[ Η Αείμνηστος ιστορικός Πόπη Αποστολάκη ...... (εφ.ΠΑΤΡΙΣ
6/4/2009) είχε προτείνει τη σύνδεση του ονόματος του Μοχού < ο Μοχός, με το όνομα
του φιλοσόφου από την Σιδώνα Μόχου < ο Μόχος. Η μόνη διαφορά των δύο
ονομάτων είναι η αλλαγή του τόνου, κάτι που συμβαίνει συχνά και σήμερα, π.χ. η
καρδία έγινε καρδιά, η Καλλή έγινε Κάλλη. Ο φιλόσοφος Μόχος αναφέρεται από τον
αρχαίο ‘Έλληνα γεωγράφο, ιστορικό Στράβωνα (Strab. 16, 757), ο οποίος έζησε από
το 64/63 π. Χ. ως το 23 μ. Χ. Ως γνωστόν ο Στράβων περιηγήθηκε και μελέτησε
αρκετά την Κρήτη.
[ Παραθέτω ορισμένα
στοιχεία απο κάποια έρευνα την οποία
έκανα για να τεκμηριώσω το
προαναφερόμενο δημοσίευμα της
Αειμνήστου Ιστορικού Πόπης Αποστολάκη.....και αφιερώνω στην Μνήμη
της την όλη προσπάθειά μου...]
Ο Μόχος όπως αναφέρει ο
Αμπέλιος είναι Αρχαίος Έλλην Φιλόσοφος απο την Σιδώνα της Φοινίκης και ειναι ο
εφευρέτης του Ζυγού [της ζυγαριάς απο την οποία πήρε το όνομα και το σχήμα ο
αστερισμός Ζυγός]. Ο Διογένης ο Λαέρτιος μας αναφέρει στις βιογραφίες του ότι
έζησε την περίοδο πριν απο τον Τρωϊκό
Πόλεμο......
“Mochos the Phoenician Sage in Ampelius,” in Classical
Journal 111.4 (2016) 495–501
MŌCHOS THE
PHOENICIAN SAGE IN AMPELIUS
Abstract: Ampelius 2.7 explains that Libra
honors the inventor of the balance, the puzzling and much-emended personal name
MOCHOS. Emendation is unnecessary: “Mōchos” is attested as an early Phoenician
sage of Sidon, by Poseidonios, and in a translation by the Platonist Ofellius Laetus (ca. 75 CE). Ampelius may have drawn
Mōchos and Libra from Ofellius, or like much of his lore on zodiacal
constellations, from Nigidius, or from another unknown source. Ampelius
explains two other zodiacal constellations similarly: Capricorn (2.10) honors
Pan’s defeat of Typhon in Egypt, and Pisces (2.12) honors Venus’ birth from an
egg found in the Euphrates....
Ampelius’
Liber Memorialis
is a small encyclopedia or epitome on
cosmology, geography, theology and history, addressed to his student Macrinus,
describing the world and what is in it, including the twelve constellations of
the zodiac. His explanation of Libra (2.7) contains a puzzling name (and other
difficulties):
Libra, quam
Graeci zygon appellant, uirile nomen est: adeptusque is, omni clementiae
iustitia, +MOCHOS+ dictus, qui primus dicitur librae pondus hominibus
inuenisse, quae utilissima mortalibus aestimantur; ideoque in numerum stellarum
et receptus est, et Libra est dictus.
1
Libra, which the Greeks call “Zygon,” is a
masculine name: and a man called +MOCHOS+ obtained (it), with full justice of
indulgence, who is said to have first invented for people the weighing of the balance (“libra”), which is
considered most useful for mortals; and therefore he was both received into the
number of stars, and was called Libra
PAUL T.
KEYSER 496
Libra, quam
Graeci zygon appellant, uirile nomen est adeptus summa clementia et iustitia;
+MOCHOS+ <est> dictus, qui<a> primus dicitur libram et pondus
[hominibus] inuenisse, quae utilissima mortalibus aestimantur; ideoque in
numerum stellarum est receptus [est] et Libra est dictus.
