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§3.83.1-3.83.3

Adoption of Monarchy and Otanes Withdrawing from the Contest

After the discussion on the three forms of government, the majority supports Darius's proposal for monarchy, prompting Otanes, the advocate of democracy, to withdraw from the royal contest on the condition of preserving freedom for himself and his descendants.

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§3.83.1

γνῶμαι μὲν δὴ τρεῖς αὗται προεκέατο, οἱ δὲ τέσσερες τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀνδρῶν προσέθεντο ταύτῃ. ὡς δὲ ἑσσώθη τῇ γνώμῃ ὁ Ὀτάνης Πέρσῃσι ἰσονομίην σπεύδων ποιῆσαι, ἔλεξε ἐς μέσον αὐτοῖσι τάδε.

​These three opinions were set forth, and four of the seven men sided with this one. When Otanes, who was eager to establish equality of laws for the Persians, was defeated in his opinion, he spoke thus in their midst:

§3.83.2

ἄνδρες στασιῶται, δῆλα γὰρ δὴ ὅτι δεῖ ἕνα γε τινὰ ἡμέων βασιλέα γενέσθαι, ἤτοι κλήρῳ γε λαχόντα, ἢ ἐπιτρεψάντων1 τῷ Περσέων πλήθεϊ τὸν ἂν ἐκεῖνο ἕληται, ἢ ἄλλῃ τινὶ μηχανῇ. ἐγὼ μέν νυν ὑμῖν οὐκ ἐναγωνιεῦμαι· οὔτε γὰρ ἄρχειν οὔτε ἄρχεσθαι ἐθέλω· ἐπὶ τούτῳ δὲ ὑπεξίσταμαι τῆς ἀρχῆς, ἐπʼ ᾧ τε2 ὑπʼ οὐδενὸς ὑμέων ἄρξομαι, οὔτε αὐτὸς ἐγὼ οὔτε οἱ ἀπʼ ἐμεῦ αἰεὶ γινόμενοι.

”Fellow conspirators, for it is indeed clear that some one of us must become king, whether by obtaining it by lot, or by leaving it to the multitude of the Persians to choose whomsoever they will, or by some other means. Now, I will not enter the contest with you; for I wish neither to rule nor to be ruled. On this condition I withdraw from the rule, namely that I shall be ruled by none of you, neither myself nor those born from me forever.”

§3.83.3

τούτου εἴπαντος ταῦτα ὡς συνεχώρεον οἱ ἓξ ἐπὶ τούτοισι, οὗτος μὲν δή σφι οὐκ ἐνηγωνίζετο ἀλλʼ ἐκ μέσου κατῆστο, καὶ νῦν αὕτη ἡ οἰκίη διατελέει μούνη ἐλευθέρη ἐοῦσα3 Περσέων καὶ ἄρχεται4 τοσαῦτα ὅσα αὐτὴ θέλει, νόμους οὐκ ὑπερβαίνουσα τοὺς Περσέων.

​When he had said this, and the six agreed to these terms, he indeed did not contest with them but sat apart from their midst; and even now this house continues to be the only free one among the Persians, and is ruled only so much as it itself wishes, not transgressing the laws of the Persians.

Syntax notes4 items
  1. 3.83.2ἐπιτρεψάντων

    A aorist participle in the genitive absolute construction, with its logical subject ('we' or 'people') contextually omitted.

  2. 3.83.2ἐπʼ ᾧ τε

    A conjunctional phrase expressing condition or restriction, meaning 'on the condition that,' here taking the future indicative ἄρξομαι.

  3. 3.83.3διατελέει μούνη ἐλευθέρη ἐοῦσα

    The verb διατελέει acts as a supplementary verb with the present participle ἐοῦσα, expressing a continuous state ('continues to be free').

  4. 3.83.3ἄρχεται

    Passive voice of the verb ἄρχω, meaning 'is ruled' or 'is governed,' meaning here that the house is ruled only as much as it wishes.

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-grc2:3.83.1-3.83.3