- 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-grc2:4.146.1-4.146.4
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
Imprisoned for their insolence, the Minyae escape from prison through their wives' scheme of exchanging clothes and flee back to Mount Taygetus.
χρόνου δὲ οὐ πολλοῦ διεξελθόντος αὐτίκα οἱ Μινύαι ἐξύβρισαν, τῆς τε βασιληίης μεταιτέοντες καὶ ἄλλα ποιέοντες οὐκ ὅσια.
But before much time had passed, the Minyae immediately became insolent, demanding a share of the kingship and committing other unholy acts.
τοῖσι ὦν Λακεδαιμονίοισι ἔδοξε αὐτοὺς ἀποκτεῖναι, συλλαβόντες δὲ σφέας κατέβαλον ἐς ἑρκτήν. κτείνουσι δὲ τοὺς ἂν κτείνωσι1 Λακεδαιμόνιοι νυκτός, μετʼ ἡμέρην δὲ οὐδένα.
The Lacedaemonians, therefore, decided to put them to death, and having seized them, they threw them into prison. Now, the Lacedaemonians execute at night those whom they put to death, but no one by day.
ἐπεὶ ὦν ἔμελλον σφέας καταχρήσασθαι, παραιτήσαντο αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν Μινυέων, ἐοῦσαι ἀσταί2 τε καὶ τῶν πρώτων Σπαρτιητέων θυγατέρες, ἐσελθεῖν τε ἐς τὴν ἑρκτὴν καὶ ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν ἑκάστη τῷ ἑωυτῆς ἀνδρί. οἳ δὲ σφέας παρῆκαν, οὐδένα δόλον δοκέοντες ἐξ αὐτέων ἔσεσθαι.
When, therefore, they were about to execute them, the wives of the Minyae, being citizens themselves and daughters of the leading Spartans, petitioned to enter the prison and each to speak with her own husband. The Lacedaemonians let them pass, suspecting no deceit would come from them.
αἳ δὲ ἐπείτε ἐσῆλθον, ποιέουσι τοιάδε· πᾶσαν τὴν εἶχον ἐσθῆτα παραδοῦσαι3 τοῖσι ἀνδράσι αὐταὶ τὴν τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἔλαβον, οἱ δὲ Μινύαι ἐνδύντες τὴν γυναικηίην ἐσθῆτα ἅτε γυναῖκες ἐξήισαν ἔξω, ἐκφυγόντες δὲ τρόπῳ τοιούτῳ ἵζοντο αὖτις ἐς τὸ Τηΰγετον.
As soon as they entered, they did as follows: handing over all the clothing they wore to their husbands, they themselves took that of the men. Then the Minyae, having dressed in women’s clothing, went out as if they were women, and having escaped in this manner, they encamped again on Mount Taygetus.
- 4.146.2τοὺς ἂν κτείνωσι
A general present conditional relative clause with the relative pronoun followed by ἂν and the subjunctive. Together with the present tense verb κτείνουσι in the main clause, it describes a general, recurring practice: 'whomever they execute.'
- 4.146.3ἐοῦσαι ἀσταί
The participle ἐοῦσαι (Ionic form of εἰμί) functions as a causal participle showing the reason why the request of the wives of the Minyae was granted. It highlights that their status as Spartan 'citizens (ἀσταί)' and daughters of prominent men was the decisive factor for their admission into the prison.
- 4.146.4παραδοῦσαι
The aorist participle παραδοῦσαι expresses an action prior to the main verb ἔλαβον (aorist), showing a sequence of closely related actions: 'having handed over' their clothes, they 'took' those of the men.