- 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-grc2:3.121.1-3.121.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
The author presents an alternative minority account of the motive, in which Polycrates pointedly ignores a messenger sent by Oroetes.
οἱ δὲ ἐλάσσονες λέγουσι πέμψαι Ὀροίτεα ἐς Σάμον κήρυκα ὅτευ δὴ χρήματος δεησόμενον1 (οὐ γὰρ ὦν δὴ τοῦτό γε λέγεται), καὶ τὸν Πολυκράτεα τυχεῖν κατακείμενον ἐν ἀνδρεῶνι, παρεῖναι δέ οἱ καὶ Ἀνακρέοντα τὸν Τήιον·
But the minority say that Oroetes sent a messenger to Samos to ask for some matter—for indeed this is not specified—and that Polycrates happened to be reclining in the men’s hall, and Anacreon of Teos was also present with him.
καί κως εἴτʼ ἐκ προνοίης αὐτὸν κατηλογέοντα τὰ Ὀροίτεω πρήγματα, εἴτε καὶ συντυχίη τις τοιαύτη ἐπεγένετο·2 τόν τε γὰρ κήρυκα τὸν Ὀροίτεω παρελθόντα διαλέγεσθαι, καὶ τὸν Πολυκράτεα (τυχεῖν γὰρ ἀπεστραμμένον3 πρὸς τὸν τοῖχον) οὔτε τι μεταστραφῆναι οὔτε ὑποκρίνασθαι.
And somehow, whether because he intentionally disregarded Oroetes’ business, or because some such chance occurred: for when Oroetes’ messenger came in and spoke, Polycrates (who happened to be turned toward the wall) neither turned around nor made any reply.
- 3.121.1ὅτευ δὴ χρήματος δεησόμενον
ὅτευ is the Ionic genitive form of the relative pronoun ὅστις (= οὗτινος), modifying χρήματος. The future participle δεησόμενον expresses purpose ('in order to request'), and combined with the generalizing particle δὴ, it means 'for some matter or other'.
- 3.121.2εἴτʼ ἐκ προνοίης αὐτὸν κατηλογέοντα ... εἴτε καὶ συντυχίη τις τοιαύτη ἐπεγένετο
This εἴτε ... εἴτε ... clause exhibits a grammatical asymmetry (anacoluthon). The first part αὐτὸν κατηλογέοντα ('him disregarding') continues the accusative and participle construction dependent on the main verb λέγουσι in §3.121.1, whereas the second part εἴτε καὶ συντυχίη τις ... ἐπεγένετο shifts to an independent clause with the indicative past (ἐπεγένετο).
- 3.121.2τυχεῖν γὰρ ἀπεστραμμένον
A construction of τυγχάνω + participle, meaning 'to happen to be doing something.' The infinitive τυχεῖν functions in indirect discourse dependent on the main verb λέγουσι (§3.121.1), while the perfect passive participle ἀπεστραμμένον describes the state of Polycrates ('having been turned' towards the wall).