- 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-grc2:3.72.1-3.72.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
In response to Otanes' inquiry about how to bypass the guards, Darius argues that they can easily enter the palace using their high status and a deceptive pretext, justifying falsehood when it serves the same goal as truth.
λέγει πρὸς ταῦτα Ὀτάνης, ἐπειδὴ ὥρα1 σπερχόμενον Δαρεῖον, ἐπείτε ἡμέας συνταχύνειν ἀναγκάζεις καὶ ὑπερβάλλεσθαι οὐκ ἐᾷς, ἴθι ἐξηγέο αὐτὸς ὅτεῳ τρόπῳ πάριμεν ἐς τὰ βασιλήια καὶ ἐπιχειρήσομεν αὐτοῖσι. φυλακὰς γὰρ δὴ διεστεώσας οἶδάς κου καὶ αὐτός, εἰ μὴ ἰδών, ἀλλʼ ἀκούσας· τὰς τέῳ τρόπῳ περήσομεν; ἀμείβεται Δαρεῖος τοῖσιδε.
To this Otanes said, when he saw Darius in haste: “Since you force us to hasten and do not allow us to delay, come, explain yourself in what way we shall enter the palace and make our attempt upon them. For you yourself also surely know of the guards posted there, if not by having seen them, at least by hearsay; in what way shall we pass them?” Darius replied with these words:
Ὀτάνη, ἦ πολλά ἐστι τὰ λόγῳ μὲν οὐκ οἷά τε δηλῶσαι, ἔργῳ δέ· ἄλλα δʼ ἐστὶ τὰ λόγῳ μὲν οἷά τε, ἔργον δὲ οὐδὲν ἀπʼ αὐτῶν λαμπρὸν γίνεται. ὑμεῖς δὲ ἴστε φυλακὰς τὰς κατεστεώσας ἐούσας οὐδὲν χαλεπὰς παρελθεῖν.
”Otanes, indeed there are many things which cannot be made clear by words, but can by action; and there are other things which are possible in word, but no brilliant deed comes from them. But you should know that the guards who are posted are in no way difficult to pass.
τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ ἡμέων ἐόντων τοιῶνδε2 οὐδεὶς ὅστις οὐ παρήσει, τὰ μέν κου καταιδεόμενος ἡμέας, τὰ δέ3 κου καὶ δειμαίνων· τοῦτο δὲ ἔχω αὐτὸς σκῆψιν εὐπρεπεστάτην τῇ πάριμεν, φὰς ἄρτι τε ἥκειν ἐκ Περσέων καὶ βούλεσθαί τι ἔπος παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς σημῆναι τῷ βασιλέι.
For first, since we are men of such rank, there is no one who will not let us pass, partly perhaps out of respect for us, and partly also out of fear; and secondly, I myself have a most plausible pretext by which we may pass, by saying that I have just come from Persia and wish to deliver a message from my father to the king.
ἔνθα γάρ τι δεῖ ψεῦδος λέγεσθαι, λεγέσθω. τοῦ γὰρ αὐτοῦ γλιχόμεθα4 οἵ τε ψευδόμενοι καὶ οἱ τῇ ἀληθείῃ διαχρεώμενοι. οἳ μέν γε ψεύδονται τότε ἐπεάν τι μέλλωσι τοῖσι ψεύδεσι πείσαντες κερδήσεσθαι, οἳ δʼ ἀληθίζονται ἵνα τῇ ἀληθείῃ ἐπισπάσωνται κέρδος καί τι μᾶλλόν σφι ἐπιτράπηται. οὕτω οὐ ταὐτὰ ἀσκέοντες τὠυτοῦ περιεχόμεθα.
For where a lie must be told, let it be told. For we strive after the same thing, both those who lie and those who use the truth. For some lie when they are likely to gain something by persuading with their lies, while others speak the truth so that they may draw gain to themselves by the truth and something more may be entrusted to them. Thus, though practicing different things, we hold to the same end.
εἰ δὲ μηδὲν κερδήσεσθαι μέλλοιεν, ὁμοίως ἂν ὅ τε ἀληθιζόμενος ψευδὴς εἴη καὶ ὁ ψευδόμενος ἀληθής. ὃς ἂν μέν νυν τῶν πυλουρῶν ἑκὼν παριῇ, αὐτῷ οἱ ἄμεινον ἐς χρόνον ἔσται· ὃς δʼ ἂν ἀντιβαίνειν πειρᾶται, δεικνύσθω5 ἐνθαῦτα ἐὼν πολέμιος, καὶ ἔπειτα ὠσάμενοι ἔσω ἔργου ἐχώμεθα.
But if they were likely to gain nothing, the truth-teller would be a liar and the liar a truth-teller just the same. Now, whoever of the gatekeepers shall let us pass of his own free will, it will be better for him in the future; but whoever tries to oppose us, let him be marked there as an enemy, and then, having forced our way inside, let us set to our work.”
- 3.72.1ὥρα
Imperfect active third-person singular of ὁράω in the Ionic dialect (representing ἑώρα or contracted from ὥραε), taking "Otanes" as its subject and indicating his observation of Darius's haste.
- 3.72.3ἡμέων ἐόντων τοιῶνδε
A genitive absolute construction, expressing cause or condition ("since/if we are of such a character"). The demonstrative τοιῶνδε refers to their prominent social status as noble Persian conspirators.
- 3.72.3τοῦτο μὲν... τοῦτο δέ
An adverbial accusative correlative construction used to introduce a logical list or contrast, meaning "firstly... secondly..." or "on the one hand... on the other hand...".
- 3.72.4τοῦ γὰρ αὐτοῦ γλιχόμεθα
The verb γλίχομαι takes a genitive complement, meaning "to strive eagerly after" or "to cling to." τοῦ αὐτοῦ is a neuter singular genitive, referring to the common goal (namely κέρδος, "gain") pursued by both liars and truth-tellers.
- 3.72.5δεικνύσθω
Third-person singular present imperative passive of δείκνυμι: "let him be shown/marked (as being an enemy)." The grammatical subject is the relative clause ὃς ἂν ἀντιβαίνειν πειρᾶται ("whoever tries to oppose").