[B-Greek] Prevalence of holy books
Carl Conrad
cwconrad2 at mac.com
Tue Feb 19 13:20:21 EST 2008
On Feb 19, 2008, at 7:32 AM, Anita Clerke wrote:
> Thanks Carl for the corrections. Regarding your statement concerning
> the prevalence of LOGOI hIEROI (sacred books):
> "It is used in the sense of a doctrinal formulation -- and where
> I've seen it, it's used of a myth, myths, or a doctrinal formulation
> of a
> mystery cult." Could you supply a citation or two of when these words
> are used in such a pagan context? I realise you may be too busy to do
> this though.
It should be noted that LOGOS does not at all necessarily mean "book."
It ranges in sense from a simple 'narrative account" to rational
explanation, theory, doctrine. In these passages below I don't think
the reference is to "books" but rather to orally transmitted teachings.
Here are a couple instances cited in LSJ s.v. hIEROS II.2:
Herodotus, Hist, 2.81 Ἐνδεδύκασι δὲ κιθῶνας
λινέους περὶ τὰ σκέλεα θυσανωτούς,
τοὺς καλέουσι καλασίρις· ἐπὶ
τούτοισι δὲ εἰρίνεα εἵματα λευκὰ
ἐπαναβληδὸν φορέουσι. Οὐ μέντοι ἔς
γε τὰ 4 ἱρὰ ἐσφέρεται εἰρίνεα οὐδὲ
συγκαταθάπτεταί σφι· οὐ γὰρ ὅσιον.
Ὁμολογέουσι δὲ ταῦτα τοῖσι
Ὀρφικοῖσι καλεομένοισι καὶ
Βακχικοῖσι, ἐοῦσι δὲ αἰγυπτίοισι,
καὶ «τοῖσι» Πυθαγορείοισι· οὐδὲ
γὰρ τούτων τῶν ὀργίων μετέχοντα 8
ὅσιόν ἐστι ἐν εἰρινέοισι εἵμασι
θαφθῆναι. Ἔστι δὲ περὶ αὐτῶν ἱρὸς
λόγος λεγόμενος. ENDEDUKASI DE KIQWNAS LINEOUS PERI TA
SKELEA QUSANWTOUS, TOUS KALEOUSI KALASIRIS; EPI TOUTOISI DE EIRINEA
hEIMATA LEUKA EPANABLHDON FOREOUSI. OU MENTOI ES GE TA hIRA ESFERETAI
EIRINEA OUDE SUGKATAQAPTETAI SFI; OU GAR hOSION. hOMOLOGEOUSI DE TAUTA
TOISI ORFIKOISI KALEOMENOISI KAI BAKCIKOISI, EOUSI DE AIGUPTIOISI, KAI
TOISI PUQAGOREIOISI; OUDE GAR TOUTWN TWN ORGIWN METECONTA hOSION ESTI
EN EIRINEOISI hEIMAS QAFQHNAI. ESTI DE PERI AUTWN hIROS LOGOS LEGOMENOS.
Here's it's a matter of Egyptian taboo on wearing of woolen garments
and a restriction to use of linen, presumably owing to a belief in
transmigration of souls; the passage ends with "And there's a sacred
story told about these matters."
Plato, Epistulae 335a πείθεσθαι δὲ ὄντως ἀεὶ 2
χρὴ τοῖς παλαιοῖς τε καὶ ἱεροῖς
λόγοις, οἳ δὴ μηνύουσιν ἡμῖν 3
ἀθάνατον ψυχὴν εἶναι δικαστάς τε
ἴσχειν καὶ τίνειν τὰς 4 μεγίστας
τιμωρίας, ὅταν τις ἀπαλλαχθῇ τοῦ
σώματος PEIQESQAI DE ONTWS AEI CRH TOIS PALAIOIS TE KAI hIEROIS
LOGOIS, hOI DH MHNUOUSIN hHMIN AQANATON YUCHN EINAI DIKASTAS TE ISCEIN
KAI TINEIN TAS MEGISTAS TIMWRIAS, hOTAN TIS APALLACQHi TOU SWMATOS.
Here's it's a matter of sacred stories about the immortality of souls
and postmortal punishments.
>
>
> Thanks very much Jeffrey for the list of citations of LOGOI hIEROI
> (sacred books). I was particularly interested in such sacred books
> that could be read aloud, so as to match the context of Lucian's use.
>
> FYI, regarding the context of these citations:
>
> The reference from Philo isn't in the same context as that of Lucian,
> as Philo's "sacred words" in "On Dreams", doesn't appear to refer to
> words that could actually be read aloud. I can not be certain if the
> English translation of sacred words does in fact refer to the Greek
> LOGOI hIEROI (sacred books). However nothing else in the English
> translation appears to come close to translating these Greek words.
>
> The reference to Eusebius of Caesarea's 'Praeparatio Evangelica
> (Preparation for the Gospel)' also doesn't always appear to refer to
> words that could actually be read aloud. Eusebius describes God's
> sacred laws and God's word as the source of control of the elements
> such as flood-tides, sequence of seasons, and the alternating course
> of day and night. However the chapter also talks of the 'sacred laws'
> delivered by Moses. The last sentence in chapter 10 mentions
> Scripture. As so far I only have access to an english translation of
> this work, which doesn't indicate the exact line reference of 7.10.3,
> means I can not be certain if the latter reference to Moses uses the
> same Greek words that I am interested in, namely those of Lucian,
> LOGOI hIEROI (sacred books). I imagine that they are. In fact I can
> not be certain if the English translation of sacred laws does in fact
> refer to the Greek LOGOI hIEROI (sacred books). However nothing else
> in the English translation appears to come close to translating these
> Greek words.
>
> Regarding the reference to Eusebius of Caesarea's 'The History of
> the Martyrs in Palestine', once again I only have access to an
> english translation of this work, which doesn't indicate the exact
> line reference of 4.6 means I can not be certain, but the only
> reference in English to 'sacred' that is relevant, is a reference to
> Pamphilus' "...accomplishments in philosophy, and his acquirements
> both in sacred and profane literature." This is found in the chapter
> titled: The Confession of Domninus. The context indicates that sacred
> literature here probably refers to Christian literature.
>
> The reference to Lucian is that which I gave originally, and the
> context indicates that LOGOI hIEROI (sacred books) here refers to
> Christian literature. I really appreciated finding out that this is
> the only time Lucian used these words.
>
> As Photius lived in the ninth century, I did not check out his
> references, though will probably do so later.
>
> Thanks again to both of you.
> Regards
>
> Jonathan Clerke
> clerke at humanperformance.cc
>
>
>
>
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Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
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