2
Libra, which the Greeks call “Zygon,” is a
masculine name obtained with highest
indulgence and justice; he was (formerly) called +MOCHOS+, because he is said
to be the first to have invented the
balance (“libra”) and weighing, which is considered most useful for
mortals; and therefore he was received into the number of stars, and was called Libra.
The Latin
text offers various problems, solved differently by the two editors, but my focus here is on the name. In each
editor’s text, I have restored the received reading of the puzzling name,
MOCHOS
.
Emendations vary,
3
and according to Arnaud-Lindet it is the
absence of any name “Mochos” in ancient texts that renders the received text
unacceptable.
4
But there is no need for any emendation, and
the reading of the MS is correct; contrary to earlier assertions, there is
indeed a “Mochos” known in Greek texts. This is the early sage “Mōchos of
Sidon,” first recorded in Poseidonios: “If it’s necessary to believe
Poseidonios, even the teaching about atoms is ancient, (a teaching) of a
Sidonian man Mōchos, who lived before Trojan times” (εἰ δὲ δεῖ Ποσειδωνίῳ πιστεῦσαι,
καὶ τὸ περὶ τῶν ἀτόμων δόγμα παλαιόν ἐστιν ἀνδρὸς Σιδωνίου Μώχου πρὸ τῶν Τρωικῶν χρόνων
γεγονότος).
5
Three later Greek sources also treat Mōchos as
an early Phoenician philosopher, namely: Diogenes Laertios 1.1 (López-Ruiz
(2009) F 2: Φοίνικά τε γενέσθαι <Μ>ῶχον);
6
Iamblichos,
De Vita Pythagorica
13 (López-Ruiz (2009) F 5: Μώχου τοῦ φυσιολόγου
προφήτου); and Damaskios,
De principiis
125c (López-Ruiz (2009) F 4: τὴν Φοινίκων…κατὰ
Μῶχον μυθολογίαν), who records a précis of Mōchos’ cosmogony. The consistency
of the testimonies, coupled with the rarity of the name “Mōchos,” argues for
the unity of the figure. Moreover, the same name Mōchos is thrice cited as a
source for early Phoenician history, by Josephos,
Jewish Antiquities
1.107 (López-Ruiz (2009) F 3a: Μῶχός τε καὶ…οἱ
τὰ Φοινικικὰ συγγραψάμενοι, “Mōchos and…the writers of
Phoenician Matters
”), by
Tatian,
To the
Greeks
§37 (López-Ruiz (2009) T1: τὰ Φοινίκων… γεγόνασι
παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς…Μῶχος, “works about Phoenicians: among them were…Mōchos”), and by
Athenaios,
Deipnosophists
3.126A (López-Ruiz (2009) F 3b: παρὰ τοῖς τὰ
Φοινικικὰ συγγεγραφόσι Σαγχουνιάθωνι καὶ Μώχωι, “among those who wrote
Phoenician Matters
, Sanchuniathon and Mōchos”). According to Tatian, a certain “Laitos”
translated Mōchos and other Phoenician books into Greek (
To the
Greeks
§37: López-Ruiz (2009) T1 + F 1a): “…Laitos,
who also wrote accurately on the lives of philosophers, translated the books of these men into Greek speech”
(…τούτων τὰς βίβλους εἰς Ἑλληνίδα κατέταξεν φωνὴν Λαῖτος ὁ καὶ τοὺς βίους τῶν
φιλοσόφων ἐπ᾽ ἀκριβὲς πραγματευσάμενος).
Tatian records that Laitos’ translations also discussed the arrival of Menelaos
in Phoenicia and the marriage of Solomon to the daughter of Hiram, King of
Tyre.
7
That is, Tatian identifies Mōchos the early
Phoenician
philosopher
with Mōchos the early Phoenician historian, as translated by “Laitos.” However,
the name “Laitos” is extremely rare in Greek, and there are no known instances
before the first century CE.
