Humanitext Reader

Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §1.14.1-1.14.4

Introduction of Agriculture and Laws by Osiris and Isis

Passage 15 of 406 · Greek

Summary

Describes the introduction of agriculture (wheat and barley cultivation) by Osiris and Isis, which brought cannibalism to an end. It also explains Isis's establishment of laws and her identification with Demeter "Thesmophoros" by the Greeks.

§1.14.1πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ παῦσαι τῆς ἀλληλοφαγίας τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος, εὑρούσης μὲν Ἴσιδος τόν τε τοῦ πυροῦ καὶ τῆς κριθῆς καρπόν, φυόμενον μὲν ὡς ἔτυχε κατὰ τὴν χώραν μετὰ τῆς ἄλλης βοτάνης, ἀγνοούμενον δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τοῦ δὲ Ὀσίριδος ἐπινοησαμένου καὶ τὴν τούτων κατεργασίαν τῶν καρπῶν, ἡδέως μεταθέσθαι πάντας τὴν τροφὴν διά τε τὴν ἡδονὴν τῆς φύσεως τῶν εὑρεθέντων καὶ διὰ τὸ φαίνεσθαι συμφέρον ὑπάρχειν ἀπέχεσθαι τῆς κατʼ ἀλλήλων ὠμότητος.
For first, they made the human race cease from cannibalism—Isis having discovered the fruit of both wheat and barley, which grew wild throughout the countryside along with other plants but was unknown by men, and Osiris having devised the cultivation of these fruits—so that all gladly changed their diet, both because of the natural pleasure of the things discovered and because it seemed to be advantageous to abstain from mutual cruelty. For first, they made the human race cease from cannibalism—Isis having discovered the fruit of both wheat and barley, which grew wild throughout the countryside along with other plants but was unknown by men, and Osiris having devised the cultivation of these fruits—so that all gladly changed their diet, both because of the natural pleasure of the things discovered and because it seemed to be advantageous to abstain from mutual cruelty.
§1.14.2μαρτύριον δὲ φέρουσι τῆς εὑρέσεως τῶν εἰρημένων καρπῶν τὸ τηρούμενον παρʼ αὐτοῖς ἐξ ἀρχαίων νόμιμον· ἔτι γὰρ καὶ νῦν κατὰ τὸν θερισμὸν τοὺς πρώτους ἀμηθέντας στάχυς θέντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους κόπτεσθαι πλησίον τοῦ δράγματος καὶ τὴν Ἶσιν ἀνακαλεῖσθαι, καὶ τοῦτο πράττειν τιμὴν ἀπονέμοντας τῇ θεῷ τῶν εὑρημένων κατὰ τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς τῆς εὑρέσεως καιρόν.
And as proof of the discovery of the said fruits, they bring forward the custom observed among them from ancient times; for even now at harvest time, men, having placed the first-reaped ears of corn, beat themselves near the sheaf and call upon Isis, and they do this, rendering honor to the goddess for her discoveries, at the same season as that of the original discovery. And as proof of the discovery of the said fruits, they bring forward the custom observed among them from ancient times; for even now at harvest time, men, having placed the first-reaped ears of corn, beat themselves near the sheaf and call upon Isis, and they do this, rendering honor to the goddess for her discoveries, at the same season as that of the original discovery.
§1.14.3παρʼ ἐνίαις δὲ τῶν πόλεων καὶ τοῖς Ἰσείοις ἐν τῇ πομπῇ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων φέρεσθαι καὶ πυθμένας πυρῶν καὶ κριθῶν, ἀπομνημόνευμα τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς τῇ θεῷ φιλοτέχνως εὑρεθέντων.
And in some of the cities, during the Isia, in the procession, along with other things, stalks of wheat and barley are also carried, as a memorial of the things originally discovered with artistic skill by the goddess.
θεῖναι δέ φασι καὶ νόμους τὴν Ἶσιν, καθʼ οὓς ἀλλήλοις διδόναι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τῆς ἀθέσμου βίας. καὶ ὕβρεως παύσασθαι διὰ τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς τιμωρίας φόβον·
They say also that Isis established laws, according to which men render justice to one another and ceased from lawless violence and insolence through fear of punishment.
§1.14.4διὸ καὶ τοὺς παλαιοὺς Ἕλληνας τὴν Δήμητραν θεσμοφόρον ὀνομάζειν, ὡς τῶν νόμων πρῶτον ὑπὸ ταύτης τεθειμένων.
For which reason also the ancient Greeks call Demeter 'Thesmophoros', on the ground that the laws were first established by her. For which reason also the ancient Greeks call Demeter 'Thesmophoros', on the ground that the laws were first established by her.

Notes

  1. 1.14.1παῦσαι — An infinitive depending on the implied phasin ("they say") from the preceding context in indirect discourse. The subject is omitted but refers to Osiris and Isis. The accusative to tōn anthrōpōn genos is the direct object of pausai ("to make to cease"), and the genitive tēs allēlophagias is a genitive of separation meaning "from cannibalism."
  2. 1.14.1ὡς ἔτυχε — An idiomatic phrase consisting of the conjunction hōs and the third-person singular aorist indicative of tynchanō (etyche), literally meaning "as it happened," i.e., "wildly" or "by chance," modifying the participle phyomenon.
  3. 1.14.2κόπτεσθαι — Present middle (or passive) infinitive of koptō. Here it functions in the middle voice, meaning "to beat oneself" (as a gesture of mourning or veneration). Although some interpret it in an agricultural sense as "to thresh," the juxtaposition with the invocation of Isis (anakaleisthai) strongly supports the ritual mourning interpretation.
  4. 1.14.4ὡς τῶν νόμων πρῶτον ὑπὸ ταύτης τεθειμένων — A genitive absolute construction (subject tōn nomōn + passive participle tetheimenōn) introduced by the particle hōs. The hōs expresses a subjective reason ("on the ground that...", "as they believed..."), indicating the ancient Greeks' reasoning for calling Demeter Thesmophoros.

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §1.14.1-1.14.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc5:1.14.1-1.14.4

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.