- 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-grc2:9.43.1-9.43.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
Herodotus points out that the oracle mentioned by Mardonius actually concerned the Illyrians rather than the Persians, and instead presents the genuine prophecies of Bacis and Musaeus foretelling the Battle of Plataea.
τοῦτον δʼ ἔγωγε τὸν χρησμόν, τὸν Μαρδόνιος εἶπε ἐς Πέρσας ἔχειν, ἐς1 Ἰλλυριούς τε καὶ τὸν Ἐγχελέων στρατὸν οἶδα πεποιημένον, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐς Πέρσας. ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν Βάκιδι ἐς ταύτην τὴν μάχην ἐστὶ πεποιημένα, " τὴν δʼ ἐπὶ Θερμώδοντι καὶ Ἀσωπῷ λεχεποίῃ2 Ἑλλήνων σύνοδον3 καὶ βαρβαρόφωνον ἰυγήν, τῇ πολλοὶ πεσέονται ὑπὲρ λάχεσίν τε μόρον τε4 τοξοφόρων Μήδων, ὅταν αἴσιμον ἦμαρ ἐπέλθῃ," ταῦτα μὲν καὶ παραπλήσια τούτοισι ἄλλα Μουσαίῳ ἔχοντα οἶδα ἐς Πέρσας. ὁ δὲ Θερμώδων ποταμὸς ῥέει μεταξὺ Τανάγρης τε καὶ Γλίσαντος.
But this oracle, which Mardonius said referred to the Persians, I know was made concerning the Illyrians and the army of the Enchelees, and not concerning the Persians. However, the oracle made by Bacis with reference to this battle is as follows: ”And the gathering of the Greeks at the Thermodon and grassy Asopus and the barbarian cry, where many of the bow-bearing Medes shall fall, beyond fate and death, when the destined day shall come.” I know that these and other similar oracles of Musaeus refer to the Persians. Now the river Thermodon flows between Tanagra and Glisas.
- 9.43.1ἔχειν ἐς
Meaning "to refer to" or "to concern." The intransitive use of ἔχω with the preposition ἐς indicates direction or reference.
- 9.43.2λεχεποίῃ
The dative feminine singular of the adjective λεχέποιος ("grassy"). Although modifying Asopus (Ἀσωπός, a masculine noun), it either agrees with a feminine noun of place (such as land) understood, or poetic license treats the river or its valley as feminine.
- 9.43.2τὴν δʼ ἐπὶ Θερμώδοντι... Ἑλλήνων σύνοδον
This accusative phrase (τὴν ... σύνοδον ... καὶ ἰυγήν) functions either with an implied verb (such as "remember" or "I sing of") or as an accusative of exclamation/proclamation typical in prophetic poetry.
- 9.43.2ὑπὲρ λάχεσίν τε μόρον τε
Meaning "beyond allotment (fate) and death." A poetic expression describing dying a premature or violent death that goes beyond one's normally allotted lifespan.