Σημεῖα Σκυθικά
Scythian standards, Skythian standards
Translated by William Hutton28 Oct 2013Vetting: high2 revisions
Translation
[Scythian standards,] which they carry in war, are textiles decorated with a dye that simulates the appearance of snakes especially, and they are suspended on poles of equal length. Here is the clever use [sc. they are put to]: when those who are carrying them are running or are even mounted on horses, they swell out, so that they very much seem to look like the creatures, and they also make a sound in concert with the movement from the breeze that goes through them forcefully.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Σημεῖα Σκυθικά, ἃ φέρουσιν ἐν τῷ πολέμω, ὑφάσματά εἰσι βαφῇ πεποικιλμένα, ἃ εἰς ἰδέαν μάλιστα ὄφεων εἴκασται, καὶ ἀπῃώρηνται κοντῶν συμμέτρων. τὰ δὴ σοφίσματα ταῦτα, θεόντων ἢ καὶ ἵππους ἐπιβεβηκότων τῶν φερομένων αὐτά, ἐξογκοῦται, ὡς μάλιστα δοκεῖν τοῖς θηρίοις ἐοικέναι· καί τι καὶ ἠχεῖ πρὸς τὴν συγκίνησιν ὑπὸ τῇ πνοῇ διερχομένῃ βίᾳ.
Betacode
*shmei=a *skuqika/, a(\ fe/rousin e)n tw=| pole/mw, u(fa/smata/ ei)si bafh=| pepoikilme/na, a(\ ei)s i)de/an ma/lista o)/fewn ei)/kastai, kai\ a)ph|w/rhntai kontw=n summe/trwn. ta\ dh\ sofi/smata tau=ta, qeo/ntwn h)\ kai\ i(/ppous e)pibebhko/twn tw=n ferome/nwn au)ta/, e)cogkou=tai, w(s ma/lista dokei=n toi=s qhri/ois e)oike/nai: kai/ ti kai\ h)xei= pro\s th\n sugki/nhsin u(po\ th=| pnoh=| dierxome/nh| bi/a|.
Notes
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Revision history2 revisions · last 23 Dec 2013
- Revised — David Whitehead
- x-refs; tweaks and cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — William Hutton