10-30-2009, 07:48 PM
Sorry for the consecutive posts but I have made significant progress since my first reply and edits so I wanted to make sure the update was highlighted. I have found a latin version of the passage that has shed some new light.
First, ignore my idea above that there was confusion between swords and javelins. The latin version would seem to confirm that Diodorus is exclusively describing javelins/spears/lances in this passage.
I found the latin version in Google Books as well: 1798 edition of Diodori Siculi Bibliothecae historicae libri qui supersunt, Volume 3 translated by Petrus Wesseling and published by ex typographia Societatis. Here is the latin version of the original passage (not my extended cite):
"Pars horum in directum fabricata est; pars incuruos per omnia habet reflexus, ut in ictu non tantum fecent, verum etiam frangant carnes, hastilique que reducto vulnus convellant and dilamcinent."
The key phrase is "pars incuruos per omnia habet reflexus" and keywords for the issue at hand are incuruos and reflexus. incuruos means "crooked" or "curved" and reflexus means "bend back". Seeing these words pushes me to think that the correct translation is from the 1814 Booth edition of "others bowed and bending backwards" rather than "spiral" from the 1939 Loeb edition.
So, in my opinion, Diodorus is not describing spiral-like javelins rather javelin points that curve out and back in again (at least going by the latin edition at least). The 1798 edition in this post has both Greek and Latin one above the other so if anyone has Greek they might be able to put the issue to rest.
First, ignore my idea above that there was confusion between swords and javelins. The latin version would seem to confirm that Diodorus is exclusively describing javelins/spears/lances in this passage.
I found the latin version in Google Books as well: 1798 edition of Diodori Siculi Bibliothecae historicae libri qui supersunt, Volume 3 translated by Petrus Wesseling and published by ex typographia Societatis. Here is the latin version of the original passage (not my extended cite):
"Pars horum in directum fabricata est; pars incuruos per omnia habet reflexus, ut in ictu non tantum fecent, verum etiam frangant carnes, hastilique que reducto vulnus convellant and dilamcinent."
The key phrase is "pars incuruos per omnia habet reflexus" and keywords for the issue at hand are incuruos and reflexus. incuruos means "crooked" or "curved" and reflexus means "bend back". Seeing these words pushes me to think that the correct translation is from the 1814 Booth edition of "others bowed and bending backwards" rather than "spiral" from the 1939 Loeb edition.
So, in my opinion, Diodorus is not describing spiral-like javelins rather javelin points that curve out and back in again (at least going by the latin edition at least). The 1798 edition in this post has both Greek and Latin one above the other so if anyone has Greek they might be able to put the issue to rest.
