Σκυτάλι' ἐφόρουν

they were carrying batons

Translated by William Hutton7 Mar 2014Vetting: high1 revision

5 words

Meaning they were acting Spartan.

Greek original · Adler’s text

Σκυτάλι' ἐφόρουν· ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐλακώνιζον.

Betacode

*skuta/li' e)fo/roun: a)nti\ tou= e)lakw/nizon.

Notes

From commentary to Aristophanes, Birds 1283, where the headword phrase appears amidst a list of habits and activities that were typically associated with Spartans, the 'batons' in question being the distinctive staves carried by Spartan messengers and officials; cf. sigma 718.

Linked from1 entry

σ718Σκυτάληskytale, scytaleA Laconian letter. The skytale was a long, shaven piece of wood. There were two skytalai among the Lakedaimonians: one the ephors of the Lakedaimonians used to retain, the other they would hand over to the general being…

Neighbouring entries

σ718Σκυτάληskytale, scytale σ719Σκυταλίδεςskytalides, scytalides σ720Σκυτάλι' ἐφόρουνthey were carrying batons σ721Σκύταλονstaff σ722Σκύτινοςleather, leathern

Revision history1 revision · last 9 Mar 2014

9 Mar 2014x-ref; cosmetics; raised status — David Whitehead
7 Mar 2014Translated — William Hutton