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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §1.22.1-1.22.7

Death of Isis and Alternate Burial Sites of the Gods

Passage 23 of 406 · Greek

Summary

The passage describes Isis's reign, her death and burial at Memphis, the alternative burial site of Osiris on the island near Philae, and the origin of the worship of Osiris's privy part (phallus).

§1.22.1τὴν δὲ Ἶσίν φασι μετὰ τὴν Ὀσίριδος τελευτὴν ὀμόσαι μηδενὸς ἀνδρὸς ἔτι συνουσίαν προσδέξεσθαι, διατελέσαι δὲ τὸν λοιπὸν τοῦ βίου χρόνον βασιλεύουσαν νομιμώτατα καὶ ταῖς εἰς τοὺς ἀρχομένους εὐεργεσίαις ἅπαντας ὑπερβαλλομένην.
And they say that Isis, after the death of Osiris, swore never to admit the embrace of another man, and passed the remaining time of her life ruling most lawfully and surpassing all others in her benefactions to her subjects.
§1.22.2ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ταύτην μεταστᾶσαν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων τυχεῖν ἀθανάτων τιμῶν καὶ ταφῆναι κατὰ τὴν Μέμφιν, ὅπου δείκνυται μέχρι τοῦ νῦν ὁ σηκός, ὑπάρχων ἐν τῷ τεμένει τοῦ Ἡφαίστου.
Likewise, she too, after her departure from among mankind, obtained immortal honors and was buried in Memphis, where her shrine is pointed out to this day, being situated within the sacred precinct of Hephaestus.
§1.22.3ἔνιοι δέ φασιν οὐκ ἐν Μέμφει κεῖσθαι τὰ σώματα τούτων τῶν θεῶν, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τῶν ὅρων τῆς Αἰθιοπίας καὶ τῆς Αἰγύπτου κατὰ τὴν ἐν τῷ Νείλῳ νῆσον, κειμένην μὲν πρὸς ταῖς καλουμέναις Φίλαις, ἔχουσαν δὲ προσηγορίαν ἀπὸ τοῦ συμβεβηκότος ἱεροῦ πεδίου.
But some say that the bodies of these gods do not lie in Memphis, but on the borders of Ethiopia and Egypt, on the island in the Nile which lies near the place called Philae, and has its name from what occurred, namely the "Holy Plain".
§1.22.4σημεῖα δὲ τούτου δεικνύουσιν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ ταύτῃ διαμένοντα τόν τε τάφον τὸν κατεσκευασμένον Ὀσίριδι, κοινῇ τιμώμενον ὑπὸ τῶν κατʼ Αἴγυπτον ἱερέων, καὶ τὰς περὶ τοῦτον κειμένας ἑξήκοντα καὶ τριακοσίας χοάς· §1.22.5ταύτας γὰρ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν γάλακτος πληροῦν τοὺς πρὸς τούτοις ταχθέντας ἱερεῖς, καὶ θρηνεῖν ἀνακαλουμένους τὰ τῶν θεῶν ὀνόματα.
And as proofs of this they point to the things remaining on this island: both the tomb constructed for Osiris, which is honored in common by the priests throughout Egypt, and the three hundred and sixty vessels for libations placed around it; for the priests appointed for this purpose fill these daily with milk, and wail, calling upon the names of the gods.
§1.22.6διὰ ταύτην δὲ τὴν αἰτίαν καὶ τὴν νῆσον ταύτην ἄβατον εἶναι τοῖς παριοῦσι. καὶ πάντας τοὺς τὴν Θηβαΐδα κατοικοῦντας, ἥπερ ἐστὶν ἀρχαιοτάτη τῆς Αἰγύπτου, μέγιστον ὅρκον κρίνειν, ὅταν τις τὸν Ὄσιριν τὸν ἐν Φίλαις κείμενον ὀμόσῃ.
For this reason also, this island is inaccessible to passersby; and all those who inhabit the Thebaid, which is the most ancient part of Egypt, consider it the greatest oath when one swears by Osiris who lies in Philae.
τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀνευρεθέντα τοῦ Ὀσίριδος μέρη ταφῆς ἀξιωθῆναί φασι τὸν εἰρημένον τρόπον, τὸ δὲ αἰδοῖον ὑπὸ μὲν Τυφῶνος εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν ῥιφῆναι λέγουσι διὰ τὸ μηδένα τῶν συνεργησάντων αὐτὸ λαβεῖν βουληθῆναι, ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς Ἴσιδος οὐδὲν ἧττον τῶν ἄλλων ἀξιωθῆναι τιμῶν ἰσοθέων· ἔν τε γὰρ τοῖς ἱεροῖς εἴδωλον αὐτοῦ κατασκευάσασαν τιμᾶν καταδεῖξαι καὶ κατὰ τὰς τελετὰς καὶ τὰς θυσίας τὰς τῷ θεῷ τούτῳ γινομένας ἐντιμότατον ποιῆσαι καὶ πλείστου σεβασμοῦ τυγχάνειν.
Now they say that the parts of Osiris that were found were deemed worthy of burial in the manner described, but the privy part, they say, was thrown into the river by Typhon because none of his accomplices wished to take it, but by Isis it was nonetheless deemed worthy of divine honors; for she established an image of it to be honored in the temples, and ordained that in the initiations and sacrifices offered to this god it should be made most highly honored and receive the greatest reverence.
§1.22.7διὸ καὶ τοὺς Ἕλληνας, ἐξ Αἰγύπτου παρειληφότας τὰ περὶ τοὺς ὀργιασμοὺς καὶ τὰς Διονυσιακὰς ἑορτάς, τιμᾶν τοῦτο τὸ μόριον ἔν τε τοῖς μυστηρίοις καὶ ταῖς τοῦ θεοῦ τούτου τελεταῖς τε καὶ θυσίαις, ὀνομάζοντας αὐτὸ φαλλόν.
For this reason also the Greeks, having received from Egypt the customs concerning the orgies and the festivals of Dionysus, honor this member both in the mysteries and in the initiations and sacrifices of this god, calling it the phallus.

