10-30-2009, 05:28 PM
I have found some interesting discrepancies that may shed some light on this.
So it appears the quote is derived from Diodorus' Libray of History, 5.30. The quote you cited is the same text that can be found in the 1939 Loeb Classical Library translation of "Libray of History" that can be found at Lacus Curtius:
"Some of these javelins come from the forge straight, others twist in and out in spiral shapes for their entire length, the purpose being that the thrust may not only cut the flesh, but mangle it as well, and that the withdrawal of the spear may lacerate the wound."
Now, in another edition of "Libray of History", namely 1814 by George Booth published by W. McDowall for J. Davis, we find this translation of the same passage in Google Books pg. 316:
"some of them are strait, others bowed and bending backwards, so that they not only cut, but break the flesh; and when the dart is drawn out, it tears and rents the wound most miserably."
So, we have "spiral" vs "bowed and bending backwards", which is quite a difference I think.
In order to help resolve it, I went a little further back in each text. Here is the 1939 edition with a few extra sentences included before the text you originally cited:
"The spears they brandish, which they call lanciae, have iron heads a cubit in length and even more, and a little under two palms in breadth; for their swords are not shorter than the javelins of other peoples, and the heads of their javelins are larger than the swords of others. Some of these javelins come from the forge straight, others twist in and out in spiral shapes for their entire length, the purpose being that the thrust may not only cut the flesh, but mangle it as well, and that the withdrawal of the spear may lacerate the wound."
Now, the same longer passage from the 1814 Booth edition:
"For darts they cast those they call Lances, whose iron shafts are a cubit or more in length, and almost two hands in breadth. For their swords are as big as the saunians of other people, but the points of their saunians are larger than those of their swords; some of them are strait, others bowed and bending backwards, so that they not only cut, but break the flesh; and when the dart is drawn out, it tears and rents the wound most miserably."
It appears (to me at least) that in the 1814 Booth edition Diodorus is comparing the points of their javelins to the size of their swords, but, when describing the shape and damage inflicted, he is actually describing properties of their swords, not their javelins.
So, perhaps in the 1939 Loeb edition, the subtle transition from javelin to sword was missed and they assumed Diodorus was describing properties of their javelins when he was actually describing properties of their swords. Of course, this assumes that "bowed and bending backwards" is the correct translation since I assume there were no spiral shaped sword blades (I have almost no knowledge of swords so I could be easily mistaken) . Unfortunately, I have not yet found an online version of "Libray of History" in the original Greek or latin translation to see what the original text says.
I hope this is a start at least...
FIRST EDIT:
I suppose it is possible he was describing javelins if there actually were "bowed and bending backwards" variants. Before the extended passages above Diodorus does describe their swords, so it is possible that passage is indeed talking about javelins. In either case, as you originally noted, this is most likely a translation issue. I am still looking for other editions to hope to clarify.
SECOND EDIT:
I did find a Greek version with Latin comments from 1829 also a Google Books. Unfotunately my Greek is too weak to make a real go of it and there is no OCR / Plaintext version, only scanned images.
-Peter
So it appears the quote is derived from Diodorus' Libray of History, 5.30. The quote you cited is the same text that can be found in the 1939 Loeb Classical Library translation of "Libray of History" that can be found at Lacus Curtius:
"Some of these javelins come from the forge straight, others twist in and out in spiral shapes for their entire length, the purpose being that the thrust may not only cut the flesh, but mangle it as well, and that the withdrawal of the spear may lacerate the wound."
Now, in another edition of "Libray of History", namely 1814 by George Booth published by W. McDowall for J. Davis, we find this translation of the same passage in Google Books pg. 316:
"some of them are strait, others bowed and bending backwards, so that they not only cut, but break the flesh; and when the dart is drawn out, it tears and rents the wound most miserably."
So, we have "spiral" vs "bowed and bending backwards", which is quite a difference I think.
In order to help resolve it, I went a little further back in each text. Here is the 1939 edition with a few extra sentences included before the text you originally cited:
"The spears they brandish, which they call lanciae, have iron heads a cubit in length and even more, and a little under two palms in breadth; for their swords are not shorter than the javelins of other peoples, and the heads of their javelins are larger than the swords of others. Some of these javelins come from the forge straight, others twist in and out in spiral shapes for their entire length, the purpose being that the thrust may not only cut the flesh, but mangle it as well, and that the withdrawal of the spear may lacerate the wound."
Now, the same longer passage from the 1814 Booth edition:
"For darts they cast those they call Lances, whose iron shafts are a cubit or more in length, and almost two hands in breadth. For their swords are as big as the saunians of other people, but the points of their saunians are larger than those of their swords; some of them are strait, others bowed and bending backwards, so that they not only cut, but break the flesh; and when the dart is drawn out, it tears and rents the wound most miserably."
It appears (to me at least) that in the 1814 Booth edition Diodorus is comparing the points of their javelins to the size of their swords, but, when describing the shape and damage inflicted, he is actually describing properties of their swords, not their javelins.
So, perhaps in the 1939 Loeb edition, the subtle transition from javelin to sword was missed and they assumed Diodorus was describing properties of their javelins when he was actually describing properties of their swords. Of course, this assumes that "bowed and bending backwards" is the correct translation since I assume there were no spiral shaped sword blades (I have almost no knowledge of swords so I could be easily mistaken) . Unfortunately, I have not yet found an online version of "Libray of History" in the original Greek or latin translation to see what the original text says.
I hope this is a start at least...
FIRST EDIT:
I suppose it is possible he was describing javelins if there actually were "bowed and bending backwards" variants. Before the extended passages above Diodorus does describe their swords, so it is possible that passage is indeed talking about javelins. In either case, as you originally noted, this is most likely a translation issue. I am still looking for other editions to hope to clarify.
SECOND EDIT:
I did find a Greek version with Latin comments from 1829 also a Google Books. Unfotunately my Greek is too weak to make a real go of it and there is no OCR / Plaintext version, only scanned images.
-Peter
