Eusebeia versus asebeia

As mentioned earlier, the Greeks referred to religious matters by use of the verb
sebesthai tous theous (Aeschylus, Suppliant Women, 921 & Aeschylus, Seven Against
Thebes, 597), which can be translated as ‘to honour the gods’ , to hold to gods in
esteem’ or ‘to pay respect to the gods’ (A Greek Lexicon, compiled by Henry George
Liddell & Robert Scott, p. 1588). The related noun eusebeia also has the embedded
meaning of ‘respect’, based on the Indo-European root seb-1 Eusebeia itself
represented ‘piety’ or ‘reverence towards the gods or parents’ (in the context of ‘the
god Ares polluting reverence’, Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes, 344, ‘reverence to
Zeus’, Sophocles, Electra, 1097, ‘piety and impiety towards the gods or parents’,
Plato, Republic, 615C)) but its exact content remained rather vague and undefined
until Plato’s dialogue Euthyphro, in which piety was conceptualized, based on five
distinctive characteristics. Where eusebeia stands for a respectful approach towards
the gods, asebeia represents the opposite. As with all other forms of sacrilege,
asebeia entailed a form of religious pollution that demanded purification, because
the gods had been defiled. 2 As Robert Parker has argued, the difference between
asebeia and all other forms of sacrilege against the gods, is the fact that asebeia
involved a deliberate transgressive act, while many forms of sacrilege only involved
minor religious offences (technical errors) against the gods. Still, even these minor
offences in daily cultic practice did also demand purification because it involved a
form of impurity towards the gods. Aristotle describes asebeia as transgressions
against ancestral custom (i.e. gods, country and the dead).

In the context of Sophocles’ Electra (1095-1097), respect for customs or laws

(nomima) is closely connected to the concept of eusebia.

ἃ δὲ μέγιστ᾽ ἔβλαστε νό μιμα, τῶ νδε φερομέναν

ἄ ριστα τᾷ Ζηνὸ ς εὐ σεβείᾳ .

“for observance of nature's highest laws you win the noblest prize by your
reverence toward Zeus” (transl. R. C. Jebb)

This is also the case in Xenophon, Memorabilia, 4.4.19, where Hippias says to
Socrates:

“I think that the gods made these laws for men. For among all men the first law is
to fear the gods.” First, it is customary for men to fear the gods.

θεοὺ ς οἶμαι τοὺ ς νό μους τού τους τοῖς ἀ νθρώ ποις θεῖναι: καὶ γὰ ρ παρὰ πᾶ σιν
ἀ νθρώ ποις πρῶ τον νομίζεται θεοὺ ς σέβειν.

So the expression theous nomizein has the intrinsic function to respect and fear
the gods, in Aeschylus’ Persians, 497-499, theous nomizein is synonymous with

1
Burkert (1985) & Bremmer (1994)
2
Parker (1983), p. 144
Jebb R. C. (transl.) (1894), Sophocles, The Electra, Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge.

Aeschylus, Persians, 497-499:

θεοὺ ς δέ τις
τὸ πρὶν νομίζων οὐ δαμοῦ τό τ᾽ ηὔ χετο
λιταῖσι, γαῖαν οὐ ρανό ν τε προσκυνῶ ν.

“Many a man who before that had held the gods in no esteem, implored them
then in supplication, doing obeisance to earth and heaven” (transl. H.W. Smyth)

H.W.Smyth (transl.) (1926), Aeschylus (vol. I-II), William Heinemann, London.

καταγελῶ ντες τῶ ν θεῶ ν καὶ τῶ ν νό μων τῶ ν ὑ μετέρων. (Lysias V (Gernet &

Bizos), Against Cinesias

Pseudo-Lysias (VII, 9): he did not pay respect to gods and man (oute theous oute
anthropous)

respect for the gods is closely connected to laws or customs of men. In this light,

Lycurgus, Against Leocrates, 94

ἡ γοῦ μαι δ᾽ ἔγωγ᾽, ὦ ἄ νδρες, τὴ ν τῶ ν θεῶ ν ἐπιμέλειαν πά σας μὲν τὰ ς

ἀ νθρωπίνας πρά ξεις ἐπισκοπεῖν, μά λιστα δὲ τὴ ν περὶ τοὺ ς γονέας καὶ τοὺ ς
τετελευτηκό τας καὶ τὴ ν πρὸ ς αὑ τοὺ ς εὐ σέβειαν

It is my belief, gentlemen, that the guidance of the gods presides over all human
affairs and more especially, as is to be expected, over our duty towards our
parents, towards the dead and towards the gods themselves.

