- 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-grc2:7.8.1
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
After subduing Egypt, Xerxes summons a special council of the Persian nobles to hear their advice and state his own intentions regarding the expedition against Athens.
Ξέρξης δὲ μετὰ Αἰγύπτου ἅλωσιν ὡς ἔμελλε ἐς χεῖρας ἄξεσθαι1 τὸ στράτευμα τὸ ἐπὶ τὰς Ἀθήνας, σύλλογον ἐπίκητον Περσέων τῶν ἀρίστων ἐποιέετο, ἵνα γνώμας τε πύθηται σφέων καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν πᾶσι εἴπῃ τὰ2 θέλει. ὡς δὲ συνελέχθησαν, ἔλεξεν Ξέρξης τάδε.
After the reduction of Egypt, when Xerxes was about to take in hand the army against Athens, he assembled a special council of the noblest Persians, so that he might learn their opinions and himself declare what he wished before them all. When they had assembled, Xerxes spoke as follows.
- 7.8.1ἐς χεῖρας ἄξεσθαι
Featuring the future middle infinitive ἄξεσθαι of the verb ἄγω, combined with the auxiliary verb ἔμελλε to express intention ('was about to'). The idiom ἐς χεῖρας ἄγεσθαι ('to take in hand', 'to undertake', or 'to bring under one's command') here refers to initiating the actual mobilization or preparation of the army against Athens.
- 7.8.1τὰ
An Ionic usage of the definite article serving as a relative pronoun, used here instead of the relative pronoun ἅ (neuter plural accusative, acting as the object of θέλει).