Δημιουργοί
artisans, craftsmen, public workers
Translated by Carl Widstrand10 Jan 2000Vetting: high7 revisions
Translation
[Meaning] the potters, the tool-makers. They also used to call demiourgoi those we today call bridesmaids, that is the woman standing by the bride. Hence there is [a play called] Demiourgos [attributed] to Menander.1 In common parlance demiourgoi are those working on public projects, sometimes also the master-builders. Aristophanes in Peace [sc. illustrates this].2 Also [sc. attested is the related adverb dhmiourgikw=s ["craftsmanly"], meaning builderly. For the builders [are] craftsmen.
[Note] that3 the ancient craftsmen used to make the eyes [of their statues] closed, but Daedalus opened them, and separated the feet.4 And Homer [writes]: "he knew how to build all intricate things [daidala] with his hands".5
[Note] that3 the ancient craftsmen used to make the eyes [of their statues] closed, but Daedalus opened them, and separated the feet.4 And Homer [writes]: "he knew how to build all intricate things [daidala] with his hands".5