- 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-grc2:4.128.1-4.128.3
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
Incensed by Darius's demand for submission, the Scythian kings send a force to negotiate with the Ionians while launching a guerrilla campaign against the Persians. The Scythian cavalry consistently routs the Persian cavalry but retreats when facing their infantry.
ὁ μὲν δὴ κῆρυξ οἰχώκεε ἀγγελέων1 ταῦτα Δαρείῳ, οἱ δὲ Σκυθέων βασιλέες ἀκούσαντες τῆς δουλοσύνης τὸ οὔνομα ὀργῆς ἐπλήσθησαν.
The messenger then departed to report these things to Darius, and the Scythian kings, when they heard the word “slavery,” were filled with rage.
τὴν μὲν δὴ μετὰ Σαυροματέων μοῖραν ταχθεῖσαν, τῆς ἦρχε Σκώπασις, πέμπουσι Ἴωσι κελεύοντες ἐς λόγους ἀπικέσθαι, τούτοισι οἳ2 τὸν Ἴστρον ἐζευγμένον ἐφρούρεον· αὐτῶν δὲ τοῖσι ὑπολειπομένοισι ἔδοξε πλανᾶν μὲν μηκέτι Πέρσας, σῖτα δὲ ἑκάστοτε ἀναιρεομένοισι ἐπιτίθεσθαι. νωμῶντες ὦν σῖτα ἀναιρεομένους3 τοὺς Δαρείου ἐποίευν τὰ βεβουλευμένα.
They then sent the division that was stationed with the Sauromatae, which Scopasis commanded, to the Ionians who were guarding the bridged Ister, bidding them come to a conference. Meanwhile, those of them who remained behind resolved no longer to lead the Persians astray, but to attack them whenever they were gathering provisions. Accordingly, watching for Darius’ men gathering provisions, they put their resolution into effect.
ἡ μὲν δὴ ἵππος τὴν ἵππον αἰεὶ τράπεσκε ἡ τῶν Σκυθέων, οἱ δὲ τῶν Περσέων ἱππόται φεύγοντες ἐσέπιπτον ἐς τὸν πεζόν, ὁ δὲ πεζὸς ἂν ἐπεκούρεε·4 οἱ δὲ Σκύθαι ἐσαράξαντες τὴν ἵππον ὑπέστρεφον τὸν πεζὸν φοβεόμενοι. ἐποιέοντο δὲ καὶ τὰς νύκτας παραπλησίας προσβολὰς οἱ Σκύθαι.
Indeed, the Scythian cavalry always routed the Persian cavalry; the Persian horsemen, fleeing, would fall back upon the infantry, and the infantry would assist them. But the Scythians, having driven back the cavalry, would turn back out of fear of the infantry. The Scythians also made similar attacks during the nights.
- 4.128.1ἀγγελέων
Future active participle expressing the purpose of the action of the main verb οἰχώκεε ('departed').
- 4.128.2τούτοισι οἳ
Dative demonstrative pronoun in apposition to the preceding Ἴωσι ('to the Ionians'), serving to specify or clarify who they were ('namely, to those who...').
- 4.128.2νωμῶντες ... τοὺς Δαρείου ... ἀναιρεομένους
A participle construction with the accusative (accusative plus participle) depending on the verb νωμῶντες ('observing/watching'), meaning 'observing Darius' men gathering provisions.'
- 4.128.3ἂν ἐπεκούρεε
The particle ἄν combined with the imperfect indicative (ἐπεκούρεε) expresses iterative or habitual action in the past ('would assist', 'used to assist'). This correlates with the iterative past form (τράπεσκε) in the preceding sentence.