- 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-grc2:7.133.1-7.133.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-05
The author explains why Xerxes did not send heralds to Athens and Sparta, citing their past execution of Darius's heralds, and discusses the consequences that befell Athens.
ἐς δὲ Ἀθήνας καὶ Σπάρτην οὐκ ἀπέπεμψε Ξέρξης ἐπὶ γῆς αἴτησιν κήρυκας τῶνδε εἵνεκα· πρότερον Δαρείου πέμψαντος ἐπʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτο, οἳ μὲν αὐτῶν τοὺς αἰτέοντας ἐς τὸ βάραθρον οἳ δʼ1 ἐς φρέαρ ἐμβαλόντες ἐκέλευον γῆν τε καὶ ὕδωρ ἐκ τούτων φέρειν παρὰ βασιλέα.
But to Athens and Sparta, Xerxes did not send heralds to demand earth for these reasons: previously, when Darius had sent them for this very purpose, some of them threw those making the demand into the pit, and others into a well, and bade them carry earth and water from these to the King.
τούτων μὲν εἵνεκα οὐκ ἔπεμψε Ξέρξης τοὺς αἰτήσοντας· ὅ τι δὲ τοῖσι Ἀθηναίοισι ταῦτα ποιήσασι τοὺς κήρυκας2 συνήνεικε ἀνεθέλητον γενέσθαι,3 οὐκ ἔχω εἶπαί4 τι, πλὴν ὅτι σφέων ἡ χώρη καὶ ἡ πόλις ἐδηιώθη. ἀλλὰ τοῦτο οὐ διὰ ταύτην τὴν αἰτίην δοκέω γενέσθαι.
For these reasons indeed Xerxes did not send those who would make the demand. But what undesirable thing befell the Athenians for having done these things to the heralds, I am unable to say, except that their land and city were laid waste. Yet I do not think that this happened for that reason.
- 7.133.1οἳ μὲν ... οἳ δʼ
A correlative expression meaning "some... others...". Contextually, the former refers to the Athenians (who threw the heralds into the pit, barathron) and the latter to the Spartans (who threw them into a well).
- 7.133.2τοῖσι Ἀθηναίοισι ταῦτα ποιήσασι τοὺς κήρυκας
The participle ποιήσασι (from ποιέω, meaning "to do something to someone") takes a double accusative of the person (τοὺς κήρυκας) and the thing (ταῦτα). The entire phrase modifies τοῖσι Ἀθηναίοισι, which is governed by the impersonal verb συνήνεικε.
- 7.133.2ὅ τι ... συνήνεικε ἀνεθέλητον γενέσθαι
The impersonal verb συμφέρω (here in the aorist συνήνεικε, meaning "to happen, befall") is used with the dative (τοῖσι Ἀθηναίοισι...) and the infinitive (γενέσθαι). The phrase ὅ τι ... ἀνεθέλητον ("whatever undesirable thing") serves as its subject.
- 7.133.2οὐκ ἔχω εἶπαι
The verb ἔχω followed by an infinitive (εἶπαι) means "to be able to do". Combined with the negative, it means "I am unable to say."