§10.4.20τῶν Κρητικῶν τὰ κυριώτατα τῶν καθʼ ἕκαστα τοιαῦτα εἴρηκε.
Ephorus has described the most important of the Cretan customs in detail as follows.
γαμεῖν μὲν ἅμα πάντες ἀναγκάζονται παρʼ αὐτοῖς οἱ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον ἐκ τῆς τῶν παίδων ἀγέλης ἐκκριθέντες, οὐκ εὐθὺς δʼ ἄγονται παρʼ ἑαυτοὺς τὰς γαμηθείσας παῖδας, ἀλλʼ ἐπὰν ἤδη διοικεῖν ἱκαναὶ ὦσι τὰ περὶ τοὺς οἴκους·
All those who are selected from the "herd" of boys at the same time are compelled by them to marry at the same time, but they do not immediately bring the girls they have married to their own homes, but only when they are already capable of managing household affairs.
φερνὴ δʼ ἐστίν, ἂν ἀδελφοὶ ὦσι, τὸ ἥμισυ τῆς τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μερίδος·
The dowry, if there are brothers, is half of the brother's share.
παῖδας δὲ γράμματά τε μανθάνειν καὶ τὰς ἐκ τῶν νόμων ᾠδὰς καί τινα εἴδη τῆς μουσικῆς.
And the boys learn their letters, and the songs prescribed by the laws, and certain kinds of music.
τοὺς μὲν οὖν ἔτι νεωτέρους εἰς τὰ συσσίτια ἄγουσι τὰ ἀνδρεῖα· χαμαὶ δὲ καθήμενοι διαιτῶνται μετʼ ἀλλήλων ἐν φαύλοις τριβωνίοις καὶ χειμῶνος καὶ θέρους τὰ αὐτά, διακονοῦσί τε καὶ ἑαυτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἀνδράσι·
Now, they bring those who are still younger to the common meals called "andreia"; and sitting on the ground they live with one another, wearing the same cheap cloaks both winter and summer, and they serve both themselves and the men.
συμβάλλουσι δʼ εἰς μάχην καὶ οἱ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ συσσιτίου πρὸς ἀλλήλους, καὶ πρὸς ἕτερα συσσίτια·
Also, those from the same common meal fight in battle against one another, and against other common meals.
καθʼ ἕκαστον δὲ ἀνδρεῖον ἐφέστηκε παιδονόμος·
Over each "andreia" a boy-director is set.
οἱ δὲ μείζους εἰς τὰς ἀγέλας ἄγονται· τὰς δʼ ἀγέλας συνάγουσιν οἱ ἐπιφανέστατοι τῶν παίδων καὶ δυνατώτατοι ἕκαστος ὅσους πλείστους οἷός τέ ἐστιν ἀθροίζων·
But the older boys are brought into the "herds"; and the "herds" are gathered by the most illustrious and powerful of the boys, each assembling as many as he is able.
ἑκάστης δὲ τῆς ἀγέλης ἄρχων ἐστὶν ὡς τὸ πολὺ ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ συναγαγόντος, κύριος ὢν ἐξάγειν ἐπὶ θήραν καὶ δρόμους, τὸν δʼ ἀπειθοῦντα κολάζειν·
The leader of each "herd" is generally the father of the one who gathered it, having authority to lead them out for hunting and races, and to punish the disobedient.
τρέφονται δὲ δημοσίᾳ·
They are fed at public expense.
τακταῖς δέ τισιν ἡμέραις ἀγέλη πρὸς ἀγέλην συμβάλλει μετὰ αὐλοῦ καὶ λύρας εἰς μάχην ἐν ῥυθμῷ, ὥσπερ καὶ ἐν τοῖς πολεμικοῖς εἰώθασιν, ἐκφέρουσι δὲ καὶ τὰς πληγὰς τὰς μὲν διὰ χειρὸς τὰς δὲ καὶ διʼ ὅπλων σιδηρῶν.
