- 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-grc2:5.24.1-5.24.4
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
Accepting Megabazos's advice, Darius summons Histiaeus from Myrcinus. Darius then proposes to take him to Susa as his close advisor and table-companion.
ταῦτα λέγων ὁ Μεγάβαζος εὐπετέως ἔπειθε Δαρεῖον ὡς εὖ προορῶν1 τὸ μέλλον γίνεσθαι. μετὰ δὲ πέμψας ἄγγελον ἐς τὴν Μύρκινον ὁ Δαρεῖος ἔλεγε τάδε. Ἱστιαῖε, βασιλεὺς Δαρεῖος τάδε λέγει. ἐγὼ φροντίζων εὑρίσκω ἐμοί τε καὶ τοῖσι ἐμοῖσι πρήγμασι2 εἶναι οὐδένα σεῦ ἄνδρα εὐνοέστερον· τοῦτο δὲ οὐ λόγοισι ἀλλʼ ἔργοισι οἶδα μαθών.3
By saying these things, Megabazos easily persuaded Darius, as one who foresaw well what was going to happen. Afterwards, Darius, having sent a messenger to Myrcinus, spoke as follows: “Histiaeus, King Darius says these things: Upon reflection, I find that there is no man more well-disposed to me and my affairs than you; and this I know, having learned it not by words but by deeds.
νῦν ὦν, ἐπινοέω γὰρ πρήγματα μεγάλα κατεργάσασθαι, ἀπίκεό μοι πάντως, ἵνα τοι αὐτὰ ὑπερθέωμαι. τούτοισι τοῖσι ἔπεσι πιστεύσας ὁ Ἱστιαῖος, καὶ ἅμα μέγα ποιεύμενος4 βασιλέος σύμβουλος γενέσθαι, ἀπίκετο ἐς τὰς Σάρδις·
Now therefore, since I intend to accomplish great undertakings, come to me by all means, so that I may communicate them to you.” Histiaeus, believing these words and at the same time thinking it a great thing to become the King’s advisor, arrived at Sardis.
ἀπικομένῳ δέ οἱ ἔλεγε Δαρεῖος τάδε. Ἱστιαῖε, ἐγώ σε μετεπεμψάμην τῶνδε εἵνεκεν. ἐπείτε τάχιστα ἐνόστησα ἀπὸ Σκυθέων καὶ σύ μοι ἐγένεο ἐξ ὀφθαλμῶν, οὐδέν κω ἄλλο χρῆμα οὕτω ἐν βραχέι ἐπεζήτησα ὡς σὲ ἰδεῖν τε καὶ ἐς λόγους μοι ἀπικέσθαι, ἐγνωκὼς ὅτι κτημάτων πάντων ἐστὶ τιμιώτατον ἀνὴρ φίλος συνετός τε καὶ εὔνοος, τά τοι ἐγὼ καὶ ἀμφότερα συνειδὼς ἔχω μαρτυρέειν5 ἐς πρήγματα τὰ ἐμά.
When he had arrived, Darius spoke to him as follows: “Histiaeus, I have summoned you for this reason: as soon as I returned from Scythia and you went out of my sight, there is nothing else that I have so eagerly desired in so short a time as to see you and enter into conversation with me, knowing well that of all possessions, a wise and well-disposed friend is the most precious thing, both of which qualities I know you possess and can bear witness to in my affairs.
νῦν ὦν, εὖ γὰρ ἐποίησας ἀπικόμενος,6 τάδε τοι ἐγὼ προτείνομαι· Μίλητον μὲν ἔα καὶ τὴν νεόκτιστον ἐν Θρηίκῃ πόλιν, σὺ δέ μοι ἑπόμενος ἐς Σοῦσα ἔχε τά περ ἂν ἐγὼ ἔχω, ἐμός τε σύσσιτος ἐὼν καὶ σύμβουλος.
Now therefore, for you have done well to come, I make you this proposal: leave Miletus and your newly-founded city in Thrace, and follow me to Susa, and share whatever I have, being my table-companion and advisor.”
- 5.24.1ὡς εὖ προορῶν
The combination of ὡς and the present participle προορῶν, expressing that Megabazos appeared to Darius, or represented himself, as one who foresaw the future well.
- 5.24.1ἐμοῖσι πρήγμασι
Datives depending on the comparative adjective εὐνοέστερον ("more well-disposed"), functioning as datives of interest or relation: "to me and my affairs."
- 5.24.1οἶδα μαθών
The verb οἶδα is accompanied by the participle μαθών (aorist participle of μανθάνω), indicating "knowing by having learned" or "knowing well through experience."
- 5.24.2μέγα ποιεύμενος
Present middle participle of μέγα ποιέομαι, which takes the following infinitive phrase βασιλέος σύμβουλος γενέσθαι as its object, forming the idiom meaning "highly esteeming" or "deeming it a great honor to become the King's advisor."
- 5.24.3τά τοι ἐγὼ καὶ ἀμφότερα συνειδὼς ἔχω μαρτυρέειν
The relative pronoun τά in the neuter plural refers to the two qualities implied by συνετός τε καὶ εὔνοος ("wise and well-disposed"). συνειδὼς ἔχω is a perfect periphrasis using the participle συνειδώς and ἔχω, emphasizing a present state of firm knowledge, followed by the infinitive μαρτυρέειν ("can bear witness").
- 5.24.4εὖ γὰρ ἐποίησας ἀπικόμενος
The phrase εὖ ποιέω followed by the participle ἀπικόμενος is an idiomatic formula of welcome or gratitude, meaning "you did well to come" or "it is good that you have arrived."