- 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-grc2:6.11.1-6.11.3
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
As the Persian forces approach Miletus, the Ionians gather at Lade for a council, where the Phocaean general Dionysius urges them to endure rigorous training for their freedom and entrust the command to him.
ταῦτα μέν νυν ἰθέως ἀπικομένων ἐς τὴν Μίλητον τῶν Περσέων ἐγίνετο· μετὰ δὲ τῶν Ἰώνων συλλεχθέντων ἐς τὴν Λάδην ἐγίνοντο ἀγοραί, καὶ δή κού σφι καὶ ἄλλοι ἠγορόωντο, ἐν δὲ δὴ καὶ ὁ Φωκαεὺς στρατηγὸς Διονύσιος λέγων τάδε.
These things, then, happened immediately upon the arrival of the Persians at Miletus. Afterward, when the Ionians had gathered at Lade, assemblies were held; and indeed others also made speeches to them, as I suppose, and among them in particular was the Phocaean general Dionysius, who spoke as follows:
ἐπὶ ξυροῦ γὰρ ἀκμῆς ἔχεται ἡμῖν τὰ πρήγματα,1 ἄνδρες Ἴωνες, ἢ εἶναι ἐλευθέροισι ἢ δούλοισι,2 καὶ τούτοισι ὡς δρηπέτῃσι· νῦν ὦν ὑμεῖς ἢν μὲν βούλησθε ταλαιπωρίας ἐνδέκεσθαι, τὸ παραχρῆμα μὲν πόνος ὑμῖν ἔσται, οἷοί τε δὲ ἔσεσθε ὑπερβαλόμενοι τοὺς ἐναντίους εἶναι ἐλεύθεροι· εἰ δὲ μαλακίῃ τε καὶ ἀταξίῃ διαχρήσησθε, οὐδεμίαν ὑμέων ἔχω ἐλπίδα μὴ οὐ δώσειν ὑμέας δίκην3 βασιλέι τῆς ἀποστάσιος.
”For our affairs, men of Ionia, stand on the edge of a razor, whether we are to be free men or slaves, and that too as runaway slaves. Now, therefore, if you are willing to undergo hardships, for the moment you will have toil, but you will be able, by overcoming your opponents, to be free. But if you indulge in weakness and disorder, I have no hope for you that you will not pay the penalty to the King for your rebellion.
ἀλλʼ ἐμοί τε πείθεσθε καὶ ἐμοὶ ὑμέας αὐτοὺς ἐπιτρέψατε· καὶ ὑμῖν ἐγώ, θεῶν τὰ ἴσα νεμόντων,4 ὑποδέκομαι ἢ οὐ συμμίξειν τοὺς πολεμίους ἢ συμμίσγοντας πολλὸν ἐλασσωθήσεσθαι.
Therefore, trust me and entrust yourselves to me; and I promise you that, if the gods hold the scales even, either the enemy will not join battle with us, or, if they do, they will be utterly defeated.”
- 6.11.2ἐπὶ ξυροῦ γὰρ ἀκμῆς ἔχεται ἡμῖν τὰ πρήγματα
A famous metaphorical expression: "our affairs hang on the edge of a razor" (i.e., are in a critical state). The middle-passive verb ἔχεται governs the genitive (ἐπὶ ... ἀκμῆς) to mean "to depend on" or "cling to." ἡμῖν is a dative of reference ("for us").
- 6.11.2ἢ εἶναι ἐλευθέροισι ἢ δούλοισι
The predicate nouns of the infinitive εἶναι (ἐλευθέροισι and δούλοισι) are in the dative case to agree with the preceding dative ἡμῖν.
- 6.11.2μὴ οὐ δώσειν ὑμέας δίκην
Since the main clause contains a negative expression (οὐδεμίαν ... ἔχω ἐλπίδα, "I have no hope"), the following infinitive is accompanied by the double negative μὴ οὐ. It expresses a strong conviction: "there is no hope that you will not pay the penalty" (i.e., you will certainly be punished).
- 6.11.3θεῶν τὰ ἴσα νεμόντων
Genitive absolute. Literally meaning "if the gods dispense equal things (to both sides)," it expresses a conditional idea: "if the gods are fair" or "if fortune is impartial."