Plutarch, Quaestiones Graecae, Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator), 45

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

[45] Why is it that the statue of the Labrandean Zeus in Caria is fashioned holding an axe, but not a sceptre or a thunderbolt?

Because when Heracles had slain Hippolytê, together with her other arms he took her axe and gave it as a present to Omphalê. The Lydian kings who succeeded Omphalê used to carry it as a part of the sacred regalia, handing it down one to the other until it carne to Candaules. He deemed it of little worth and gave it to one of his Companions¹ to carry. But when Gyges² revolted and was at war with Candaules, Arselis carne from Mylasa with an army as an ally for Gyges and slew both Candaules and his Companion and brought the axe to Caria together with the other spoils. He therefore constructed a statue of Zeus and placed the axe in its hand, and called the god Labrandeus; for the Lydialis call the axe labrys.³

Quaestiones Graecae. Plutarch. Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1936.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

The Greek Questions (English) (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. IV. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1936 (printing).)

Editions (2)

Αἴτια Ἑλληνικά Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. IV. Babbitt, Frank Cole, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1936 (printing).) — 45 focus

[45] διὰ τί τοῦ Λαβρανδέως¹ Διὸς ἐν Καρίᾳ τὸ ἄγαλμα πέλεκυν ἠρμένον οὐχὶ δὲ σκῆπτρον ἢ κεραυνὸν πεποίηται;

ὅτι Ἡρακλῆς Ἱππολύτην ἀποκτείνας καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ὅπλων αὐτῆς λαβὼν τὸν πέλεκυν Ὀμφάλῃ δῶρον ἔδωκεν.² οἱ δὲ μετʼ Ὀμφάλην Λυδῶν βασιλεῖς ἐφόρουν αὐτὸν ὥς τι τῶν ἄλλων ἱερῶν ἐκ 302a διαδοχῆς παραλαμβάνοντες, ἄχρι Κανδαύλης ἀπαξιώσας ἑνὶ τῶν ἑταίρων φορεῖν ἔδωκεν. ἐπεὶ δὲ Γύγης ἀποστὰς ἐπολέμει πρὸς αὐτόν, ἦλθεν Ἄρσηλις ἐκ Μυλασέων³ ἐπίκουρος τῷ Γύγῃ μετὰ δυνάμεως, καὶ τόν τε Κανδαύλην καὶ τὸν ἑταῖρον αὐτοῦ διέφθείρε,⁴ καὶ τὸν πέλεκυν εἰς Καρίαν ἐκόμισε μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων λαφύρων. καὶ Διὸς ἄγαλμα κατασκευάσας τὸν πέλεκυν ἐνεχείρισε, καὶ Λαβρανδέα⁵ τὸν θεὸν προσηγόρευσε· Λυδοὶ γάρ λάβρυν τὸν πέλεκυν ὀνομάζουσι.

Κεφαλαίων καταγραφή Ἑλληνικά Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol IΙ. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1889.) — 45 focus

[45] διὰ τί τοῦ Λαβρανδέως ¹ Διὸς ἐν Καρίᾳ τὸ ἄγαλμα πέλεκυν ἠρμένον οὐχὶ δὲ σκῆπτρον ἢ κεραυνὸν 10 πεποίηται; ὅτι Ἡρακλῆς Ἱππολύτην ἀποκτείνας καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ὅπλων αὐτῆς λαβὼν τὸν πέλεκυν Ὀμφάλῃ δῶρον δέδωκεν. οἱ δὲ μετʼ Ὀμφάλην Λυδῶν βασιλεῖς ἐφόρουν αὐτὸν ὥς τι τῶν ἄλλων 302a ἱερῶν ἐκ διαδοχῆς παραλαμβάνοντες, ἄχρι Κανδαύλης 15 ἀπαξιώσας ἑνὶ τῶν ἑταίρων φορεῖν ἔδωκεν. ἐπεὶ δὲ Γύγης ἀποστὰς ἐπολέμει πρὸς αὐτόν, ἦλθεν Ἄρσηλις ἐκ Μυλασέων ² ἐπίκουρος τῷ Γύγῃ μετὰ δυνάμεως, καὶ τόν τε Κανδαύλην καὶ τὸν ἑταῖρον αὐτοῦ διαφθείρει, καὶ τὸν πέλεκυν εἰς Καρίαν ἐκόμισε 20 μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων λαφύρων. καὶ Διὸς ἄγαλμα κατασκευάσας τὸν πέλεκυν ἐνεχείρισε, καὶ Λαβρανδέα τὸν θεὸν προσηγόρευσε· Λυδοὶ γάρ λάβρυν τὸν πέλεκυν ὀνομάζουσι.

Translations (1)

Greek Questions Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. II. Goodwin, William W., editor; Chauncy, Isaac translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 45 focus

[45]

Question 45.

What is the reason that the statue of Labradean Jupiter in Caria is made so as to hold an axe lifted up, and not a sceptre or thunderbolt.

Solution.

Because Hercules slaying Hippolyta, and taking away from her amongst other weapons her pole-axe, presented it to Omphale. After Omphale the kings of the Lydians carried it, as part of the sacred regalities which they took by succession, until Candaules, disdaining it, gave it to one of his favorites to carry. But afterwards Gyges revolting waged war against him; Arselis also came to the aid of Gyges from the Mylassians with a great strength, slew Candaules with his favorite, and carried away the pole-axe into Caria with other spoils; where furbishing up the statue of Jupiter, he put the axe into his hand and called it the Labradean God,—for the Lydians call an axe labra.

Notes on the current edition

The Greek Questions

1. Technically a Hellenistic court office, but Plutarch seems to assume such a relation in early Lydian history.

2. The many ancient variants of the Gyges legend are collected and discussed by K. F. Smith, American Jour. Phil., 1902 pp. 261 ff., 362 ff.; 1920, pp. 1 ff.

3. One is reminded of the many representations of the double axe on Cretan monuments.

Plutarch Quaestiones Graecae 45

Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Perseus

Question 45.

Solution.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers