- 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-grc2:8.77.1-8.77.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-08
The author, witnessing the Persian ships filling the strait to encircle Salamis, asserts his belief in the truth of oracles and refuses to deny them, quoting a prophecy of Bacis that foretells the Greek victory.
χρησμοῖσι δὲ οὐκ ἔχω ἀντιλέγειν ὡς οὐκ εἰσὶ ἀληθέες,1 οὐ βουλόμενος ἐναργέως λέγοντας πειρᾶσθαι καταβάλλειν, ἐς τοιάδε πρήγματα ἐσβλέψας. "ἀλλʼ ὅταν Ἀρτέμιδος χρυσαόρου ἱερὸν ἀκτήν νηυσὶ γεφυρώσωσι καὶ εἰναλίην Κυνόσουραν ἐλπίδι μαινομένῃ, λιπαρὰς πέρσαντες Ἀθήνας, δῖα δίκη σβέσσει κρατερὸν κόρον, ὕβριος υἱόν, δεινὸν μαιμώοντα, δοκεῦντʼ ἀνὰ πάντα πίεσθαι.2"
But I cannot contradict the oracles to say that they are not true, not wishing to attempt to destroy them when they speak so clearly, when I look upon such events. “But when, with mad hope, having plundered glittering Athens, they bridge with ships the sacred shore of Artemis of the golden sword and sea-girt Cynosura, divine Justice will extinguish strong Satiety, the son of Insolence, dreadfully raging, thinking that he will drink up all.”
" χαλκὸς γὰρ χαλκῷ συμμίξεται, αἵματι δʼ Ἄρης πόντον φοινίξει. τότʼ ἐλεύθερον Ἑλλάδος ἦμαρ εὐρύοπα Κρονίδης ἐπάγει καὶ πότνια Νίκη." ἐς τοιαῦτα μὲν καὶ οὕτω ἐναργέως λέγοντι Βάκιδι ἀντιλογίης χρησμῶν πέρι οὔτε αὐτὸς λέγειν τολμέω οὔτε παρʼ ἄλλων ἐνδέκομαι.
”For bronze shall mix with bronze, and Ares shall dye the sea red with blood. Then the far-seeing son of Cronus and sovereign Victory will bring the day of freedom to Greece.” In the face of Bacis speaking in such a manner and so clearly, I neither dare to utter any contradiction myself concerning oracles, nor do I accept it from others.
- 8.77.1ὡς οὐκ εἰσὶ ἀληθέες
The clause with ὡς οὐ following ἀντιλέγειν ('to contradict'). After verbs of denying or contradicting, a redundant or sympathetic negative οὐ is frequently used, meaning 'to contradict the claim that they are true' or 'to deny that they are true'.
- 8.77.1δοκεῦντʼ ἀνὰ πάντα πίεσθαι
The infinitive πίεσθαι is the Ionic form of πίομαι, the future middle infinitive of πίνω ('to drink'). Thus, the phrase means 'thinking that he will drink up (devour) everything (ἀνὰ πάντα)'. Although some interpret it as deriving from πιέζω ('to press down, oppress'), the standard reading of 'drinking up' is adopted here.