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§3.28.1-3.28.3

Cambyses Summons the Priests and the Marks of Apis

Cambyses summons the priests and orders them to bring Apis before him. The narrative then explains the miraculous birth of Apis and details its specific physical markings.

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§3.28.1

ἀποκτείνας δὲ τούτους δεύτερα τοὺς ἱρέας ἐκάλεε ἐς ὄψιν· λεγόντων δὲ κατὰ ταὐτὰ τῶν ἱρέων, οὐ λήσειν ἔφη αὐτὸν1 εἰ θεός τις χειροήθης ἀπιγμένος εἴη Αἰγυπτίοισι. τοσαῦτα δὲ εἴπας ἀπάγειν ἐκέλευε τὸν Ἆπιν τοὺς ἱρέας. οἳ μὲν δὴ μετήισαν ἄξοντες.

​After putting them to death, he next summoned the priests into his presence; and when the priests spoke to the same effect, he said it would not escape his notice if some tame god had arrived for the Egyptians. Having said this, he ordered the priests to bring Apis. So they went to fetch him.

§3.28.2

ὁ δὲ Ἆπις οὗτος ὁ Ἔπαφος γίνεται μόσχος ἐκ βοός, ἥτις οὐκέτι οἵη τε γίνεται ἐς γαστέρα ἄλλον βάλλεσθαι γόνον.2 Αἰγύπτιοι δὲ λέγουσι σέλας ἐπὶ τὴν βοῦν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατίσχειν, καί μιν ἐκ τούτου τίκτειν τὸν Ἆπιν.

​This Apis, or Epaphos, is a calf born from a cow which is no longer able to conceive another offspring in her womb. The Egyptians say that a flash of light descends from heaven upon the cow, and from this she gives birth to Apis.

§3.28.3

ἔχει δὲ ὁ μόσχος οὗτος ὁ Ἆπις καλεόμενος σημήια τοιάδε ἐὼν μέλας,3 ἐπὶ μὲν τῷ μετώπῳ λευκόν τι τρίγωνον, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ νώτου αἰετὸν εἰκασμένον, ἐν δὲ τῇ οὐρῇ τὰς τρίχας διπλᾶς, ὑπὸ δὲ τῇ γλώσσῃ κάνθαρον.

​This calf, called Apis, has the following marks, being black: on its forehead a white triangle, on its back the figure of an eagle, on its tail double hairs, and under its tongue a beetle.

Syntax notes3 items
  1. 3.28.1οὐ λήσειν ἔφη αὐτὸν

    The verb λανθάνω ('escape notice') governs an accusative object. Here, αὐτόν refers to Cambyses himself as the accusative object of the infinitive λήσειν, meaning 'he said that it would not escape his notice if...'.

  2. 3.28.2ἐς γαστέρα ἄλλον βάλλεσθαι γόνον

    The infinitive βάλλεσθαι is a present passive, depending on οἵη τε γίνεται ('is able'). Literally 'another offspring to be cast into her womb', it functionally expresses the cow's ability to conceive another offspring.

  3. 3.28.3ἐὼν μέλας

    The present participle ἐών ('being') modifies the subject (ὁ μόσχος). It functions as a circumstantial participle expressing an attribute ('being black') or concession ('although it is black') alongside the main verb ἔχει ('has').

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
  • 2026-09-21 AI review — note 1
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.28.1-3.28.3