1.9  Second Counter Ruse: The Dead Hand (primer)

** Space bar; then repeat the Greek, then say the translation**

Καὶ ἡ μὲν παῖς ἐποίει

And the daughter was doing

τὰ προς-ταχθέντα ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς·

the things ordered by her father.

ὁ δὲ φὼρ

The thief

( ᾔσθετο γάρ που

( for he realised I suppose

ἕνεκα ὅτου ταῦτα πράσσοιτο)

the the sake of what these are being done)

ἐβούλετο καὶ οὕτω

wished even so

περι-γενέσθαι τοῦ βασιλέως  τέχναις·

to get ahead of the king in cunning tricks.

ἀπο-ταμὼν οὖν χεῖρα τινὸς προσφάτου νεκροῦ

Having cut off therefore the hand of some recently killed dead man

ᾔει ἔχων ταύτην κεκρυμμένην ὑπὸ τοῦ ἱματίου.

he went having this hidden under his cloak.

καὶ οὕτω δὴ

And in this way

εἰς-ελθὼν εἰς τὴν θυγατέρα τοῦ βασιλέως

going in to the daughter of the king

ἠρωτᾶτο μέν αὐτὰ, ἅπερ καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι ·

he was asked the same things what things also the others < were asked>. ἀφ-ηγήσατο δὲ,

And he described,

ὡς μὲν εἴη εἰργασμένος ἀνοσιώτατον

how he was having done the most shocking thing,

ὅτε ἀπο-τάμοι τὴν κεφαλήν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ

when he cut off the head of his brother

ἁλόντος πάγῃ ἐν τῷ θησαυρῷ τοῦ βασιλέως ·

captured by the trap in the treasure-house of the king;

σοφώτατον δὲ,

while the cleverest,

ὅτε κατα-μεθύσας τοὺς φύλακας,

when having made drunk the guards,

λάθοι κατα-λύσας τὸν κρεμάμενον  νέκυν  τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ.

he escaped notice having released the hanging corpse of his brother.