Jordanes Dacian or Gothic 'bi-lageineis'

From: alexandru_mg3
Message: 44243
Date: 2006-04-11

A similar attested term for 'law' (I mean similar somehow with the
Latin le:x) is Jordanes' 'bi-lageineis' [that could mean "by-
laws"? ].

I'm confused if 'bi-lageineis' is really a Dacian term or a Germanic
one, due to Jordanes confusion between Goths and Getai :
Jordanes talks about dacian Decaineus that write these laws however
is not sure if Jordanes used his own Gothic term for them or the
Dacian one:
Jordanes:
<<Quibus hoc erat salubre, hoc accommodum, hoc votivum, ut, quicquid
Decaeneus eorum consiliarius praecepisset, hoc modis omnibus
expetendum, hoc utile judicantes, effectui manciparent.

Qui cernens eorum animos sibi in omnibus oboedire et naturale eos
habere ingenium, in omni paene philosophia eos instruxit: erat
namque hujus rei magister peritus.

Nam ethicam eos erudiens, barbaricos mores compescuit; physicam
tradens, naturaliter propriis legibus vivere fecit, quas usque nunc
conscriptas "bi-lageineis" nuncupant; >>


<<Their safety, their advantage, their one hope lay in this, that
whatever their counselor Decaeneus advised should by all means be
done; and they judged it expedient that they should put it into
effect.

And when he saw that their minds were obedient to him in all things
and that they had natural ability, he taught them almost the whole
of philosophy, for he was a skilled master of this subject.

Thus by teaching them ethics he restrained their barbarous customs;
by instructing them in the science of nature, he made them live
naturally under laws of their own, which they possess in written
form to this day and call "bi-lageineis". >>





However Jordanes seems to usually use 'the Dacian terms' when he
previously describe the Dacian society)

<< Qui dicit primum Tarabosteseos, deinde vocatos Pilleatos hos, qui
inter eos generosi exstabant, ex quibus eis et reges et sacerdotes
ordinabantur. >>

<<He says that those of noble birth among them, from whom their
kings and priests were appointed, were called first Tarabostesei and
then Pilleati>>


Marius


P>S> Is there a Danish term: "bi-lagines" ? (thanks)