On certain appointed days, herd fights against herd with flute and lyre in battle, in rhythm, just as they are accustomed to do in actual war, and they also deal blows, some with the hand and some even with iron weapons.
§10.4.21ἴδιον δʼ αὐτοῖς τὸ περὶ τοὺς ἔρωτας νόμιμον· οὐ γὰρ πειθοῖ κατεργάζονται τοὺς ἐρωμένους ἀλλʼ ἁρπαγῇ·
And their custom regarding love affairs is peculiar to them; for they secure the objects of their love not by persuasion but by abduction.
προλέγει τοῖς φίλοις πρὸ τριῶν ἢ πλειόνων ἡμερῶν ὁ ἐραστὴς ὅτι μέλλει τὴν ἁρπαγὴν ποιεῖσθαι·
The lover declares to his friends three or more days beforehand that he is going to make the abduction.
τοῖς δʼ ἀποκρύπτειν μὲν τὸν παῖδα ἢ μὴ ἐᾶν πορεύεσθαι τὴν τεταγμένην ὁδὸν τῶν αἰσχίστων ἐστίν, ὡς ἐξομολογουμένοις ὅτι ἀνάξιος ὁ παῖς εἴη τοιούτου ἐραστοῦ τυγχάνειν·
But for them (the boy's friends), to hide the boy or not to allow him to travel by the appointed road is one of the most disgraceful things, as it is equivalent to admitting that the boy is unworthy to obtain such a lover.
συνιόντες δʼ, ἂν μὲν τῶν ἴσων ἢ τῶν ὑπερεχόντων τις ᾖ τοῦ παιδὸς τιμῇ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ὁ ἁρπάζων, ἐπιδιώκοντες ἀνθήψαντο μόνον μετρίως τὸ νόμιμον ἐκπληροῦντες, τἆλλα δʼ ἐπιτρέπουσιν ἄγειν χαίροντες· ἂν δʼ ἀνάξιος, ἀφαιροῦνται·
When they meet, if the abductor is equal or superior to the boy in rank and other respects, they only pursue and touch him lightly, satisfying the custom, and they allow him to lead the boy away with joy; but if he is unworthy, they rescue the boy.
πέρας δὲ τῆς ἐπιδιώξεώς ἐστιν ἕως ἂν ἀχθῇ ὁ παῖς εἰς τὸ τοῦ ἁρπάσαντος ἀνδρεῖον.
The end of the pursuit is reached when the boy is brought to the "andreion" of the abductor.
ἐράσμιον δὲ νομίζουσιν οὐ τὸν κάλλει διαφέροντα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἀνδρείᾳ καὶ κοσμιότητι καὶ δωρησάμενος ἀπάγει τὸν παῖδα τῆς χώρας εἰς ὃν βούλεται τόπον· ἐπακολουθοῦσι δὲ τῇ ἁρπαγῇ οἱ παραγενόμενοι, ἑστιαθέντες δὲ καὶ συνθηρεύσαντες δίμηνον (οὐ γὰρ ἔξεστι πλείω χρόνον κατέχειν τὸν παῖδα) εἰς τὴν πόλιν καταβαίνουσιν.
They consider as worthy of love not the one who excels in beauty, but the one who excels in courage and orderliness. And the lover, after giving gifts, leads the boy away to whatever place in the country he wishes; those who were present at the abduction follow them, and having feasted and hunted together for two months (for it is not permitted to retain the boy for a longer time) they return to the city.
ἀφίεται δʼ ὁ παῖς δῶρα λαβὼν στολὴν πολεμικὴν καὶ βοῦν καὶ ποτήριον.
The boy is released after receiving as gifts a military dress, an ox, and a drinking cup.
ταῦτα μὲν τὰ κατὰ τὸν νόμον δῶρα καὶ ἄλλα πλείω καὶ πολυτελῆ, ὥστε συνερανίζειν τοὺς φίλους διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἀναλωμάτων.
These are the gifts prescribed by law, but there are also many other expensive ones, so that the friends contribute together to help because of the greatness of the expenses.
