Athenaze Book II Translation Help

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IHMB2400
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Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 12:40 am

Athenaze Book II Translation Help

Post by IHMB2400 »

Can anyone translate this for me? I get mixed up every time I start and think I am getting some of the vocabulary wrong.
Thanks for any help.


μεντοι εδει γιγνωσκειν τι μαντειον εστι αριστον. παντων ουν των
μαντειων απεπειρατο, αγγελους πευψς, τους μεν ες δωδωνεην, τους
δε ες δελφους, αλλους δε αλλοσε. τους δε αγγελους εκελευε τη
εκατοστη ημερη αφ ης αν ορμηθωσι εκ σαρδιων, χρησθαι τοις
χρηστηριοις, ερωτωνας ο τι ποιων τυγχανοι ο λυδων βασιλευς
κροισος, και ος αν λεγη τα χρηστηρια γραψντας αναφερειν παρ εαυτον.


εκατοστη = hundreth

χρησθαι = to consult (an oracle)

αναφερειν = to bring back, report

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IreneY
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Re: Athenaze Book II Translation Help

Post by IreneY »

μεντοι εδει γιγνωσκειν τι μαντειον εστι αριστον. παντων ουν των
μαντειων απεπειρατο, αγγελους πευψς, τους μεν ες δωδωνεην, τους
δε ες δελφους, αλλους δε αλλοσε. τους δε αγγελους εκελευε τη
εκατοστη ημερη αφ ης αν ορμηθωσι εκ σαρδιων, χρησθαι τοις
χρηστηριοις, ερωτωνας ο τι ποιων τυγχανοι ο λυδων βασιλευς
κροισος, και ος αν λεγη τα χρηστηρια γραψντας αναφερειν παρ εαυτον

OK, this translation's on the fly you understand

But (?) he needed to know which oracle was the best, so he tried all oracles, sending messengers, some (these) in Dodone, others (those) in Delphi, and others in other places. And he ordered those messengers, at the hundredth day since they started (left) from Sardes, to use the oracles (don't know how to put it, to ask the oracles, to make use of their services) asking what the king of the Lydians Kroisos (sp?) was happening to be doing (essentially what was the king of Lydians chanced to be doing at that moment) and after writing down whatever the oracles said (he ordered) to report to him.

Bad English and a few more liberal translations here and there you'll notice but I bet you can deal with that :)

IHMB2400
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Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 12:40 am

Re: Athenaze Book II Translation Help

Post by IHMB2400 »

That was a lot of help. Thanks for your time!

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