- 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-grc2:8.60B.1
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
Themistocles persuades Eurybiades by highlighting the tactical advantages of remaining to fight at Salamis, including overcoming numerical inferiority in narrow waters, protecting evacuated families, and defending the Peloponnese at an advanced position.
ἢν δὲ τὰ ἐγὼ λέγω ποιήσῃς, τοσάδε ἐν αὐτοῖσι χρηστὰ εὑρήσεις· πρῶτα μὲν ἐν στεινῷ συμβάλλοντες νηυσὶ ὀλίγῃσι πρὸς πολλάς, ἢν τὰ οἰκότα ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου ἐκβαίνῃ,1 πολλὸν κρατήσομεν· τὸ γὰρ ἐν στεινῷ ναυμαχέειν πρὸς ἡμέων ἐστί,2 ἐν εὐρυχωρίῃ δὲ πρὸς ἐκείνων. αὖτις δὲ Σαλαμὶς περιγίνεται, ἐς τὴν ἡμῖν ὑπέκκειται τέκνα τε καὶ γυναῖκες. καὶ μὲν καὶ τόδε ἐν αὐτοῖσι ἔνεστι, τοῦ καὶ περιέχεσθε μάλιστα·3 ὁμοίως αὐτοῦ τε μένων προναυμαχήσεις Πελοποννήσου καὶ πρὸς τῷ Ἰσθμῷ,4 οὐδὲ σφέας, εἴ περ εὖ φρονέεις, ἄξεις ἐπὶ τὴν Πελοπόννησον.
”But if you do what I say, you will find these many advantages in it. First, by engaging in a narrow place with few ships against many, if the natural outcomes of war follow, we shall win a great victory; for fighting a sea battle in a narrow space is on our side, but in a wide space on theirs. Secondly, Salamis is preserved, where our children and women have been evacuated for safety. And furthermore, this too is inherent in it, which you also cling to most of all: by remaining here, you will fight a sea battle in defense of the Peloponnese just as much as at the Isthmus, and you will not, if indeed you are wise, lead them against the Peloponnese.”
- 8.60B.1ἢν τὰ οἰκότα ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου ἐκβαίνῃ
Meaning 'if the reasonable (natural) outcomes of war follow.' τὰ οἰκότα (neuter plural of the participle οἰκώς used substantively) refers to probability or expected outcomes, introducing a cautious condition: if the rational principles of warfare (i.e., that a smaller force has the advantage in narrow straits) hold true.
- 8.60B.1πρὸς ἡμέων ἐστί
The preposition πρός with the genitive indicates 'to belong to someone's side' or 'to be to someone's advantage.' Along with the contrasted πὸς ἐκείνων ('to their advantage'), it succinctly expresses the tactical pros and cons of the width of the battle area.
- 8.60B.1τοῦ καὶ περιέχεσθε μάλιστα
The genitive relative pronoun τοῦ (Ionic form corresponding to Attic οὗ, with the antecedent being τόδε in the main clause) serves as the object of the verb περιέχομαι ('to cling to, care for'), which governs the genitive. καί is used adverbially for emphasis ('indeed, precisely').
- 8.60B.1ὁμοίως αὐτοῦ τε μένων προναυμαχήσεις Πελοποννήσου καὶ πρὸς τῷ Ἰσθμῷ
The correlative structure ὁμοίως ... καί means 'just as much... as.' The present participle μένων with the local adverb αὐτοῦ ('here') acts as a conditional or instrumental participle ('by remaining here'). The verb προναυμαχήσεις takes the genitive Πελοποννήσου to mean 'you will fight a sea battle in front of/in defense of the Peloponnese.'