ἀπὸ πατρός, τρέφεσθαι δὲ τοὺς ὀρφανοὺς παρὰ τοῖς συγγενέσι τοῖς ἀπὸ μητρός.
For he prescribed that the paternal next of kin should manage the property of the orphans, but that the orphans themselves should be brought up in the care of their maternal relatives.
αὐτόθεν μὲν οὖν ὁ νόμος οὗτος οὐδὲν ὁρᾶται περιέχων σοφὸν ἢ περιττόν, ἐξεταζόμενος δὲ κατὰ βάθους εὑρίσκεται δικαίως ὢν ἄξιος ἐπαίνων.
Directly, then, this law is not seen to contain anything wise or extraordinary, but when examined deeply, it is found to be justly worthy of praise.
ζητουμένης γὰρ τῆς αἰτίας διʼ ἣν ἄλλοις μὲν τὴν οὐσίαν, ἑτέροις δὲ τὴν τῶν ὀρφανῶν τροφὴν ἐπίστευσεν, ἐκφαίνεταί τις ἐπίνοια τοῦ νομοθέτου περιττή· §12.15.3οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ μητρὸς συγγενεῖς οὐ προσήκοντες τῇ κληρονομίᾳ τῶν ὀρφανῶν οὐκ ἐπιβουλεύσουσιν,οἱ δʼ ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς οἰκεῖοι ἐπιβουλεῦσαι μὲν οὐ δύνανται διὰ τὸ μὴ πιστεύεσθαι τοῦ σώματος, τῆς δʼ οὐσίας εἰς ἐκείνους καθηκούσης, ἐὰν οἱ ὀρφανοὶ τελευτήσωσιν ἢ διὰ νόσον ἤ τινα ἄλλην περίστασιν, ἀκριβέστερον οἰκονομήσουσι τὰ χρήματα, ὡς ἰδίας τὰς ἐκ τῆς τύχης ἐλπίδας ἔχοντες.
For when the reason is sought why he entrusted the property to one group and the care of the orphans to the other, a certain extraordinary design of the lawgiver becomes apparent: for the maternal relatives, having no claim to the inheritance of the orphans, will not plot against them; on the other hand, the paternal relatives are unable to plot against them because they are not entrusted with their person; furthermore, since the property will devolve upon them if the orphans should die either of sickness or some other circumstance, they will manage the money with greater care, holding hopes from fortune as their own.

Notes

  1. §12.15.2ἔγραψε γὰρ τῶν μὲν ὀρφανικῶν χρημάτων ἐπιτροπεύειν τοὺς ἀγχιστεῖς τοὺς ἀπὸ πατρός — The verb `ἔγραψε` (wrote/enacted a law) carries the meaning of commanding, taking an accusative with infinitive construction (infinitive of command) with the accusative subject `τοὺς ἀγχιστεῖς` and the infinitive `ἐπιτροπεύειν`. The infinitive `ἐπιτροπεύειν` governs the genitive object `τῶν ὀρφανικῶν χρημάτων`.
  2. §12.15.3διὰ τὸ μὴ πιστεύεσθαι τοῦ σώματος — The genitive `τοῦ σώματος` (the person/body) functions as the subject of the passive articular infinitive `τὸ μὴ πιστεύεσθαι` introduced by `διὰ`. This represents a relatively rare usage of a genitive subject with a passive articular infinitive, meaning 'because of their person not being entrusted [to them]'.
  3. §12.15.3τῆς δʼ οὐσίας εἰς ἐκείνους καθηκούσης — A genitive absolute construction where `τῆς οὐσίας` and the participle `καθηκούσης` express a condition or consequence connected to the conditional clause `ἐὰν... τελευτήσωσιν`, meaning 'since the property will devolve upon them (if the orphans should die)'.
  4. §12.15.3ὡς ἰδίας τὰς ἐκ τῆς τύχης ἐλπίδας ἔχοντες — The particle `ὡς` with the participle `ἔχοντες` indicates the subjective motivation of the subject ('as holding/viewing...'). The adjective `ἰδίας` (their own) is positioned predicatively with respect to `τὰς ἐκ τῆς τύχης ἐλπίδας` (the hopes from fortune), meaning 'holding the hopes from fortune as their own'.

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §12.15.1-12.15.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc4:12.15.1-12.15.3

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