Babylonian Wife Market

Question 1

κατὰ κώμας ἑκάστας ἅπαξ τοῦ ἔτους ἐποιεῖτο τάδε.

Answer 1

In each village the following was done once a year.

Question 2

ὡς αἱ παρθένοι γίγνοιντο γάμων ὡραῖαι,

Answer 2

When the unmarried women became ready for marriage,

Question 3

ταύτας ὅπως συναγάγοιεν

Answer 3

in order that they might bring these together

Question 4

πάσας εἰς ἓν χωρίον ἐισῆγον ἁθρόας:

Answer 4

they led them all in as a group to one place;

Question 5

πέριξ δὲ αὐτὰς ἵστατο

Answer 5

and around them stood

Question 6

ὅμιλος ἀνδρῶν,

Answer 6

a crowd of men,

Question 7

κῆρυξ δ᾽

Answer 7

and a herald,

Question 8

ἀνιστὰς (κατὰ μίαν) ἑκάστην (ἐπώλει),

Answer 8

standing each (woman) up,

Question 9

(ἀνιστὰς) κατὰ μίαν (ἑκάστην) ἐπώλει,

Answer 9

he sold each one by one

Question 10

πρῶτον μὲν τὴν εὐειδεστάτην ἐκ πασῶν:

Answer 10

first (he sold) the most good-looking one of them all;

Question 11

ἔπειτα δέ,

Answer 11

and then,

Question 12

ὅπως αὕτη

Answer 12

when she,

Question 13

εὑροῦσα πολυ χρυσίον πραθείη,

Answer 13

having gained much gold, had been sold,

Question 14

ἄλλην ἀνἐκήρυττεν

Answer 14

he offered for auction another,

Question 15

ἣ μετ᾽ ἐκείνην ἧν εὐειδεστάτη:

Answer 15

who, after that woman, was the most good-looking;

Question 16

ἐπωλοῦντο δὲ ἐπὶ συνοικήσει.

Answer 16

and they were sold for
marriage/cohabitation.

Question 17

ὅσοι μὲν (δὴ) εὐδαίμονες τῶν Βαβυλωνίων

Answer 17

And all those prosperous (men) of the Babylonians

Question 18

(δὴ) ἦσαν ἐπίγαμοι,

Answer 18

therefore who were marriageable,

Question 19

οὗτοι ὑπερβάλλοντες ἀλλήλους

Answer 19

they, outbidding each other,

Question 20

ἐξωνοῦντο τὰς καλλιστευούσας:

Answer 20

bought the most beautiful (women)

Question 21

ὅσοι δὲ τοῦ δήμου ἐπίγαμοι ἦσαν,

Answer 21

but all those of the common people who were marriageable,

Question 22

εἴδους χρηστοῦ οὐ δέομενοι,

Answer 22

not needing good looking women

Question 23

χρήματά τε καὶ αἰσχίονας παρθένους ἐλάμβανον.

Answer 23

took the dowry and the ugly maidens.

Question 24

ὡς γὰρ δὴ διεξέλθοι ὁ κῆρυξ πωλῶν

Answer 24

For indeed whenever the herald finished selling

Question 25

τὰς εὐειδεστάτας τῶν παρθένων,

Answer 25

the best-looking of the girls,

Question 26

ἀνίστη ἂν

Answer 26

he would stand up

Question 27

τὴν ἀμορφεστάτην ἢ ἔμπηρόν τινα

Answer 27

the one less attractive or crippled girl

Question 28

καὶ ἀνεκήρυττεν

Answer 28

and offer her for auction.

Question 29

ὅστις δὲ ἐθέλοι

Answer 29

Whoever was willing

Question 30

λαβὼν συνοικεῖν αὐτῇ

Answer 30

to live with her

Question 31

λάχιστον χρυσίον

Answer 31

for the least amount of money

Question 32

τούτῳ προσέκειτο ἡ παρθένος.

Answer 32

the maiden would be assigned to him.

Question 33

καὶ οὕτως αἱ εὔμορφοι ... ἐξεδίδοσαν.

Answer 33

And in this way the beautiful would pay

Question 34

τὰς ἀμόρφους καὶ ἐμπήρους

Answer 34

for the ugly and damaged.

Question 35

(δὲ τὴν) ἑαυτοῦ θυγατέρα

Answer 35

His daughter

Question 36

ἐκδοῦναι

Answer 36

to give away

Question 37

ᾧτινι βούλοιτο

Answer 37

to whoever he wanted.

Question 38

ἕκαστος οὐκ ἐξῆν

Answer 38

Each man was not able

Question 39

ἐκδοῦναι δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ θυγατέρα ᾧτινι βούλοιτο ἕκαστος οὐκ ἐξῆν.

Answer 39

Each man was not able to give away his daughter to whoever he wanted.