- 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-grc2:8.143.1-8.143.3
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
The Athenians firmly reject Mardonius' peace offer through Alexander, declaring their determination to fight for freedom as long as the sun shines, and warn Alexander not to bring such unlawful proposals again.
Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ πρὸς μὲν Ἀλέξανδρον ὑπεκρίναντο τάδε. καὶ αὐτοὶ τοῦτό γε ἐπιστάμεθα ὅτι πολλαπλησίη ἐστὶ τῷ Μήδῳ δύναμις ἤ περ ἡμῖν, ὥστε οὐδὲν δέει τοῦτό γε ὀνειδίζειν. ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἐλευθερίης γλιχόμενοι ἀμυνεύμεθα1 οὕτω ὅκως ἂν καὶ δυνώμεθα. ὁμολογῆσαι δὲ τῷ βαρβάρῳ μήτε σὺ ἡμέας πειρῶ ἀναπείθειν οὔτε ἡμεῖς πεισόμεθα.
And the Athenians answered Alexander as follows: “We ourselves know this well, that the power of the Mede is many times greater than ours, so that there is no need to reproach us with this. Nevertheless, clinging to our freedom, we shall defend ourselves in such a way as we are able. Do not attempt to persuade us to come to terms with the barbarian, nor shall we be persuaded.
νῦν τε ἀπάγγελλε Μαρδονίῳ ὡς Ἀθηναῖοι λέγουσι,2 ἔστʼ ἂν ὁ ἥλιος τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἴῃ τῇ περ καὶ νῦν ἔρχεται, μήκοτε ὁμολογήσειν ἡμέας Ξέρξῃ· ἀλλὰ θεοῖσί τε συμμάχοισι πίσυνοί μιν ἐπέξιμεν ἀμυνόμενοι καὶ τοῖσι ἥρωσι, τῶν3 ἐκεῖνος οὐδεμίαν ὄπιν ἔχων ἐνέπρησε τούς τε οἴκους καὶ τὰ ἀγάλματα.
And now report to Mardonius that the Athenians say: as long as the sun goes on the same path as it goes even now, we will never make an agreement with Xerxes; but trusting in the gods and the heroes as our allies, we shall march out to defend ourselves against him—those gods and heroes whose temples and statues he, having no respect for them, burned to the ground.
σύ τε τοῦ λοιποῦ λόγους ἔχων τοιούσδε μὴ ἐπιφαίνεο Ἀθηναίοισι, μηδὲ δοκέων χρηστὰ ὑπουργέειν4 ἀθέμιστα ἔρδειν παραίνεε· οὐ γάρ σε βουλόμεθα οὐδὲν ἄχαρι πρὸς Ἀθηναίων παθεῖν ἐόντα πρόξεινόν τε καὶ φίλον.
And as for you, do not appear before the Athenians in the future with such proposals, nor, thinking that you are doing a good service, advise us to do what is unlawful; for we do not wish you to suffer anything unpleasant at the hands of the Athenians, seeing that you are our proxenos and friend.”
- 8.143.1ἀμυνεύμεθα
Either the future middle 1st person plural or the short-vowel subjunctive of ἀμύνω (to defend). In this context of strong resolve, it is best interpreted with a future or volitional sense ('we shall defend ourselves').
- 8.143.2ὡς Ἀθηναῖοι λέγουσι
An parenthetical clause introducing the indirect speech after the imperative ἀπάγγελλε. It serves as the governing framework for the following infinitive clause μήκοτε ὁμολογήσειν.
- 8.143.2τῶν
Genitive plural relative pronoun referring back to θεοῖσί τε ... καὶ τοῖσι ἥρωσι. It functions as a possessive genitive modifying τούς τε οἴκους καὶ τὰ ἀγάλματα, which are the direct objects of ἐνέπρησε.
- 8.143.3δοκέων χρηστὰ ὑπουργέειν
A participle phrase modifying the imperative παραίνεε. It contrasts Alexander's subjective good intentions ('thinking that you are doing a service') with the objective wrongness of his advice.