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Histories

§3.7.1-3.7.2

Cambyses Secures Safe Passage with the Arabians

Summarizes how the Persians secured the desert route to Egypt with water after their conquest, and explains that prior to this, Cambyses obtained safe passage from the Arabian king by exchanging pledges on the advice of his Halicarnassian guest.

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§3.7.1

οὕτω μέν νυν Πέρσαι εἰσὶ οἱ τὴν ἐσβολὴν ταύτην παρασκευάσαντες1 ἐς Αἴγυπτον, κατὰ δὴ τὰ εἰρημένα σάξαντες ὕδατι, ἐπείτε τάχιστα παρέλαβον Αἴγυπτον.

​Thus it was the Persians who prepared this entrance into Egypt, by filling it with water in the manner described, as soon as they had taken possession of Egypt.

§3.7.2

τότε δὲ οὐκ ἐόντος κω ὕδατος ἑτοίμου,2 Καμβύσης πυθόμενος τοῦ Ἁλικαρνησσέος ξείνου, πέμψας παρὰ τὸν Ἀράβιον ἀγγέλους καὶ δεηθεὶς τῆς ἀσφαλείης ἔτυχε, πίστις3 δούς τε καὶ δεξάμενος παρʼ αὐτοῦ.

​But at that time, as there was not yet any water ready, Cambyses, having learned from his Halicarnassian guest-friend, sent messengers to the Arabian and, having made his request, obtained safe passage, after both giving and receiving pledges of good faith from him.

Syntax notes3 items
  1. 3.7.1οἱ τὴν ἐσβολὴν ταύτην παρασκευάσαντες

    The participle phrase with the article acts as the grammatical subject, while the noun Πέρσαι is the predicate, forming a cleft-like emphatic construction: 'it was the Persians who prepared...'

  2. 3.7.2οὐκ ἐόντος κω ὕδατος ἑτοίμου

    A genitive absolute construction expressing cause ('since there was not yet water ready'). ἐόντος is the Ionic form of the present participle ὄντος, and κω is the Ionic form of πω ('yet').

  3. 3.7.2πίστις

    Accusative plural. This is the Ionic form corresponding to Attic πίστεις, serving as the common direct object of the two following participles, δούς ('giving') and δεξάμενος ('receiving').

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.7.1-3.7.2