8
It must be the Greek transliteration of the
Latin cognomen “Laetus” (“glad”). The “Laitos” of Tatian has been identified
with the “Laitos” of Plutarch,
Natural Questions
2 (911F, López-Ruiz (2009) F 7) and 6 (913E,
López-Ruiz (2009) F 8), who is the same as the Platonist Ofellius Laetus
(active ca. 50–95 CE), recorded in two Ephesian inscriptions.
9
The work of Ofellius Laetus in translating
Mōchos of Sidon may be compared to that of his near-coeval Philon of Byblos
(active ca. 115–125 CE) in translating the early Phoenician sage
Sanchouniathon:
10
each is translating (or inventing) an early
Phoenician culture-hero antedating all Greek culture, who is credited with wisdom. The Menander of Ephesos cited by
Josephos for translations of Tyrian records provides another possibly
contemporary parallel.
11
There is a
prima facie
problem for the identification of Laitos the
translator of Mōchos with Ofellius Laetus the Platonist (ca. 50–95 CE), if we
assume that “Laitos” was the sole Greek (or Latin) source for Mōchos, and must
lie behind Poseidonios’ remark (ca. 86–60 BCE). Although Strabo 16.2.24
reporting Poseidonios does not mention “Laitos,” the consensus, seen in
Jacoby’s dating of “Laitos” and in López-Ruiz (2009, F 6), is that “Laitos” was
Poseidonios’ source. But that is not possible, given the evidence about the
name “Laitos.” Poseidonios may well have learned about Mōchos in his youth in
Syria, and indeed the citation (preserved in Strabo) is brief, i.e., consistent
with an oral tradition. Thus we have a tradition like this: first, and perhaps
primarily oral, when Poseidonios (active ca. 86–60 BCE) cites the early sage
Mōchos of Sidon; Nigidius follows Poseidonios. Then, a more creative stage
about 150 years later: when Ofellius
Laetus (a Platonist who wrote on natural science) translates into Greek, or
fabricates, the cosmogonical and mytho-historical work(s) of Mōchos. The
translation was read by Josephos (ca. 95 CE), by Tatian (ca. 180 CE), by Diogenes
Laertios (ca. 200 CE), by (the source of) Athenaios (ca. 235 CE), by Iamblichos
(ca. 310 CE), by Damaskios (ca. 510 CE), and perhaps by Nonnos (ca. 460 CE).
12
So, where did Ampelius read about Mōchos?
There are two known choices: (1) the Greek translation by Ofellius Laetus, and
(2) the Latin writer Nigidius — though the actual source may be some no longer
known work. Ampelius’ section on the zodiac is based on Nigidius Figulus
(active ca. 70–45 BCE),
Sphaera
Graecanica
, as is shown by the fragments of Nigidius
preserved in the scholia to Germanicus,
Aratea
.
13
So the simplest solution would be to attribute
all of Ampelius’ material on the zodiac
to Nigidius (who presumably learned about Mōchos from his near-coeval,
Poseidonios). However, Ampelius’ material on two of the zodiac signs, namely
Cancer (2.4) and Libra (2.7), is not represented in the scholia to Germanicus,
Aratea
. That is,
the basis for attributing Ampelius’ material on Cancer and Libra to Nigidius
is weaker than is the basis for
attributing Ampelius’ material on the other ten signs to Nigidius. Note that
the separation of the constellation “Claws” from the Scorpion, and subsequent
renaming as Libra, might perhaps have been absent from Nigidius (cf., e.g.,
Aratos, 544–52, the twelve signs of the Zodiac, including 546: Παρθένος, αἱ δ’ ἐπί
οἱ Χηλαὶ καὶ Σκορπίος αὐτὸς, “The Virgin, and the Claws upon him, and the
Scorpion himself”).
14
Nevertheless, it seems most likely that Ampelius simply continues to transcribe
Nigidius, rather than serving as an independent author who knew of Mōchos.