Notes

  1. 1.22.1διατελέσαι δὲ τὸν λοιπὸν τοῦ βίου χρόνον βασιλεύουσαν ... καὶ ... ὑπερβαλλομένην — The infinitive `διατελέσαι`, introduced by the conjunction `δέ`, is part of the accusative-with-infinitive construction governed by `φασι` at the beginning. The verb `διατελέω` takes the agreeing accusative present participles `βασιλεύουσαν` and `ὑπερβαλλομένην` as supplementary participles, meaning "continued to rule" and "continued to surpass".
  2. 1.22.3κειμένην μὲν πρὸς ταῖς καλουμέναις Φίλαις, ἔχουσαν δὲ προσηγορίαν ἀπὸ τοῦ συμβεβηκότος — The two present participles `κειμένην` and `ἔχουσαν` are both accusative feminine singular, modifying the preceding noun `νῆσον` ("island"). The phrase `ἀπὸ τοῦ συμβεβηκότος` means "from what had happened" or "from the event."
  3. 1.22.4δεικνύουσιν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ ταύτῃ διαμένοντα τόν τε τάφον ... καὶ τὰς ... χοάς — The direct objects of the verb `δεικνύουσιν` ("they point to" or "they show") are `τόν τε τάφον` ("the tomb") and `τὰς ... χοάς` ("the vessels for libations"). The present participle `διαμένοντα` (agreeing in gender with the masculine singular `τάφον`) functions as a predicative participle of the object, expressing "they show the tomb and the vessels remaining."
  4. 1.22.6διὰ τὸ μηδένα τῶν συνεργησάντων αὐτὸ λαβεῖν βουληθῆναι — A causal expression consisting of the preposition `διά` followed by the articular infinitive `τὸ ... βουληθῆναι` in the accusative neuter singular. The subject of the infinitive is the accusative `μηδένα τῶν συνεργησάντων` ("no one of the accomplices"), and `αὐτό` ("it," referring to the privy part) is the direct object of the complementary infinitive `λαβεῖν` ("to take").
  5. 1.22.6εἴδωλον αὐτοῦ κατασκευάσασαν τιμᾶν καταδεῖξαι — The aorist participle `καataσκευάσασαν` (accusative feminine singular) agrees with Isis, the implied subject of the infinitive `καταδεῖξαι` ("ordained" or "established"). The present infinitive `τιμᾶν` ("to honor" or "to worship") depends on `καταδεῖξαι`.

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §1.22.1-1.22.7. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc5:1.22.1-1.22.7

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