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§7.145.1-7.145.2

Reconciliation of Greek States and Dispatch of Envoys

The patriotic Greek states unite to end their internal conflicts and resolve to send spies to Asia, as well as embassies to Argos, Sicily, Corcyra, and Crete to establish a united front against the Persian invasion.

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§7.145.1

τὰ μὲν δὴ χρηστήρια ταῦτα τοῖσι Ἀθηναίοισι ἐγεγόνεε. συλλεγομένων δὲ ἐς τὠυτὸ τῶν περὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα Ἑλλήνων τῶν τὰ ἀμείνω φρονεόντων καὶ διδόντων σφίσι λόγον καὶ πίστιν, ἐνθαῦτα ἐδόκεε βουλευομένοισι αὐτοῖσι πρῶτον μὲν χρημάτων πάντων1 καταλλάσσεσθαι τάς τε ἔχθρας καὶ τοὺς κατʼ ἀλλήλους ἐόντας πολέμους· ἦσαν δὲ πρὸς τινὰς καὶ ἄλλους ἐγκεκρημένοι,ὁ δὲ ὦν μέγιστος Ἀθηναίοισί τε καὶ Αἰγινήτῃσι.

​These oracles, then, had been delivered to the Athenians. But when those of the Greeks who held the better cause gathered together in the same place and gave one another pledges and agreements, it was then resolved by them in their deliberations that, first and foremost, before all other things, they should reconcile their enmities and the wars that existed among one another. There were indeed wars going on with certain others, but the greatest of all was that between the Athenians and the Aeginetans.

§7.145.2

μετὰ δὲ πυνθανόμενοι Ξέρξην σὺν τῷ στρατῷ εἶναι ἐν Σάρδισι, ἐβουλεύσαντο κατασκόπους πέμπειν ἐς τὴν Ἀσίην τῶν βασιλέος πρηγμάτων, ἐς Ἄργος τε ἀγγέλους ὁμαιχμίην συνθησομένους πρὸς τὸν Πέρσην,2 καὶ ἐς Σικελίην ἄλλους πέμπειν παρὰ Γέλωνα τὸν Δεινομένεος ἔς τε Κέρκυραν κελεύσοντας βοηθέειν τῇ Ἑλλάδι καὶ ἐς Κρήτην ἄλλους, φρονήσαντες εἴ κως ἕν τε γένοιτο τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν καὶ εἰ συγκύψαντες τὠυτὸ πρήσσοιεν πάντες, ὡς δεινῶν ἐπιόντων ὁμοίως πᾶσι Ἕλλησι. τὰ δὲ Γέλωνος πρήγματα μεγάλα ἐλέγετο εἶναι, οὐδαμῶν Ἑλληνικῶν τῶν οὐ πολλὸν μέζω.3

​Afterwards, on learning that Xerxes was at Sardis with his army, they resolved to send spies into Asia to investigate the King’s affairs, and to send messengers to Argos to conclude a military alliance against the Persian, and to send others to Sicily to Gelon, the son of Dinomenes, and to Corcyra, to urge them to help Greece, and others to Crete, thinking that if somehow the Greek race could become one, and if all should unite and act in common, since danger was threatening all Greeks alike. Now the power of Gelon was said to be very great, and there was no Greek power that was not far surpassed by it.

Syntax notes3 items
  1. 7.145.1χρημάτων πάντων

    The word χρήματα here does not mean 'money' but 'matters' or 'affairs' (plural of πρᾶγμα). Combined with πρῶτον μὲν, it functions as a genitive of comparison meaning 'before all other things' or 'first of all.'

  2. 7.145.2ὁμαιχμίην συνθησομένους πρὸς τὸν Πέρσην

    The future participle συνθησομένους expresses purpose. The prepositional phrase πρὸς τὸν Πέρσην modifies the noun ὁμαιχμίην ('alliance' or 'joint defense'), meaning an alliance against the Persian, not with him.

  3. 7.145.2οὐδαμῶν Ἑλληνικῶν τῶν οὐ πολλὸν μέζω

    A double negative construction with the comparative μέζω. The relative pronoun τῶν refers back to the antecedent οὐδαμῶν Ἑλληνικῶν, meaning 'there was no Greek power that was much greater than it,' emphasizing that Gelon's power was overwhelmingly superior to all others.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.145.1-7.145.2