- 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-grc2:6.66.1-6.66.3
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
To resolve the dispute over Demaratus' lineage, the Spartans consult the Delphic oracle, but Cleomenes bribes the influential Cobon and the prophetess Perialla to deliver a false judgment, a corruption that is later exposed.
τέλος δὲ ἐόντων περὶ αὐτῶν νεικέων,1 ἔδοξε Σπαρτιήτῃσι ἐπειρέσθαι τὸ χρηστήριον τὸ ἐν Δελφοῖσι εἰ Ἀρίστωνος εἴη παῖς ὁ Δημάρητος.
At last, as there was ongoing strife concerning these matters, it was resolved by the Spartans to inquire of the oracle at Delphi whether Demaratus was indeed the son of Ariston.
ἀνοίστου δὲ γενομένου2 ἐκ προνοίης τῆς Κλεομένεος ἐς τὴν Πυθίην, ἐνθαῦτα προσποιέεται Κλεομένης Κόβωνα τὸν Ἀριστοφάντου, ἄνδρα ἐν Δελφοῖσι δυναστεύοντα μέγιστον, ὁ δὲ Κόβων Περίαλλαν τὴν πρόμαντιν ἀναπείθει τὰ Κλεομένης ἐβούλετο λέγεσθαι λέγειν.3
When the matter was referred to the Pythia through the foresight of Cleomenes, then Cleomenes won over to his side Cobon, the son of Aristophantus, a man of the greatest influence in Delphi; and Cobon persuaded Perialla, the prophetess, to say what Cleomenes wished to be said.
οὕτω δὴ ἡ Πυθίη ἐπειρωτώντων τῶν θεοπρόπων ἔκρινε μὴ Ἀρίστωνος εἶναι Δημάρητον παῖδα. ὑστέρῳ μέντοι χρόνῳ ἀνάπυστα ἐγένετο ταῦτα, καὶ Κόβων τε ἔφυγε ἐκ Δελφῶν καὶ Περίαλλα ἡ πρόμαντις ἐπαύσθη τῆς τιμῆς.
In this way, indeed, when the messengers made their inquiry, the Pythia judged that Demaratus was not the son of Ariston. In later times, however, these things became known; and Cobon fled from Delphi, and Perialla, the prophetess, was deprived of her office.
- 6.66.1ἐόντων περὶ αὐτῶν νεικέων
Genitive absolute construction consisting of the present participle ἐόντων (Ionic for ὄντων) and the genitive plural noun νεικέων (from νεῖκος), functioning as a causal or temporal clause ('since there was ongoing strife').
- 6.66.2ἀνοίστου δὲ γενομένου
Genitive absolute construction using the neuter genitive singular of ἀνοιστός (Ionic spelling of the verbal adjective of ἀναφέρω, 'to refer'). The subject is implied ('when the matter was referred to the Pythia').
- 6.66.2τὰ Κλεομένης ἐβούλετο λέγεσθαι λέγειν
The infinitive λέγειν (to say) is the complement of the main verb ἀναπείθει (persuades). The object of λέγειν is the relative clause τὰ Κλεομένης ἐβούλετο λέγεσθαι ('what Cleomenes wished to be said'), in which τὰ is a relative pronoun containing its antecedent.