Indeed, using an early eastern culture-hero to explain a zodiacal sign is seen
in two of the other signs. First, for the constellation Capricorn, according to
Nigidius fr. 98 (Ampelius 2.10, Hyginus 2.28, and the scholia), it is Pan’s
defeat in Egypt of the monster Typhon that explains the sign; the longer
version of Nigidius in the scholia is extensive and very Egypto-centric.
15
Second, for the constellation Pisces,
according to Nigidius fr. 100 (Ampelius 2.12, Hyginus 2.30, and the scholia),
some fish found a huge egg in the Euphrates River, and expelled it onto dry
land, where a dove hatched it and gave birth to Venus (called a Syrian goddess
in the longer version of Nigidius in the scholia), so that later Zeus divinized
the fish.
16
Whatever was his source, Ampelius 2.7 records
that the Syrian myth of an early culture-hero, the sage Mōchos of Sidon, who
invented the balance(?), is the etiology of the zodiacal constellation Libra.
17
The name in the text is sound, even if some of
the Latin is likely corrupted, and we should read MOCHOS. P
PAULT.T.KEYSER
Independent
Scholar.Paul.t.keyser.dr.dr@gmail.com
"Laitos (-Mochos) (FGrH/BNJ
784)." Brill’s New Jacoby. Editor in Chief: Ian Worthington (University of
Missouri). Brill Online (published 2009
·
Carolina López-Ruiz
Συντάκτης: Ian Worthington (Πανεπιστήμιο
του Μισσούρι). Brill Online (δημοσιευμένο το 2009
MOCHOS......ΜΟΧΟΣ......
After the Chaldaeans, such are the antiquitiesof the
Phoenicians: among them emergedthree men, Theodotos, Hypsikrates, andMochos;
their books Laitos translated into theGreek language, the one who also
treatedaccurately the lives of the philosophers. (F 1follows)... Mochos is
named here as one of three writers on Phoenician antiquities translated by
Laitos, who wrote in Greek probably around
the second century BC............
Μετά από τους Χαλδαίους, όπως είναι οι αρχαιότητες των Φοίνικων: ανάμεσα
στους οποίους εμφανίστηκαν τρεις άντρες, ο Θεοδότος, ο Υψηκράτης και ο Μόχος.
τα βιβλία τους Laitos μεταφράστηκαν στην ελληνική γλώσσα, εκείνη που
επεξεργάστηκε επίσης με ακρίβεια τη ζωή των φιλοσόφων..
Ο Μοχός ονομάζεται εδώ ως ένας από τους τρεις συγγραφείς των φοινικικών
αρχαιοτήτων που μεταφράστηκαν από τον Λάϊτο, ο οποίος έγραψε στα ελληνικά
πιθανότατα γύρω στο δεύτερο αιώνα π.Χ........
Whether they were Greek (orGreek-speaking) authors or
not, Laitos is credited with translating authentic Phoenician texts, which
might be a rhetorical device to boost the originality and veracity of his work.
Of thesethree authors, Mochos is the only one who is more certainly an ancient
Phoenician source,usually placed outside historical times (see the other
passages below and biographical essay).In this and other passages, however,
Mochos is mentioned side by side with authors who mustbelong to more recent
times given their Hellenic (or Hellenized) names.......
Είτε ήταν Έλληνες (ή Ελληνόφωνοι) συγγραφείς είτε όχι, ο Λάϊτος
πιστώνεται με τη μετάφραση αυθεντικών φοινικικών κειμένων, που μπορεί να είναι
μια ρητορική συσκευή για την ενίσχυση της πρωτοτυπίας και της αληθινότητας του
έργου του. Από τους τρεις συγγραφείς, ο Μοχός είναι ο μόνος που είναι σίγουρα μια
αρχαία φοινικική πηγή, συνήθως τοποθετημένη έξω από την ιστορική εποχή.........
