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Histories

§7.4.1

Preparations for Campaign and the Death of Darius

After declaring Xerxes king, Darius prepares for a campaign, but dies the following year after a thirty-six-year reign, without being able to punish either the rebellious Egyptians or the Athenians.

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§7.4.1

ἀποδέξας δὲ βασιλέα Πέρσῃσι Ξέρξεα Δαρεῖος ὁρμᾶτο στρατεύεσθαι. ἀλλὰ γὰρ μετὰ ταῦτά τε καὶ Αἰγύπτου ἀπόστασιν τῷ ὑστέρῳ ἔτεϊ παρασκευαζόμενον1 συνήνεικε2 αὐτὸν Δαρεῖον, βασιλεύσαντα τὰ πάντα ἕξ τε καὶ τριήκοντα ἔτεα, ἀποθανεῖν, οὐδέ οἱ ἐξεγένετο3 οὔτε τοὺς ἀπεστεῶτας Αἰγυπτίους οὔτε Ἀθηναίους τιμωρήσασθαι.

​Having declared Xerxes king for the Persians, Darius was eager to set out on his campaign. However, in the year after these events and the rebellion of Egypt, while he was making preparations, it happened that Darius himself died, after having reigned for thirty-six years in all; and it was not granted to him to punish either the rebellious Egyptians or the Athenians.

Syntax notes3 items
  1. 7.4.1παρασκευαζόμενον

    Present middle/passive participle, accusative masculine singular, modifying αὐτὸν Δαρεῖον, the subject of the accusative-and-infinitive construction. It describes the ongoing or simultaneous circumstance that he 'was in the middle of making preparations' when death befell him.

  2. 7.4.1συνήνεικε

    The aorist form of the impersonal verb συμφέρει (to happen, turn out). It takes the accusative subject αὐτὸν Δαρεῖον and the infinitive ἀποθανεῖν, meaning 'it happened that Darius himself died.'

  3. 7.4.1οὐδέ οἱ ἐξεγένετο

    The aorist form of the impersonal verb ἔξεστι (it is possible, allowed), accompanied by the dative pronoun οἱ (to him, third-person singular dative). It means 'it was not granted to him' or 'it was not possible for him,' with the infinitive τιμωρήσασθαι acting as the subject.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.4.1