- 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-grc2:3.154.1-3.154.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
Believing Babylon was destined to fall, Zopyrus resolved to make the conquest his own deed; he mutilated himself to prepare for a feigned desertion to the enemy and appeared before Darius.
ὡς δέ οἱ ἐδόκεε μόρσιμον εἶναι ἤδη τῇ Βαβυλῶνι ἁλίσκεσθαι, προσελθὼν Δαρείου1 ἀπεπυνθάνετο εἰ περὶ πολλοῦ κάρτα ποιέεται τὴν Βαβυλῶνα ἑλεῖν. πυθόμενος δὲ ὡς πολλοῦ τιμῷτο, ἄλλο ἐβουλεύετο, ὅκως αὐτός τε ἔσται ὁ ἑλὼν αὐτὴν καὶ ἑωυτοῦ τὸ ἔργον ἔσται· κάρτα γὰρ ἐν τοῖσι Πέρσῃσι αἱ ἀγαθοεργίαι ἐς τὸ πρόσω μεγάθεος τιμῶνται.
When it seemed to him that it was now destined for Babylon to be captured, he went to Darius and inquired of him whether he set a very high value on capturing Babylon. Having learned that he valued it extremely highly, Zopyrus began to plan another thing, how he himself should be the one who captured it and the deed should be his own; for among the Persians good deeds are honored to the highest degree of greatness.
ἄλλῳ μέν νυν οὐκ ἐφράζετο ἔργῳ δυνατὸς εἶναί μιν ὑποχειρίην ποιῆσαι, εἰ δʼ2 ἑωυτὸν λωβησάμενος αὐτομολήσειε ἐς αὐτούς. ἐνθαῦτα ἐν ἐλαφρῷ ποιησάμενος3 ἑωυτὸν λωβᾶται λώβην ἀνήκεστον· ἀποταμὼν γὰρ ἑωυτοῦ τὴν ῥῖνα καὶ τὰ ὦτα καὶ τὴν κόμην κακῶς περικείρας καὶ μαστιγώσας ἦλθε παρὰ Δαρεῖον.
Now he could not think of any other way by which he would be able to bring it under subjection, unless he should mutilate himself and desert to them. Thereupon, making light of it, he inflicted an incurable mutilation upon himself; for having cut off his own nose and ears, shamefully cropped his hair, and scourged himself, he came before Darius.
- 3.154.1Δαρείου
The genitive Δαρείου is governed by the verb ἀπεπυνθάνετο (to inquire of someone), which takes the person inquired of in the genitive case, while the topic of inquiry is expressed by the following indirect question clause introduced by εἰ.
- 3.154.2εἰ δʼ
Meaning "except if" or "unless" (in place of εἰ μή). Used in connection with the preceding negative ἄλλῳ... οὐκ... to state the only possible exception: "not by any other deed, unless he should mutilate himself."
- 3.154.2ἐν ἐλαφρῷ ποιησάμενος
An idiomatic expression meaning "making light of it" or "regarding it as of little importance." It describes Zopyrus' attitude of brushing aside the gravity of self-mutilation for the sake of his plan.