....Surely
aided by ThalesÉ , he (Pythagoras)sailed to Sidon, having learned that it was
hisfatherland by nature and thinking well thatfrom that place the trip to Egypt
would beeasier for him. (14) There he joined the heirs of Mochos the
physiologist-prophet and theother Phoenician hierophants, and wasinitiated in
all the mysteries of Byblos andTyre, and in select sacred rites
performedthroughout the greater part of Syria.....
.. Σίγουρα με τη βοήθεια του Θαλλή, αυτός (Πυθαγόρας)
ταξίδεψε στη Σιδώνα, έχοντας μάθει ότι ήταν φύση από τη φύση και σκέφτηκε καλά
ότι από εκείνο το μέρος το ταξίδι στην Αίγυπτο θα ήταν beeasier γι 'αυτόν. (14)
Εκεί ένωσε τους κληρονόμους του Μοχού, τον φυσιολόγο-προφήτη και τους άλλους
φοινικικούς ιεροφάντες, και ξεκίνησε σε όλα τα μυστήρια του Βίβλου και της
Τυρίας και σε επιλεγμένα ιερά τελετουργικά που εκτελέστηκαν σε όλο το
μεγαλύτερο μέρος της Συρίας......
we are to believe Poseidonios (87 F 67), theancient theory about the
atoms also comesfrom a Sidonian man, Mochos, who livedbefore the Trojan times....
πρέπει να πιστέψουμε στον
Ποσειδώνα (87 F 67), η αρχαία θεωρία για τα άτομα προέρχεται επίσης από έναν
Σιδωνικό άνθρωπο, τον Μόχο, που έζησε πριν από τους Τρωικούς χρόνους......
As for Mochos, the passageplaces him around the time of the
Trojan war ....., which for theGreeks meant the end of the heroic era (Bronze
Age in historical terms). Mochos can bepaired with the other legendary writer
of Phoenician antiquities, Sanchuniathon, placed by Philon of Byblos in the
same period....
Όσο για τον Μόχο, το πέρασμα του
γύρω από το χρόνο του Τρωικού πολέμου ... που για τους Έλληνες σήμαινε το τέλος
της ηρωικής εποχής (εποχή του Χαλκού σε ιστορικούς όρους). Ο Μοχός μπορεί να
ζευγαρωθεί με τον άλλο θρυλικό συγγραφέα των φοινικικών αρχαιοτήτων, τον
Σανχουμιάθωνα, τον οποίο έβαλε ο ίδιος ο Φίλων του Βυφλού......
shorter version inF1B), other fragments make reference only
to Laitos (F 7 and F 8), and others only to Mochos(F 2, F 3A, F 3B, F 4). While
we may assume that in the latter case Mochos is known throughthe testimony
(translation) of Laitos, we cannot be certain that he was known only
throughLaitos. It also seems that some authors are more precise in placing
Mochos (separately fromLaitos) in very ancient times: either before the Trojan
War (F 6), next to Sanchuniathon (F3B), who also belongs before the Trojan War
(see Philon of Byblos in 790), or generations beforePythagoras (F 5). Other
authors, however, seem to equate Mochos with other Hellenistic writers....
................ Φαίνεται επίσης
ότι μερικοί συγγραφείς είναι πιο ακριβείς στην τοποθέτηση του Μοχού (ξεχωριστά
από τον Λάιτο) σε πολύ αρχαίες εποχές: είτε πριν τον Τρωικό πόλεμο (F 6), δίπλα
στον Σανχουμιάθων (F3B), ο οποίος ανήκει και πριν από τον Τρωικό πόλεμο (βλ.
Philon of Byblos το 790), ή γενιές πριν τον Πυθαγόρα (F 5). Άλλοι συγγραφείς,
ωστόσο, φαίνεται να εξισώνουν τον Μόχο με άλλους Ελληνιστικούς συγγραφείς................
