- 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-grc2:3.123.1-3.123.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
Upon receiving Oroetes' proposal, Polycrates sends his secretary Maeandrius to inspect the wealth, while Oroetes prepares a deception by filling chests with stones and covering them with gold.
ταῦτα ἀκούσας Πολυκράτης ἥσθη τε καὶ ἐβούλετο·1 καί κως ἱμείρετο γὰρ2 χρημάτων μεγάλως, ἀποπέμπει πρῶτα κατοψόμενον3 Μαιάνδριον Μαιανδρίου ἄνδρα τῶν ἀστῶν, ὅς οἱ ἦν γραμματιστής· ὃς χρόνῳ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον τούτων τὸν κόσμον τὸν ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρεῶνος τοῦ Πολυκράτεος ἐόντα ἀξιοθέητον4 ἀνέθηκε πάντα ἐς τὸ Ἥραιον.
On hearing this, Polycrates was pleased and desired it; and since, somehow, he had a great longing for money, he sent first, to inspect the matter, Maeandrius, son of Maeandrius, a fellow citizen who was his secretary. This was the same Maeandrius who, not long after these events, dedicated all the splendid adornment from the men’s hall of Polycrates to the Heraion.
ὁ δὲ Ὀροίτης μαθὼν τὸν κατάσκοπον ἐόντα προσδόκιμον5 ἐποίεε τοιάδε· λάρνακας ὀκτὼ πληρώσας λίθων πλὴν κάρτα βραχέος τοῦ περὶ αὐτὰ τὰ χείλεα,6 ἐπιπολῆς τῶν λίθων χρυσὸν ἐπέβαλε, καταδήσας δὲ τὰς λάρνακας εἶχε ἑτοίμας. ἐλθὼν δὲ ὁ Μαιάνδριος καὶ θεησάμενος ἀπήγγελλε τῷ Πολυκράτεϊ.
Now Oroetes, having learned that the inspector was expected, did as follows: he filled eight chests with stones, except for a very small space right around the rims, and on top of the stones he laid gold; then, having bound up the chests, he kept them in readiness. And Maeandrius came, and having viewed them, reported to Polycrates.
- 3.123.1ἐβούλετο
Interpreted as "desired [it / to do so]" with the object or an infinitive (e.g., to accept the offer) omitted from the context.
- 3.123.1καί κως ἱμείρετο γὰρ
The particle γάρ introduces a causal clause explaining the main verb ἀποπέμπει, meaning "for he was, somehow, longing greatly for money." The ionic form κως (attic πως) adds the nuance of "somehow" or "in some way."
- 3.123.1κατοψόμενον
Future participle of καθοράω in the accusative masculine singular, expressing purpose ("to inspect / view").
- 3.123.1τὸν κόσμον τὸν ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρεῶνος τοῦ Πολυκράτεος ἐόντα ἀξιοθέητον
The participle ἐόντα (Ionic for ὤν) agrees with κόσμον, with ἀξιοθέητον acting as a predicate or attributive adjective, meaning "the adornment which was in the men's hall of Polycrates, being splendid."
- 3.123.2τὸν κατάσκοπον ἐόντα προσδόκιμον
An accusative-and-participle construction in indirect discourse after the verb of perceiving μαθών. It literally means "having learned that the inspector (τὸν κατάσκοπον) was expected (ἐόντα προσδόκιμον)."
- 3.123.2πλὴν κάρτα βραχέος τοῦ περὶ αὐτὰ τὰ χείλεα
The prepositional adverb πλὴν governs the genitive case. βραχέος τοῦ... means "the very small [space] around..." and refers to the narrow margin just below the rim (χείλεα) of the chests which was left unfilled by stones.