The Queen's Ultimatum and Gyges' Choice to Kill the King — Herodotus, Histories Book 1 (1.11.1–1.11.5), Greek & English

§1.11.1

τότε μὲν δὴ οὕτω οὐδέν δηλώσασα ἡσυχίην εἶχε. ὡς δὲ ἡμέρη τάχιστα ἐγεγόνεε, τῶν οἰκετέων τοὺς μάλιστα ὥρα¹ πιστοὺς ἐόντας ἑωυτῇ, ἑτοίμους ποιησαμένη ἐκάλεε τὸν Γύγεα. ὁ δὲ οὐδὲν δοκέων αὐτήν τῶν πρηχθέντων ἐπίστασθαι ἦλθε καλεόμενος· ἐώθεε γὰρ καὶ πρόσθε, ὅκως ἡ βασίλεια καλέοι, φοιτᾶν.

For the time being, then, showing nothing in this way, she remained quiet. But as soon as day broke, having made ready those of her servants whom she saw to be most faithful to herself, she summoned Gyges. He, thinking that she knew nothing of what had been done, came when summoned; for he had been accustomed also in the past to attend whenever the queen should call.

§1.11.2

ὡς δὲ ὁ Γύγης ἀπίκετο, ἔλεγε ἡ γυνὴ τάδε. νῦν τοί δυῶν ὁδῶν παρεουσέων² Γύγη δίδωμί αἵρεσιν, ὁκοτέρην βούλεαι τραπέσθαι. ἢ γὰρ Κανδαύλεα ἀποκτείνας ἐμέ τε καὶ τὴν βασιληίην ἔχε τὴν Λυδῶν, ἢ αὐτόν σε αὐτίκα οὕτω ἀποθνήσκειν δεῖ, ὡς ἂν μὴ πάντα πειθόμενος Κανδαύλῃ τοῦ λοιποῦ ἴδῃς³ τὰ μὴ σε δεῖ.

And when Gyges arrived, the woman spoke as follows: “Now, Gyges, since two ways are before you, I give you a choice of which one you wish to turn to. For either, having killed Candaules, hold me and the kingdom of the Lydians, or you yourself must die immediately on the spot, so that you may not in the future, by obeying Candaules in everything, see what you ought not to see.

§1.11.3

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι κεῖνόν γε τὸν ταῦτα βουλεύσαντα δεῖ ἀπόλλυσθαι, ἢ σε τὸν ἐμὲ γυμνήν θεησάμενον καὶ ποιήσαντα οὐ νομιζόμενα. ὁ δὲ Γύγης τέως μὲν ἀπεθώμαζε τὰ λεγόμενα, μετὰ δὲ ἱκέτευε μὴ μιν ἀναγκαίῃ ἐνδέειν διακρῖναι τοιαύτην αἵρεσιν.

Indeed, either he who planned these things must perish, or you, who beheld me naked and did what is not customary.” And Gyges for a time indeed was astounded at what was said, but afterwards he begged her not to bind him to the necessity of making such a choice.

§1.11.4

οὔκων δὴ ἔπειθε, ἀλλʼ ὥρα ἀναγκαίην ἀληθέως προκειμένην ἢ τὸν δεσπότεα ἀπολλύναι ἢ αὐτὸν ὑπʼ ἄλλων ἀπόλλυσθαι· αἱρέεται αὐτὸς περιεῖναι.⁴ ἐπειρώτα δὴ λέγων τάδε. ἐπεί με ἀναγκάζεις δεσπότεα τὸν ἐμὸν κτείνειν οὐκ ἐθέλοντα, φέρε ἀκούσω τέῳ καὶ τρόπῳ ἐπιχειρήσομεν αὐτῷ.

However, he could not persuade her, but saw that a necessity was truly lying before him, either to destroy his master or to be destroyed himself by others; so he chose to survive himself. He then asked, saying: “Since you force me to kill my master against my will, come, let me hear in what way and manner we shall set upon him.”

§1.11.5

ἣ δὲ ὑπολαβοῦσα ἔφη ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μὲν χωρίου ἡ ὁρμή ἔσται ὅθεν περ καὶ ἐκεῖνος ἐμέ ἐπεδέξατο⁵ γυμνήν, ὑπνωμένῳ δὲ ἡ ἐπιχείρησις ἔσται.

And she, replying, said: “The attack shall be from the very same place where he displayed me naked, and the attempt shall be made when he is asleep.”

Syntax notes5 items

1.11.1ὥρα
The imperfect ὥρα is Ionic for Attic ἑώρα (imperfect of ὁράω, "to see, perceive"), lacking the temporal augment.
1.11.2δυῶν ὁδῶν παρεουσέων
Genitive absolute. δυῶν (Attic δυοῖν) is genitive, and παρεουσέων (Attic παρουσῶν) is the feminine genitive plural of the present participle, exhibiting Ionic inflection.
1.11.2ὡς ἂν μὴ... ἴδῃς
Purpose clause introduced by ὡς ἄν + subjunctive. While ἄν in purpose clauses is rare in Attic prose, it is common with ὡς or ὅπως in Ionic prose (such as Herodotus) and poetry.
1.11.4αἱρέεται αὐτός περιεῖναι
Since the subject of the main verb αἱρέεται ("chooses") and the subject of the infinitive περιεῖναι ("to survive") are the same, the subject of the infinitive is expressed in the nominative (αὐτός) rather than the accusative.
1.11.5ἐπεδέξατο
Ionic verb form equivalent to Attic ἐπεδείξατο (aorist middle of ἐπιδείκνυμι, "to show, display").

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.11.1-1.11.5