- 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-grc2:7.130.1-7.130.3
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-05
Xerxes, upon confirming that the Peneus has no other outlet, remarks that the Thessalians were wise to submit early due to their geographic vulnerability to flooding, before sailing back to Therme.
οἱ δὲ κατηγεόμενοι, εἰρομένου Ξέρξεω εἰ ἔστι ἄλλη ἔξοδος ἐς θάλασσαν τῷ Πηνειῷ, ἐξεπιστάμενοι ἀτρεκέως εἶπον βασιλεῦ, ποταμῷ τούτῳ οὐκ ἔστι ἄλλη ἐξήλυσις ἐς θάλασσαν κατήκουσα, ἀλλʼ ἥδε αὐτή· ὄρεσι γὰρ περιεστεφάνωται πᾶσα Θεσσαλίη. Ξέρξην δὲ λέγεται εἰπεῖν πρὸς ταῦτα σοφοὶ ἄνδρες εἰσὶ Θεσσαλοί.
The guides, when Xerxes asked if there was any other outlet for the Peneus into the sea, knowing the facts precisely, said, “O King, for this river there is no other exit leading to the sea, but this very one; for all Thessaly is ringed round with mountains.” To this Xerxes is said to have replied, “The Thessalians are wise men.
ταῦτʼ ἄρα πρὸ πολλοῦ ἐφυλάξαντο γνωσιμαχέοντες1 καὶ τἆλλα καὶ ὅτι χώρην ἄρα εἶχον εὐαίρετόν τε καὶ ταχυάλωτον. τὸν γὰρ ποταμὸν πρῆγμα ἂν ἦν μοῦνον ἐπεῖναι2 σφέων ἐπὶ τὴν χώρην, χώματι ἐκ τοῦ αὐλῶνος ἐκβιβάσαντα καὶ παρατρέψαντα διʼ ὧν νῦν ῥέει ῥεέθρων, ὥστε Θεσσαλίην πᾶσαν ἔξω τῶν ὀρέων ὑπόβρυχα γενέσθαι.
For this very reason, then, they took precautions long beforehand, changing their mind, both in other respects and because they realized they had a country that was easily captured and quickly conquered. For it would have been a simple matter to turn the river upon their country, by blocking the glen with a dam and diverting the river from the channels through which it now flows, so that all Thessaly, except the mountains, would be under water.”
ταῦτα δὲ ἔχοντα3 ἔλεγε ἐς τοὺς Ἀλεύεω παῖδας, ὅτι πρῶτοι Ἑλλήνων ἐόντες Θεσσαλοὶ ἔδοσαν ἑωυτοὺς βασιλέι, δοκέων ὁ Ξέρξης ἀπὸ παντός σφεας τοῦ ἔθνεος ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι φιλίην. εἴπας δὲ ταῦτα καὶ θεησάμενος ἀπέπλεε ἐς τὴν Θέρμην.
He spoke these words with reference to the sons of Aleuas, because they, being Thessalians, were the first of the Greeks to surrender themselves to the king; for Xerxes supposed that they were making their offer of friendship on behalf of the whole nation. Having said this and finished his viewing, he sailed back to Therme.
- 7.130.2γνωσιμαχέοντες
Meaning "to change one's mind" or "to recognize one's own weakness/limits." Xerxes uses it to mockingly praise the Thessalians for having the wisdom to submit early, knowing their geographically vulnerable position.
- 7.130.2ἐπεῖναι
The Ionic aorist active infinitive of the compound verb ἐφίημι (ἐπί + εἷναι, "to send upon, direct toward"). It functions as the subject infinitive with the copula/predicate (πρῆγμα ἂν ἦν), meaning "to direct/turn (the river) upon their land."
- 7.130.3ταῦτα δὲ ἔχοντα
The present participle ἔχοντα is used intransitively in the neuter plural accusative as an adverbial phrase meaning "relating to" or "with reference to," modifying the prepositional phrase ἐς τοὺς Ἀλεύεω παῖδας.