- 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-grc2:5.111.1-5.111.4
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
Onesilus consults his Karian shield-bearer on how to counter Artybius's specially trained horse, and the attendant advises that kings should fight kings, volunteering himself to face the horse.
ἤλαυνε δὲ ἵππον ὁ Ἀρτύβιος δεδιδαγμένον πρὸς ὁπλίτην ἵστασθαι ὀρθόν. πυθόμενος ὦν ταῦτα ὁ Ὀνήσιλος, ἦν γάρ οἱ ὑπασπιστὴς γένος μὲν Κὰρ τὰ δὲ πολέμια1 κάρτα δόκιμος καὶ ἄλλως λήματος πλέος, εἶπε πρὸς τοῦτον πυνθάνομαι τὸν Ἀρτυβίου ἵππον ἱστάμενον ὀρθὸν καὶ ποσὶ καὶ στόματι κατεργάζεσθαι πρὸς τὸν ἂν προσενειχθῇ· σὺ ὦν βουλευσάμενος εἰπὲ αὐτίκα ὁκότερον βούλεαι φυλάξας2 πλῆξαι, εἴτε τὸν ἵππον εἴτε αὐτὸν Ἀρτύβιον.
Artybius drove a horse that had been trained to rear up against a hoplite. Onesilus, then, having learned of this—for he had a shield-bearer who was Karian by race, highly approved in matters of war, and otherwise full of spirit—said to him: ”I understand that Artybius’ horse, rearing up, attacks with both its hooves and its mouth against whomever it may encounter. You, therefore, having deliberated, tell me at once which of the two you wish to watch out for and strike, whether the horse or Artybius himself.”
εἶπε πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ ὀπάων αὐτοῦ ὦ βασιλεῦ, ἕτοιμος μὲν ἐγώ εἰμι ποιέειν καὶ ἀμφότερα καὶ τὸ ἕτερον αὐτῶν, καὶ πάντως τὸ ἂν σὺ ἐπιτάσσῃς· ὡς μέντοι ἔμοιγε δοκέει εἶναι τοῖσι σοῖσι πρήγμασι προσφερέστερον, φράσω.
To this his attendant replied: “O king, I am ready to do both, or either one of them, and indeed whatever you may command. However, I will declare what seems to me to be more fitting for your affairs.
βασιλέα μὲν καὶ στρατηγὸν χρεὸν εἶναι φημὶ βασιλέι τε καὶ στρατηγῷ προσφέρεσθαι. ἤν τε γὰρ κατέλῃς ἄνδρα στρατηγόν, μέγα τοι γίνεται, καὶ δεύτερα, ἢν σὲ ἐκεῖνος, τὸ μὴ γένοιτο, ὑπὸ ἀξιοχρέου3 καὶ ἀποθανεῖν ἡμίσεα συμφορή· ἡμέας δὲ τοὺς ὑπηρέτας ἑτέροισί τε ὑπηρέτῃσι προσφέρεσθαι καὶ πρὸς ἵππον· τοῦ σὺ τὰς μηχανὰς μηδὲν φοβηθῇς· ἐγὼ γάρ τοι ὑποδέκομαι μή μιν ἀνδρὸς ἔτι γε μηδενὸς στήσεσθαι ἐναντίον.
I say that it is fitting for a king and general to encounter a king and general. For if you slay a general, it becomes a great thing for you; and secondly, if he should slay you—which may it not happen!—to die at the hands of a worthy opponent is but half the disaster. But it is for us, the servants, to encounter other servants, and also the horse. Fear not at all his tricks; for I promise you that he will never again stand upright against any man.”
- 5.111.1τὰ δὲ πολέμια
Accusative of respect ('with regard to military matters'), corresponding to the preceding γένος μέν ('by race').
- 5.111.2φυλάξας
The aorist participle indicates taking precautions or waiting to observe the opponent's moves ('having watched out for' or 'on the watch') before executing the strike.
- 5.111.4ὑπὸ ἀξιοχρέου
The preposition ὑπὸ with the genitive of the adjective ἀξιοχρέου ('worthy') acts as the agent of the infinitive ἀποθανεῖν (which functions passively here as 'to be slain'), with a noun like ἀνδρός being understood.