- 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-grc2:3.78.1-3.78.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
The seven conspirators engage in a fight with the two Magi. One of the Magi flees into a chamber, pursued by Gobryas and Darius, who struggle with him in the dark.
οἱ δὲ Μάγοι ἔτυχον ἀμφότεροι τηνικαῦτα ἐόντες τε ἔσω καὶ τὰ ἀπὸ Πρηξάσπεος γενόμενα ἐν βουλῇ ἔχοντες.1 ἐπεὶ ὦν εἶδον τοὺς εὐνούχους τεθορυβημένους τε καὶ βοῶντας, ἀνά τε ἔδραμον πάλιν ἀμφότεροι καὶ ὡς ἔμαθον τὸ ποιεύμενον πρὸς ἀλκὴν ἐτράποντο.
At that time, both the Magi happened to be inside and were discussing the events that had arisen from Prexaspes. Therefore, when they saw the eunuchs thrown into confusion and crying out, they both leaped up, and when they understood what was being done, they turned to defend themselves.
ὃ μὲν δὴ αὐτῶν φθάνει τὰ τόξα κατελόμενος,2 ὁ δὲ πρὸς τὴν αἰχμὴν ἐτράπετο. ἐνθαῦτα δὴ συνέμισγον ἀλλήλοισι. τῷ μὲν δὴ τὰ τόξα ἀναλαβόντι αὐτῶν, ἐόντων τε ἀγχοῦ τῶν πολεμίων καὶ προσκειμένων, ἦν χρηστὰ οὐδέν· ὁ δʼ ἕτερος τῇ αἰχμῇ ἠμύνετο καὶ τοῦτο μὲν Ἀσπαθίνην παίει ἐς τὸν μηρόν, τοῦτο δὲ3 Ἰνταφρένεα ἐς τὸν ὀφθαλμόν· καὶ ἐστερήθη μὲν τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ ἐκ τοῦ τρώματος ὁ Ἰνταφρένης, οὐ μέντοι ἀπέθανέ γε.
One of them anticipated the enemy by taking down his bow, while the other turned to his spear. Thereupon they joined in conflict. For the one of them who had taken up the bow, since the enemy were close at hand and pressing hard upon him, it was of no use; but the other defended himself with his spear, and struck Aspathines in the thigh on the one hand, and Intaphrenes in the eye on the other; and Intaphrenes was indeed deprived of his eye by the wound, but he did not die.
τῶν μὲν δὴ Μάγων οὕτερος τρωματίζει τούτους· ὁ δὲ ἕτερος, ἐπείτε οἱ τὰ τόξα οὐδὲν χρηστὰ ἐγίνετο, ἦν γὰρ δὴ θάλαμος ἐσέχων ἐς τὸν ἀνδρεῶνα, ἐς τοῦτον καταφεύγει, θέλων αὐτοῦ4 προσθεῖναι τὰς θύρας, καί οἱ συνεσπίπτουσι τῶν ἑπτὰ δύο, Δαρεῖός τε καὶ Γοβρύης.
While one of the Magi thus wounded these men, the other, since his bow was of no use to him, fled into a chamber which opened into the men’s apartments, wishing to shut its doors; and two of the seven, Darius and Gobryas, burst in together with him.
συμπλακέντος δὲ Γοβρύεω τῷ Μάγῳ ὁ Δαρεῖος ἐπεστεὼς ἠπόρεε οἷα ἐν σκότεϊ,5 προμηθεόμενος μὴ πλήξῃ τὸν Γοβρύην.
When Gobryas had grappled with the Magus, Darius, standing over them, was at a loss as if in the dark, taking care lest he should strike Gobryas.
ὁρέων δέ μιν ἀργὸν ἐπεστεῶτα ὁ Γοβρύης εἴρετο ὅ τι οὐ χρᾶται τῇ χειρί· ὁ δὲ εἶπε Προμηθεόμενος σέο, μὴ πλήξω. Γοβρύης δὲ ἀμείβετο ὤθεε τὸ ξίφος καὶ διʼ ἀμφοτέρων.6 Δαρεῖος δὲ πειθόμενος ὦσέ τε τὸ ἐγχειρίδιον καὶ ἔτυχέ κως τοῦ Μάγου.
Seeing him standing idle, Gobryas asked why he did not use his hand; and Darius said, “Because I am taking care for you, lest I strike you.” And Gobryas answered, “Thrust your sword even through both of us!” Darius, obeying, thrust his dagger and somehow hit the Magus.
- 3.78.1ἔτυχον ... ἐόντες ... ἔχοντες
The verb τυγχάνω is used with the participles ἐόντες and ἔχοντες to express that they "happened to be" inside and discussing at that very moment.
- 3.78.2φθάνει τὰ τόξα κατελόμενος
The verb φθάνω with the participle κατελόμενος indicates anticipating another action, meaning "he was the first to take down his bow" or "he anticipated the other by taking down his bow."
- 3.78.2τοῦτο μὲν ... τοῦτο δὲ
An adverbial formula meaning "on the one hand... on the other hand..." (equivalent to τὸ μὲν... τὸ δὲ...), introducing two parallel or contrasting actions.
- 3.78.3αὐτοῦ
It is most naturally taken as an adverb meaning "on the spot" or "there". While grammatically it could be the genitive of the pronoun referring to θάλαμος ("of it"), interpreting it as an adverb of place is more standard.
- 3.78.4οἷα ἐν σκότεϊ
The particle οἷα (like ἅτε or ὥς) with a prepositional phrase expresses an objective cause or reason: "inasmuch as they were in the dark" or "since it was in the dark."
- 3.78.5διʼ ἀμφοτέρων
The preposition διά with the genitive plural means "through both". It refers to both Gobryas and the Magus who are grappled together, showing Gobryas's resolution to have the sword thrust even if it pierces both of them.