Babylonian wife auction

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 πάσας εἰς ἓν χωρίον ἐισῆγον ἁθρόας:

Answer 3

in order that they might bring them together, they led them all in as a group to one place;

Question 4

πέριξ δὲ αὐτὰς ἵστατο ὅμιλος ἀνδρῶν, κῆρυξ δ᾽ ἀνιστὰς κατὰ μίαν ἑκάστην ἐπώλει,

Answer 4

and around them stood a crowd of men, and a herald, standing each (woman) up, he sold each
one by one

Question 5

πρῶτον μὲν τὴν εὐειδεστάτην ἐκ πασῶν:

Answer 5

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

Question 6

ἔπειτα δέ, ὅπως αὕτη εὑροῦσα πολυ χρυσίον πραθείη,

Answer 6

having gained much gold, had been sold,

Question 7

ἄλλην ἀνἐκήρυττεν ἣ μετ᾽ἐκείνην ἧν εὐειδεστάτη: ἐπωλοῦντο δὲ ἐπὶ συνοικήσει.

Answer 7

he offered for auction another, who, after that woman, was the most good-looking; and they were sold for marriage/cohabitation.

Question 8

ὅσοι μὲν δὴ εὐδαίμονες τῶν Βαβυλωνίων ἦσαν ἐπίγαμοι,

Answer 8

And all those prosperous (men) of the Babylonians therefore who were ready to marry,

Question 9

οὗτοι ὑπερβάλλοντες ἀλλήλους ἐξωνοῦντο τὰς καλλιστευούσας:

Answer 9

they, outbidding each other, bought the most beautiful (women)

Question 10

ὅσοι δὲ τοῦ δήμου ἐπίγαμοι ἦσαν, εἴδους χρηστοῦ οὐ δέομενοι,

Answer 10

but all those of the common people who were ready to marry, of the sort
in need of gold,

Question 11

χρήματά τε καὶ αἰσχίονας παρθένους ἐλάμβανον.

Answer 11

they took (home) wealth and the more ugly/less attractive women.

Question 12

ὡς γὰρ δὴ διεξέλθοι ὁ κῆρυξ πωλῶν τὰς εὐειδεστάτας τῶν παρθένων,

Answer 12

For indeed when the herald had got through selling the best-looking of the unmarried
women,

Question 13

ἀνίστη ἂν τὴν ἀμορφεστάτην ἢ ἔμπηρόν τινα, καὶ ἀνεκήρυττεν:

Answer 13

he would stand up the most unshapely or some disabled girl, and offer her for auction.

Question 14

ὅστις δὲ ἐθέλοι ἐλάχιστον χρυσίον λαβὼν συνοικεῖν αὐτῇ,

Answer 14

And whoever was willing to marry her, having received the smallest amount of gold,

Question 15

τούτῳ προσέκειτο ἡ παρθένος.

Answer 15

to him the unmarried woman was assigned.

Question 16

καὶ οὕτως αἱ εὔμορφοι τὰς ἀμόρφους καὶ ἐμπήρους ἐξεδίδοσαν.

Answer 16

And in this way the good-looking (women) would pay for the less attractive and disabled (ones).

Question 17

ἐκδοῦναι δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ θυγατέρα ᾥτινι βούλοιτο ἕκαστος οὐκ ἐξῆν.

Answer 17

But it was not possible for each man to give away his own daughter to whoever he wanted.