- 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-grc2:5.3.1-5.3.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-10
The author explains that the Thracians are the second most numerous nation in the world and would be invincible if united, but remain weak due to division, sharing similar customs despite having different regional names.
Θρηίκων δὲ ἔθνος μέγιστον ἐστὶ μετά γε Ἰνδοὺς πάντων ἀνθρώπων· εἰ δὲ ὑπʼ ἑνὸς ἄρχοιτο ἢ φρονέοι κατὰ τὠυτό,1 ἄμαχόν τʼ ἂν εἴη καὶ πολλῷ κράτιστον πάντων ἐθνέων κατὰ γνώμην τὴν ἐμήν. ἀλλὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἄπορόν σφι καὶ ἀμήχανον μή κοτε ἐγγένηται,2 εἰσὶ δὴ κατὰ τοῦτο ἀσθενέες.
The Thracian nation is the greatest of all mankind, at least next to the Indians; and if they were ruled by one man, or were of one mind, they would be, in my judgment, invincible and by far the strongest of all nations. But since this is impossible for them and can never be brought about, they are therefore weak in this respect.
οὐνόματα δʼ ἔχουσι πολλὰ κατὰ χώρας ἕκαστοι, νόμοισι δὲ οὗτοι παραπλησίοισι πάντες χρέωνται κατὰ πάντα, πλὴν Γετέων καὶ Τραυσῶν καὶ τῶν κατύπερθε Κρηστωναίων οἰκεόντων.
They have many names, each according to their regions, but they all use very similar customs in all respects, except the Getae, the Trausi, and those who dwell above the Crestonaeans.
- 5.3.1εἰ δὲ ὑπʼ ἑνὸς ἄρχοιτο ἢ φρονέοι κατὰ τὠυτό
The verbs ἄρχοιτο and φρονέοι in the protasis are in the optative mood, corresponding with ἄν + optative (εἴη) in the apodosis to express a hypothetical or highly improbable condition (future less vivid or potential).
- 5.3.1τοῦτο ἄπορόν σφι καὶ ἀμήχανον μή κοτε ἐγγένηται
The subjunctive clause (μή + subjunctive ἐγγένηται) follows the adjectives denoting impossibility (ἄπορον and ἀμήχανον), serving to define or explain what is impossible (namely, 'that it should ever come about'). The particle combination ἀλλὰ γάρ expresses a logical transition, equivalent to 'but indeed' or 'but the truth is that'.