Bribery, Exile, and Death of Leotychides — Herodotus, Histories Book 6 (6.72.1–6.72.2), Greek & English

§6.72.1

οὐ μὲν οὐδὲ Λευτυχίδης κατεγήρα ἐν Σπάρτῃ, ἀλλὰ τίσιν τοιήνδε τινὰ Δημαρήτῳ ἐξέτισε. ἐστρατήγησε Λακεδαιμονίοισι ἐς Θεσσαλίην, παρεὸν δέ οἱ¹ πάντα ὑποχείρια ποιήσασθαι ἐδωροδόκησε ἀργύριον πολλόν·

And indeed neither did Leotychides grow old in Sparta, but he paid a penalty of this sort to Demaratus. He led an army for the Lacedaemonians into Thessaly, and although it was in his power to bring everything under his control, he accepted a large bribe of money.

§6.72.2

ἐπʼ αὐτοφώρῳ δὲ ἁλοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ, ἐπικατήμενος χειρίδι πλέῃ ἀργυρίου,² ἔφυγε ἐκ Σπάρτης ὑπὸ δικαστήριον ὑπαχθείς, καὶ τὰ οἰκία οἱ κατεσκάφη· ἔφυγε δὲ ἐς Τεγέην καὶ ἐτελεύτησε ἐν ταύτῃ.

And being caught in the act there in the camp, sitting upon a sleeve full of money, he fled from Sparta, having been brought before a court, and his house was razed to the ground; and he fled to Tegea and died in that city.

Syntax notes2 items

6.72.1παρεὸν δέ οἱ
Accusative absolute of the impersonal verb πάρεστι ('it is possible'), expressing concession: 'although it was possible for him.' It governs the subsequent infinitive phrase πάντα ὑποχείρια ποιήσασθαι ('to bring everything under his control').
6.72.2χειρίδι πλέῃ ἀργυρίου
The dative of the noun χειρίς ('sleeve' or 'glove'), agreed with the Ionic feminine dative singular form πλέῃ of the adjective πλέος ('full'), which governs the genitive of material/contents ἀργυρίου ('of money'). It vividly describes the state of being caught in the act: 'sitting upon a sleeve full of money.'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.72.1-6.72.2