← Herodotus

Histories

§7.146.1-7.146.3

Capture of Greek Spies and Their Release by Xerxes

Spies sent to Asia by the Greek allies are captured in Sardis and sentenced to death, but Xerxes intervenes, ordering his guards to show them the entire Persian army and send them home unharmed.

View ▾
View
Translation
Typeface
AI ↗
← PrevNext →
§7.146.1

ὡς δὲ ταῦτα σφι ἔδοξε, καταλυσάμενοι τὰς ἔχθρας πρῶτα μὲν κατασκόπους πέμπουσι ἐς τὴν Ἀσίην ἄνδρας τρεῖς. οἳ δὲ ἀπικόμενοί τε ἐς Σάρδις καὶ καταμαθόντες τὴν βασιλέος στρατιήν, ὡς ἐπάιστοι ἐγένοντο, βασανισθέντες ὑπὸ τῶν στρατηγῶν τοῦ πεζοῦ στρατοῦ ἀπήγοντο ὡς ἀπολεόμενοι.1

​When these things were resolved upon by them, they put an end to their enmities, and first of all sent three men to Asia as spies. These men, having arrived at Sardis and having made themselves thoroughly acquainted with the King’s army, were discovered, and after being tortured by the generals of the land army, were being led away to be put to death.

§7.146.2

καὶ τοῖσι μὲν κατεκέκριτο θάνατος, Ξέρξης δὲ ὡς ἐπύθετο ταῦτα, μεμφθεὶς τῶν στρατηγῶν τὴν γνώμην2 πέμπει τῶν τινας δορυφόρων, ἐντειλάμενος, ἢν καταλάβωσι τοὺς κατασκόπους ζῶντας, ἄγειν παρʼ ἑωυτόν.

​And indeed, sentence of death had been passed upon them, but when Xerxes heard of this, he disapproved of the judgment of the generals, and sent some of his bodyguards, commanding them to bring the spies before him if they should find them still alive.

§7.146.3

ὡς δὲ ἔτι περιεόντας αὐτοὺς κατέλαβον καὶ ἦγον ἐς ὄψιν τὴν βασιλέος, τὸ ἐνθεῦτεν πυθόμενος ἐπʼ οἷσι ἦλθον, ἐκέλευε σφέας τοὺς δορυφόρους περιάγοντας ἐπιδείκνυσθαι πάντα τε τὸν πεζὸν στρατὸν καὶ τὴν ἵππον, ἐπεὰν δὲ ταῦτα θηεύμενοι ἔωσι πλήρεες, ἀποπέμπειν ἐς τὴν ἂν αὐτοὶ ἐθέλωσι χώρην3 ἀσινέας.

​When they found them still surviving and brought them into the King’s presence, he then, having inquired for what purpose they had come, commanded the bodyguards to lead them around and show them all the land army and the cavalry, and when they had seen these to their hearts’ content, to send them away unharmed to whatever country they themselves might wish.

Syntax notes3 items
  1. 7.146.1ὡς ἀπολεόμενοι

    The conjunction ὡς combined with the future middle/passive participle ἀπολεόμενοι (Ionic form from ἀπόλλυμι) expresses the intention or purpose of the action ('to be put to death', 'on the point of being destroyed').

  2. 7.146.2μεμφθεὶς τῶν στρατηγῶν τὴν γνώμην

    μεμφθεὶς is an aorist passive participle (with active meaning from the deponent verb μέμφομαι), and the genitive τῶν στρατηγῶν is a possessive genitive modifying the noun τὴν γνώμην. The verb μέμφομαι takes the accusative of the object of blame (here, τὴν γνώμην).

  3. 7.146.3ἐς τὴν ἂν αὐτοὶ ἐθέλωσι χώρην

    A relative general clause consisting of the relative pronoun τήν (acting as the relative pronoun ἥν in the Ionic dialect) followed by ἄν and the subjunctive ἐθέλωσι. It expresses indefinite generality: 'to whatever country they themselves might wish.' The antecedent χώρην is incorporated into the relative clause.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
  • 2026-09-21 AI review — source 1
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.146.1-7.146.3