τὸν μὲν οὖν βοῦν θύει τῷ Διὶ καὶ ἑστιᾷ τοὺς συγκαταβαίνοντας, εἶτʼ ἀποφαίνεται περὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸν ἐραστὴν ὁμιλίας εἴτʼ ἀσμενίζων τετύχηκεν εἴτε μή, τοῦ νόμου τοῦτʼ ἐπιτρέψαντος, ἵνʼ εἴ τις αὐτῷ βία προσενήνεκται κατὰ τὴν ἁρπαγήν, ἐνταῦθα παρῇ τιμωρεῖν ἑαυτῷ καὶ ἀπαλλάττεσθαι.
The boy sacrifices the ox to Zeus and feasts those who came down with him, and then he declares concerning his intercourse with the lover whether it has happened to his liking or not, the law permitting this so that, if any violence was offered to him during the abduction, he may be able to avenge himself here and be set free.
τοῖς δὲ καλοῖς τὴν ἰδέαν καὶ προγόνων ἐπιφανῶν ἐραστῶν μὴ τυχεῖν, ὡς διὰ τὸν τρόπον τοῦτο παθοῦσιν.
And for those who are beautiful in appearance and of illustrious ancestors, not to obtain lovers is a disgrace, as they are thought to have suffered this because of their character.
ἔχουσι δὲ τιμὰς οἱ παρασταθέντες (οὕτω γὰρ καλοῦσι τοὺς ἁρπαγέντας)· ἔν τε γὰρ τοῖς χοροῖς καὶ τοῖς δρόμοις ἔχουσι τὰς ἐντιμοτάτας χώρας, τῇ τε στολῇ κοσμεῖσθαι διαφερόντως τῶν ἄλλων ἐφίεται τῇ δοθείσῃ παρὰ τῶν ἐραστῶν, καὶ οὐ τότε μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τέλειοι γενόμενοι διάσημον ἐσθῆτα φέρουσιν, ἀφʼ ἧς γνωσθήσεται ἕκαστος κλεινὸς γενόμενος· τὸν μὲν γὰρ ἐρώμενον καλοῦσι κλεινὸν τὸν δʼ ἐραστὴν φιλήτορα.
And those who have been placed beside (for so they call those who have been abducted) have honors; for both in the dances and in the races they have the most honorable places, and they are allowed to adorn themselves outstandingly compared to the others with the clothing given by their lovers, and not only then but also when they have become adults they wear a distinctive dress, from which each one will be recognized as having become "kleinos"; for they call the beloved "kleinos" and the lover "philetor".
§10.4.22ταῦτα μὲν τὰ περὶ τοὺς ἔρωτας νόμιμα.
Such are the customs concerning love affairs.
ἄρχοντας δὲ δέκα αἱροῦνται· περὶ δὲ τῶν μεγίστων συμβούλοις χρῶνται τοῖς γέρουσι καλουμένοις· καθίστανται δʼ εἰς τοῦτο τὸ συνέδριον οἱ τῆς τῶν κόσμων ἀρχῆς ἠξιωμένοι καὶ τἆλλα δόκιμοι κρινόμενοι.
And they elect ten rulers; and on the most important matters they employ as counselors those called "elders"; and those who have been deemed worthy of the office of the cosmoi and are judged worthy in other respects are appointed to this council.
ἀξίαν δʼ ἀναγραφῆς τὴν τῶν Κρητῶν πολιτείαν ὑπέλαβον διά τε τὴν ἰδιότητα καὶ τὴν δόξαν· οὐ πολλὰ δὲ διαμένει τούτων τῶν νομίμων, ἀλλὰ τοῖς Ῥωμαίων διατάγμασι τὰ πλεῖστα διοικεῖται, καθάπερ καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις ἐπαρχίαις συμβαίνει.
I have assumed that the constitution of the Cretans is worthy of record both because of its peculiarity and its reputation; but not many of these customs remain, but most things are administered by the decrees of the Romans, just as happens also in the other provinces.