Plut. Quaest. Rom. 295.A

Abbreviated Work Title: 

Plut. Quaes.Rom. 295.A

Author: 

Plutarchus

Work: 

Aetia Romana et Graeca

Section: 

Moralia IV, Aetia Graeca 16 (295)

Text: 

  ‘Τί τὸ καλούμενον ὑπὸ Μεγαρέων ἀφάβρωμα;’
Νῖσος, ἀφ’ οὗ προσηγορεύθη Νίσαια, βασιλεύων ἐκ Βοι-
ωτίας ἔγημεν Ἀβρώτην, Ὀγχήστου θυγατέρα Μεγαρέως
δ’ ἀδελφήν, γυναῖκα καὶ τῷ φρονεῖν ὡς ἔοικε περιττὴν
καὶ σώφρονα διαφερόντως. ἀποθανούσης δ’ αὐτῆς οἵ τε
Μεγαρεῖς ἐπένθησαν ἑκουσίως καὶ ὁ Νῖσος ἀιδίαν τινὰ
μνήμην καὶ δόξαν αὐτῆς καταστῆναι βουλόμενος ἐκέλευε.
τὰς ἀστὰς φορεῖν ἣν ἐκείνη στολὴν ἐφόρει, καὶ τὴν στολὴν
‘ἀφάβρωμα’ δι’ ἐκείνην ὠνόμασε. δοκεῖ δὲ τῇ δόξῃ τῆς
γυναικὸς καὶ ὁ θεὸς βοηθῆσαι· πολλάκις γὰρ τὰς ἐσθῆ-
τας ἀλλάξαι βουλομένας τὰς Μεγαρίδας χρησμῷ διεκώ-
λυσε. 

Translation: 

What is it that the Megarians call aphabroma?

When Nisus, from whom Nisaea acquired its name, was king, he took a wife from Boeotia, Habrotê, daughter of Onchestus, the sister of Megareus, a woman who, as it appears, was both exceptionally intelligent and remarkably discreet. When she died, the Megarians mourned her with one accord, and Nisus, wishing that her memory and her repute should be established everlastingly, ordered the women of the city to wear the garment that she used to wear; and because of her he called the garment aphabroma. Even the god seems to have furthered the repute of this woman, for often, when the Megarian women wished to make a change in their raiment, he prevented them by an oracle.

Translated By: 

F. Babbitt (1972)