Lycurgus. Minor Attic Orators in two volumes, 2, with an English translation by J.

O. Burtt, M.A. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William
Heinemann Ltd. 1962.

The first appearance of theous nomizien in Persians 497 by Aeschylus in 472 BC

does not allow any assessment of the expression: ‘to believe’ or ‘to sacrifice’. The
context rather seems to indicate that theous nomizein still has a general
meaning, in the sense ‘to honour the gods’ (Fahr 158) and therefore functions as
a synonym for sebesthai tous theous. Differently is the case with Herodotus’
Histories in c. 440 BC. Here we can observe already double meaning of the verb
nomizein. In 4.63.1, nomizein is unmistakably used in the sense of ‘to sacrifice’ or
‘ to make offerings’ : Herodotus reports that the Scythians did not sacrifice
swine , but in 4.59.1 Herodotus informs that the Scythians believed that Earth
was the wife of Zeus. In both passages, the context does not allow a different
meaning of nomizein.

Fahr thinks the double meaning of nomizein is to know (eidenai) and to use
customarily’, 4.59.1 is interpreted as the Scythians celebrated Earth as the wife
of Zeus. (verb Thuein). He sees no indication that Herodotus (Fahr 41) already
used nomizein (tous theous) in the sense of ‘believe’ and therefore rejects
Liddell-Scott

Herodotus (Histories, 4.59.1):

τὰ μὲν δὴ μέγιστα οὕ τω σφι εὔ πορα ἐστί, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ νό μαια κατὰ τά δε σφι

διακέεται. θεοὺ ς μὲν μού νους τού σδε ἱλά σκονται, Ἱστίην μὲν μά λιστα, ἐπὶ δὲ Δία
καὶ Γῆ ν, νομίζοντες τὴ ν Γῆ ν τοῦ Διὸ ς εἶναι γυναῖκα, μετὰ δὲ τού τους, Ἀπό λλωνά
τε καὶ οὐ ρανίην Ἀφροδίτην καὶ Ἡρακλέα καὶ Ἄρεα. τού τους μὲν πά ντες Σκύ θαι
νενομίκασι, οἱ δὲ καλεό μενοι βασιλή ιοι Σκύ θαι καὶ τῷ Ποσειδέωνι θύ ουσι.

“The most important things are thus provided them. It remains now to show the
customs which are established among them. The only gods whom they propitiate
are these: Hestia in particular, and secondly Zeus and Earth, whom they believe
to be the wife of Zeus; after these, Apollo, and the Heavenly Aphrodite, and
Heracles, and Ares. All the Scythians worship these as gods; the Scythians called
Royal sacrifice to Poseidon also” (transl. A.D. Godley).

Fahr is right that νενομίκασι, has ritual meaning, but this cannot be said of
νομίζοντες. Fahr dismisses Liddell&Scott because of the inclusion of (theous),
arguing that Herodotus would have used tous theous . Fahr translates this form
of nomizein as to ‘celebrate’

Theognis (I, 141-142)

ἄ νθρωποι δὲ μά ταια νομίζομεν, εἰδοτες οὐ δέν:

θ εο ὶ δὲ κατὰ σφέτερον πά ντα τελοῦ σι νό ον.

We men practise vain things, knowing nought, while the Gods accomplish all to
their mind.

Theognis (I, 279-280)

εἰκό ς τοι κακὸ ν ἄ νδρα κακῶ ς τὰ δίκαια νομίζειν,

μηδεμίαν κατό πισθ᾽ ἁ ζό μενον νέμεσιν:

Tis but likely that the bad man should think ill of what is right, and have no
respect for any retribution to come;

J.M. Edmonds (1931), Greek Elegy and Iambus, Volume 1: Greek Elegy and Iambus, Volume I: Elegiac Poets from
Callinus to Critias (including Tyrtaeus, Mimnermus, Solon, ... Theognis) (Loeb Classical Library)