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§5.92B.1-5.92B.3

Marriage of Labda and the Delphic Oracles on Eetion's Line

Labda, a member of the ruling oligarchic Bacchiadae clan of Corinth, marries Eetion. Seeking an oracle at Delphi due to childlessness, Eetion is foretold that his future child will become a ruler and overthrow the oligarchs, prompting the Bacchiadae to recall an earlier, cryptic oracle pointing to the same destiny.

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§5.92B.1

Κορινθίοισι γὰρ ἦν πόλιος κατάστασις τοιήδε· ἦν ὀλιγαρχίη, καὶ οὗτοι Βακχιάδαι καλεόμενοι ἔνεμον τὴν πόλιν, ἐδίδοσαν δὲ καὶ ἤγοντο ἐξ ἀλλήλων.1 Ἀμφίονι δὲ ἐόντι τούτων τῶν ἀνδρῶν γίνεται θυγάτηρ χωλή· οὔνομα δέ οἱ ἦν Λάβδα. ταύτην Βακχιαδέων γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἤθελε γῆμαι, ἴσχει Ἠετίων ὁ Ἐχεκράτεος, δήμου μὲν ἐὼν ἐκ Πέτρης, ἀτὰρ τὰ ἀνέκαθεν2 Λαπίθης τε καὶ Καινείδης.

​For the constitution of the Corinthians’ city was of this kind: there was an oligarchy, and those who were called Bacchiadae governed the city, and they gave in marriage and took wives from among one another. And to Amphion, who was one of these men, was born a lame daughter; and her name was Labda. Since no one of the Bacchiadae wished to marry her, Eetion the son of Echecrates took her to wife, who was of the deme of Petra, but by descent from of old a Lapith and a Caeneid.

§5.92B.2

ἐκ δέ οἱ ταύτης τῆς γυναικὸς οὐδʼ ἐξ ἄλλης παῖδες ἐγίνοντο. ἐστάλη ὦν ἐς Δελφοὺς περὶ γόνου. ἐσιόντα δὲ αὐτὸν ἰθέως ἡ Πυθίη προσαγορεύει τοῖσιδε τοῖσι ἔπεσι. "Ἠετίων, οὔτις σε τίει πολύτιτον ἐόντα. Λάβδα κύει, τέξει δʼ ὀλοοίτροχον· ἐν δὲ πεσεῖται3 ἀνδράσι μουνάρχοισι, δικαιώσει δὲ Κόρινθον."

​But neither from this wife nor from any other were children born to him. He was sent, therefore, to Delphi to inquire about offspring. And as he was entering, straightway the Pythia addressed him in these words: “Eetion, no one honors thee, though thou art worthy of much honor. Labda is pregnant, and she will bring forth a rolling stone; and it will fall upon monarchic men, and will bring justice to Corinth.”

§5.92B.3

ταῦτα χρησθέντα τῷ Ἠετίωνι ἐξαγγέλλεταί κως τοῖσι4 Βακχιάδῃσι, τοῖσι τὸ μὲν πρότερον γενόμενον χρηστήριον ἐς Κόρινθον ἦν ἄσημον, φέρον τε ἐς τὠυτὸ5 καὶ τὸ τοῦ Ἠετίωνος καὶ λέγον ὧδε. "αἰετὸς ἐν πέτρῃσι κύει, τέξει δὲ λέοντα καρτερὸν ὠμηστήν· πολλῶν δʼ ὑπὸ γούνατα λύσει. ταῦτά νυν εὖ φράζεσθε, Κορίνθιοι, οἳ περὶ καλήν Πειρήνην οἰκεῖτε καὶ ὀφρυόεντα Κόρινθον."

​This oracle given to Eetion was somehow reported to the Bacchiadae, to whom the previous oracle concerning Corinth had been obscure, though it pointed to the same end as that of Eetion, and spoke thus: “An eagle is pregnant in the rocks, and will bring forth a lion, strong and ravenous; and he will loose the knees of many. Lay these things well to heart now, O Corinthians, who dwell about beautiful Peirene and frowning Corinth.”

Syntax notes5 items
  1. 5.92B.1ἐδίδοσαν δὲ καὶ ἤγοντο ἐξ ἀλλήλων

    The contrast between the active voice ἐδίδοσαν ('gave in marriage') and the middle voice ἤγοντο ('took wives') illustrates the endogamous practice of the Bacchiadae, who married only within their own clan.

  2. 5.92B.1τὰ ἀνέκαθεν

    Accusative of respect (or adverbial accusative), meaning 'by descent from of old' or 'in terms of ancestry.'

  3. 5.92B.2ἐν δὲ πεσεῖται

    An example of tmesis, where the prefix ἐν of the compound verb ἐμπίπτω is separated from the verb πεσεῖται (future of πἰπτω). It governs the dative ἀνδράσι μουνάρχοισι, meaning 'it will fall upon monarchic men.'

  4. 5.92B.3τοῖσι

    Ionic relative pronoun equivalent to Attic οἷς. Here it functions as a dative of reference ('for whom') or dative of possession ('whose').

  5. 5.92B.3φέρον τε ἐς τὠυτὸ

    The verb φέρω is used intransitively meaning 'to tend toward' or 'to lead to,' which combined with ἐς τὠυτὸ ('to the same') means 'pointing to the same outcome.'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
  • 2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.92B.1-5.92B.3