- Source
- Herodotus. Godley, Alfred Denis, editor. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1920-1925 (printing).
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.130.1-1.130.3
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
It relates the submission of the Medes to the Persians upon Astyages' deposition, their subsequent failed revolt, and Cyrus's treatment of Astyages and his eventual expansion of rule over all Asia.
Ἀστυάγης μέν νυν βασιλεύσας ἐπʼ ἔτεα πέντε καὶ τριήκοντα οὕτω τῆς βασιληίης κατεπαύσθη, Μῆδοι δὲ ὑπέκυψαν Πέρσῃσι διὰ τὴν τούτου πικρότητα, ἄρξαντες τῆς ἄνω Ἅλυος ποταμοῦ Ἀσίης ἐπʼ ἔτεα τριήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν δυῶν δέοντα,1 πάρεξ ἢ ὅσον οἱ Σκύθαι ἦρχον.
Astyages, then, having ruled for thirty-five years, was thus deposed from his kingship, and the Medes submitted to the Persians because of his harshness, after having ruled Asia above the Halys river for one hundred and twenty-eight years, except for the period during which the Scythians held rule.
ὑστέρῳ μέντοι χρόνῳ μετεμέλησέ τέ σφι ταῦτα ποιήσασι2 καὶ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ Δαρείου, ἀποστάντες δὲ ὀπίσω κατεστράφθησαν μάχῃ νικηθέντες. τότε δὲ ἐπὶ Ἀστυάγεος οἱ Πέρσαι τε καὶ ὁ Κῦρος ἐπαναστάντες τοῖσι Μήδοισι ἦρχον τὸ ἀπὸ τούτου τῆς Ἀσίης.
In later times, however, they repented of having done this and revolted from Darius; but having revolted, they were defeated in battle and again subdued. But at that time, in the reign of Astyages, the Persians and Cyrus rose up against the Medes and from then on ruled Asia.
Ἀστυάγεα δὲ Κῦρος κακὸν οὐδὲν ἄλλο ποιήσας εἶχε παρʼ ἑωυτῷ, ἐς ὃ ἐτελεύτησε. οὕτω δὴ Κῦρος γενόμενός τε καὶ τραφεὶς ἐβασίλευσε καὶ Κροῖσον ὕστερον τούτων ἄρξαντα ἀδικίης3 κατεστρέψατο, ὡς εἴρηταί μοι πρότερον, τοῦτον δὲ καταστρεψάμενος οὕτω πάσης τῆς Ἀσίης ἦρξε.
Cyrus kept Astyages with him, doing him no other harm, until he died. Thus indeed Cyrus, having been born and reared, became king, and later subdued Croesus, who had been the first to do injustice, as has been told by me before; and having subdued him, he thus became ruler of all Asia.
- 1.130.1δυῶν δέοντα
Meaning "lacking two", used in combination with the numeral "130" (τριήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν) to express "128". The participle δέοντα is the neuter plural present participle of δέω (to lack).
- 1.130.2μετεμέλησέ τέ σφι ταῦτα ποιήσασι
An impersonal construction where the impersonal verb μετεμέλησε (it repented) takes the dative pronoun of the agent σφι (them) and the agreeing dative participle ποιήσασι (having done). It is translated as "they repented of having done these things".
- 1.130.3ἄρξαντα ἀδικίης
The verb ἄρχω, which means "to rule" when taking a genitive, here takes the genitive ἀδικίης in the sense of "to begin" or "to initiate (injustice)". It refers to Croesus having been the first to initiate unjust aggression.