- 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-grc2:7.52.1-7.52.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
Xerxes rejects Artabanus's concerns about the Ionians' loyalty by citing their past faithfulness during Darius's Scythian campaign and the fact that their families remain in Persia. He then entrusts Artabanus with the guardianship of his realm and power.
ἀμείβεται πρὸς ταῦτα Ξέρξης Ἀρτάβανε, τῶν ἀπεφήναο γνωμέων1 σφάλλεαι κατὰ ταύτην δὴ μάλιστα, ὃς Ἴωνας φοβέαι μὴ μεταβάλωσι,2 τῶν ἔχομεν γνῶμα μέγιστον, τῶν σύ τε μάρτυς γίνεαι καὶ οἱ συστρατευσάμενοι Δαρείῳ ἄλλοι ἐπὶ Σκύθας, ὅτι ἐπὶ τούτοισι ἡ πᾶσα Περσικὴ στρατιὴ ἐγένετο διαφθεῖραι καὶ περιποιῆσαι,3 οἳ δὲ δικαιοσύνην καὶ πιστότητα ἐνέδωκαν, ἄχαρι δὲ οὐδέν.
Xerxes answered to this: “Artabanus, of the opinions which you have expressed, you are most of all mistaken in this very one, in that you fear the Ionians lest they change sides. We have the greatest proof of them, of which you yourself and the others who marched with Darius against the Scythians are witnesses: that the entire Persian army was in their power either to destroy or to save, and yet they showed justice and loyalty, and nothing unfriendly.
πάρεξ δὲ τούτου, ἐν τῇ ἡμετέρῃ καταλιπόντας4 τέκνα καὶ γυναῖκας καὶ χρήματα οὐδʼ ἐπιλέγεσθαι χρὴ νεώτερόν τι ποιήσειν. οὕτω μηδὲ τοῦτο φοβέο, ἀλλὰ θυμὸν ἔχων ἀγαθὸν σῶζε οἶκόν τε τὸν ἐμὸν καὶ τυραννίδα τὴν ἐμήν· σοὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ μούνῳ ἐκ πάντων σκῆπτρα τὰ ἐμὰ ἐπιτράπω.
Besides this, since they have left their children, wives, and property in our land, we should not even suspect that they will attempt any revolution. Therefore, do not fear this either, but keep a good heart and guard both my house and my sovereignty; for to you alone of all men do I entrust my sceptre.”
- 7.52.1τῶν ἀπεφήναο γνωμέων
An example of the attraction and incorporation of the antecedent into the relative clause. Instead of τῶν γνωμέων ἃς ἀπεφήναο, the noun is incorporated into the clause and assimilated to the genitive case of the relative pronoun.
- 7.52.1Ἴωνας φοβέαι μὴ μεταβάλωσι
A proleptic construction (anticipation), where the noun 'Ionians' (Ἴωνας), which logically should be the subject of the dependent clause introduced by μή, is anticipated as the direct object of the main verb (φοβέαι) in the accusative.
- 7.52.1ἐπὶ τούτοισι ... ἐγένετο διαφθεῖραι καὶ περιποιῆσαι
The preposition ἐπί with the dative means 'to be in the power of' or 'depend on'. The active infinitives διαφθεῖραι and περιποιῆσαι function as infinitives of specification or result, showing that the power to destroy or preserve the army lay with them.
- 7.52.2καταλιπόντας
An accusative participle agreeing with the unexpressed logical subject of the infinitive depending on the impersonal verb χρὴ. Although the Ionians were referred to in the dative in the preceding clause, they appear here as the subject of the infinitive construction in the accusative.