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θεῖα are contrasted with ἀνθρωπήια (4. 1); for similar scruples cf. c. 86—the account of the embalming—and pass. ἴσον . . . ἐπίστασθαι. The meaning of these words has been much disputed. (1) It is clear that αὐτῶν refers to divine things, not merely to the divine names (as Bähr); H. did not think all men knew equally the names of the gods. (2) Wiedemann's explanation, too, must be rejected. He argues that H. means that, since all men agree as to the gods, it is only necessary to mention their names (which differ in different races), and then men will understand each other. But this statement again is not true; H. does not think all men's knowledge of divine things is equal; on the contrary, he thinks Greek knowledge much inferior to that in Egypt (cf. e.g. 43. 2 as to Heracles). (3) The usual explanation (e.g. Stein's) is that ἴσον = just as much, i.e. ‘just as little’; since men really know nothing of divine things (cf. ix. 65) they should not laugh at each other's beliefs. This pessimistic view would be quite in accordance with H.'s general attitude (cf. Introd. § 36), and may be compared to Xenophanes' sentiment (fr. 14, R. and P. p. 80) οὐδέ τισἔσται εἰδὼς ἀμφὶ θεῶν. (4) But this explanation does not take account of the character of the passages where H. lays stress on his silence (v.i.); in view of these Sourdille (R. pp. 2-26), who discusses the whole subject at length, maintains that the reference is to the ‘mysteries’. Since these, H. thinks, are virtually the same in all countries (cf. 81. 2, 123. 2, 3), to describe the Egyptian mysteries would be to reveal the secrets of the Greek ones. Hence H. is careful only to touch on them (cf. 65. 2 αὐτῶν ἐπιψαύσας, ἀναγκαίῃ καταλαμβανόμενος); he will describe details, but not relate the ἱρὸς λόγος which explained them. The following are the passages in Bk. II where H. is religiously silent: 46. 2 (the goat-footed Pan), 47. 2 (the sacrifice of swine), 61. 1, 132. 2 (the sacred mourning at Busiris), 65. 2 (animal worship, the most important passage), 86. 2 (embalming), 170. 1 (the tomb of Osiris at Sais), 171. 1 τὰ δείκηλα τῶν παθέων (of Osiris) τὰ καλέουσι μυστήρια Αἰγύπτιοι. In 48. 3 (the phallic ceremonies for Dionysus), 51. 4 (the Samothracian Hermes), 62. 2 (the feasts of lights at Sais), 81.2 (wearing wool), though he refuses to tell a ἱρὸς λόγος, he does not especially refer to his silence. It will be noticed (vid. nn.) that most of these passages refer to Osiris.
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