Δαιτὸς ἐΐσης
of an equal banquet
Translated by Catharine Roth19 May 2004Vetting: high7 revisions
Translation
[Meaning] from feasting divided equally.1
But Zenodotus2 says [it means] "of good [feasting]," since nourishment is good for mankind. Since the first human beings, who did not have bountiful nourishment, snatched it by force and took it from those who had it, and along with disorder even murders took place: from thisa)tasqali/a ["recklessness"] was named.3 For in festivities [qali/a ] the first men sinned. But later they apportioned [their food] and meals came into good order. From this also comes daitro/s ["carver"], and dai/s "feasting", and daitumo/nes ["banqueters"]. [Note] that dai/s is said about human beings, but not about wild animals. Zenodotus was ignorant of the meaning of this word when he said, "[Achilles' wrath] made [them] the booty for dogs and a banquet for birds."4
But Zenodotus2 says [it means] "of good [feasting]," since nourishment is good for mankind. Since the first human beings, who did not have bountiful nourishment, snatched it by force and took it from those who had it, and along with disorder even murders took place: from this
Greek original · Adler’s text
Δαιτὸς ἐΐσης· ἐξ ἴσου μεριζομένης εὐωχίας. Ζηνόδοτος δὲ τῆς ἀγαθῆς φησιν· ἐπειδὴ ἡ τροφὴ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἀγαθόν. ἐπειδὴ οἱ πρῶτοι ἄνθρωποι, οἷς δὴ οὐ παρῆν ἄφθονος ἡ τροφή, βίᾳ ἥρπαζον καὶ ἀφῃροῦντο τοὺς ἔχοντας, καὶ μετὰ τῆς ἀκοσμίας ἐγίνοντο καὶ φόνοι· ἐξ ὧν λεχθῆναι τὴν ἀτασθαλίαν. ἐν γὰρ ταῖς θαλίαις ἡμάρτανον τὰ πρῶτα οἱ ἄνθρωποι. ὕστερον δὲ διένεμον, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς κόσμον τὰ δόρπα. ἔνθεν καὶ δαιτρός· καὶ δαίς, ἡ εὐωχία· καὶ δαιτυμόνες. ὅτι ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπων λέγεται δαίς, ἐπὶ δὲ θηρίων οὔ. ἀγνοῶν δὲ Ζηνόδοτος τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης τὴν δύναμιν ἔφη· ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν οἰωνοῖσί τε δαῖτα.
Betacode
*daito\s e)i/+shs: e)c i)/sou merizome/nhs eu)wxi/as. *zhno/dotos de\ th=s a)gaqh=s fhsin: e)peidh\ h( trofh\ tw=| a)nqrw/pw| a)gaqo/n. e)peidh\ oi( prw=toi a)/nqrwpoi, oi(=s dh\ ou) parh=n a)/fqonos h( trofh/, bi/a| h(/rpazon kai\ a)fh|rou=nto tou\s e)/xontas, kai\ meta\ th=s a)kosmi/as e)gi/nonto kai\ fo/noi: e)c w(=n lexqh=nai th\n a)tasqali/an. e)n ga\r tai=s qali/ais h(ma/rtanon ta\ prw=ta oi( a)/nqrwpoi. u(/steron de\ die/nemon, kai\ h)=lqen ei)s ko/smon ta\ do/rpa. e)/nqen kai\ daitro/s: kai\ dai/s, h( eu)wxi/a: kai\ daitumo/nes. o(/ti e)pi\ a)nqrw/pwn le/getai dai/s, e)pi\ de\ qhri/wn ou)/. a)gnow=n de\ *zhno/dotos th=s fwnh=s tau/ths th\n du/namin e)/fh: e(lw/ria teu=xe ku/nessin oi)wnoi=si/ te dai=ta.
Notes (4)
- cf. generally delta 124, delta 126, delta 127, delta 129, delta 130, delta 131, delta 132 and for the adjective, epsilon 291.↩
- 1Likewise in other lexica, and cf. the scholia on Homer, Iliad 1.468, where this phrase occurs (web address 1). ↩
- 2zeta 74. Evidently he thought the adjective was related to
e)u/s rather thani)/sos . ↩- 3cf. alpha 4325, alpha 4326. ↩
- 4All this material comes from Athenaeus, Deipnosophists 1.12C-F (1.21 Kaibel); the last comment refers to a dispute over the correct reading at Homer, Iliad 1.4-5.
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from11 entries
- δ112Δαίειburns[dai/ei means the same as] kai/ei. Also [sc. attested is the participle] daiome/nh ["being apportioned"], [meaning] being distributed, being divided. For dai/w ["I apportion"] also means I distribute. Out of this also…
- δ120Δαίνυfeast[Meaning] entertain sumptuously. Homer [writes]: "feast a feast for the elders." Also [sc. attested is] dainu/menos ["one who is being feasted"], [meaning one who is] being entertained sumptuously.
- δ124Δαίςfeast[Meaning] festivities. And when [sc. Homer] says "an abundant feast" [dai=ta], they say that di/aita is being said by a change of letter. But to say [it is derived] from dai/sasqai ["to feast"] [is] rather forced.
- δ126Δαῖταςfeasts[Meaning] parties. "Phoebus,... accept from the sailors this feast of hand-kneaded barley cake." Also, "just as Hesiod represents the sons of Aeacus as 'rejoicing in war as if in a feast."
- δ127ΔαιτήfeastIn the nominative [sc. this noun is spelled] with eta. [Meaning] a party. But in the dative, daiti/, [meaning] for/to/with the party; out of dai/s, [genitive] daito/s, [comes dative] daiti/.
- δ129Δαιτυμόνεςfeasters, those being feasted[Meaning] those taking a meal, those being entertained sumptuously.
- δ130Δαιτρεύεινto cut up and distribute[Meaning] to apportion.
- δ131Δαιτρόνcarver[Meaning an] apportioner, cook.
- δ132Δαιτρόςapportioner, carver, distributor[Meaning someone] distributing miniscule portions to those feasting. For thus they used to feast apportioning both the sheep and the drink. Hence [Homer] says: "of an equal banquet." [Meaning] of equally distributed…
- δ137Δέδασταιhas been distributed, have been distributed[Meaning] has/have been apportioned. Also [sc. attested is] dedai/atai, [likewise meaning] has/have been apportioned.
- ε291Ἐΐσηequal[e)i/+sh means the same as] h( i)/sh. "And equal ships."
Neighbouring entries
Revision history7 revisions · last 14 Jul 2016
- expanded note — Catharine Roth
- expanded a note — David Whitehead
- small tweaks — David Whitehead
- cosmetics — David Whitehead
- tweaked link — Catharine Roth
- added cross-reference and keyword — Catharine Roth
- augmented notes and keywords; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — Catharine Roth