ΠΗΓΗ. https://www.academia.edu/19611331/_Laitos_-Mochos_FGrH_BNJ_784_._Brill_s_New_Jacoby._Editor_in_Chief_Ian_Worthington_University_of_Missouri_._Brill_Online_published_2009_
“Mochos the Phoenician Sage in Ampelius,” in Classical
Journal 111.4 (2016) 495–501
2016
. After theChaldaeans, such are the antiquitiesof thePhoenicians: among them emergedthree men,Theodotos,Hypsikrates, andMochos; their booksLaitos translated into theGreek language, the one who
also treatedaccurately the lives of the philosophers. (F 1follows)
Commentary
Mochos is named here as one of three writers onPhoenician antiquities translated byLaitos, who wrote inGreek probably around the second century
BC. The
Ο Μόχος έκ της Σιδώνος κατά την κοινή γνώ, , -
![Περιγραφή: [merged small][ocr errors]](file:///C:/Users/Giannis/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.jpg)
μην έδωκε την ιδέαν των ατόμων προτε Τρωικό πο, λέμε... οδηγόμενοι οι Φοίνικες από τον Κάδμον ήλ, θον εις την Ελλάδα, όπε έκτισαν την
πρώτην πόλιν, η οποία επομένως ωνομάσθη Θήβα, και έδιδας ξαν τις κατοίκες αυτής την τέχνην το γράφειν, ανεχώρησαν έπειτα εις την Κύπρο, εις τας νήσος
το Αιγαία πελάγες, και εις τα παράλια της Αφρικής, τα οποία αυτοί επόλισαν, αρχίσαντες από την Αίγυπτον, και φθάσαντες ως τον Ηράκλει τον Ισθμόν (α) επειδή δε οι Φοίνικες έγνώρι, σαν το ηλεκτρον, και με αυτό έπραγματεύοντο, δια τέτο έφθασαν με τα πλοία των έως εις τα παράλια της Βαλτικής,
-- 43
10.11.10)Translation
Subject: Text transmission; Genre:Ethnography Source Date:2nd century ADHistorian's Date:2nd century BCHistorical Period:n.a.µ.... After theChaldaeans, such are the antiquitiesof thePhoenicians: among them emergedthree men,Theodotos,Hypsikrates, andMochos; their booksLaitos translated into theGreek language, the one who
also treatedaccurately the lives of the philosophers. (F 1follows)
Commentary
Mochos is named here as one of three writers onPhoenician antiquities translated byLaitos, who wrote inGreek probably around the second century
BC. The
VW
rst one mentioned,Theodotos, is otherwise unknown as a writer on
Phoenician antiquities. He might be the sameF 4 : Damaskios, Deprincipiis 125 c (I p. 323Ruelle)F 5 : Iamblichos, De vitaPythagorica 13F 6 : Strabon, 16.2.24 p. 757F 7 : Plutarchos, AetiaPhysica 2 p. 911 FF 8 : Ploutarchos, AetiaPhysica 6 p. 913 EBiographical Essay Bibliography
......μετά δε τους Χαλδαίους τα Φοινίκων ούτως
έχει..γεγόνασι παρ’ αυτοίς άνδρες
τρείς..Θεόδοτος, Υψικράτης, Μώχος..τούτων τας βίβλους εις Ελληνίδα κατέταξεν
φωνήν Λάϊος ο και τους βίους των
Φιλοσόφων επ’ ακριβές πραγματευσάμενος.....
ΠΗΓΗ. https://www.academia.edu/19611331/_Laitos_-Mochos_FGrH_BNJ_784_._Brill_s_New_Jacoby._Editor_in_Chief_Ian_Worthington_University_of_Missouri_._Brill_Online_published_2009_Την ολοκληρωμένη δική μου εκδοχή σχετικά με την προέλευση του τοπωνυμίου ‘’Μοχός ‘’ την αναφέρω σε προηγούμενο δημοσίευμά μου στο παρόν ιστολόγιο......ΜΟΧΟΣ.Μινωϊκό Τοπωνύμιο..
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