The Greek Hat: 2 Maccabees 4:12 as a Euphemism for Reverse Circumcision

Abstract

Biblical Hebrew is known for its creative avoidance of mentioning intimate body parts. Did such euphemisms continue in Greek-speaking Judaism? This article proposes that the “Greek hat” in 2 Maccabees 4:12 is not (or at least not only) a literal hat or a vague metaphor for Hellenism, as has been suggested through the centuries. Instead, it is a sly euphemism for a foreskin, and refers to the practice of epispasm, or the restructuring of a penis to reverse the look of circumcision. Such a reading fits well with the text’s anxiety around the gymnasium and its concern for Torah observance.

Keywords

• epispasm
• 2 maccabees
• judaism
• hellenism
• torah
• petasos
• circumcision