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Thucydides · History of the Peloponnesian War §1.129.1-1.129.3

Xerxes' Favorable Reply and Promise of Support to Pausanias

Passage 129 of 917 · Greek

Summary

Xerxes, highly pleased with Pausanias' letter, dispatches Artabazus as the new satrap and sends a reply promising unlimited support and urging Pausanias to pursue their joint plans without delay.

§1.129.1τοσαῦτα μὲν ἡ γραφὴ ἐδήλου, Ξέρξης δὲ ἥσθη τε τῇ ἐπιστολῇ καὶ ἀποστέλλει Ἀρτάβαζον τὸν Φαρνάκου ἐπὶ θάλασσαν καὶ κελεύει αὐτὸν τήν τε Δασκυλῖτιν σατραπείαν παραλαβεῖν Μεγαβάτην ἀπαλλάξαντα, ὃς πρότερον ἦρχε, καὶ παρὰ Παυσανίαν ἐς Βυζάντιον ἐπιστολὴν ἀντεπετίθει αὐτῷ ὡς τάχιστα διαπέμψαι καὶ τὴν σφραγῖδα ἀποδεῖξαι, καὶ ἤν τι αὐτῷ Παυσανίας παραγγέλλῃ περὶ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ πραγμάτων, πράσσειν ὡς ἄριστα καὶ πιστότατα.
The letter showed so much. Xerxes was pleased with the letter and sent Artabazus, son of Pharnaces, to the coast, ordering him to take over the satrapy of Dascylium, dismissing Megabates who formerly ruled it; he also charged him to transmit as quickly as possible a reply to Pausanias at Byzantium and to show him the seal, and if Pausanias should give him any instructions about the King's affairs, to execute them as best and most faithfully as possible.
§1.129.2ὁ δὲ ἀφικόμενος τά τε ἄλλα ἐποίησεν ὥσπερ εἴρητο καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν διέπεμψεν·
Having arrived, Artabazus performed all the other orders as had been directed and transmitted the letter.
§1.129.3ἀντενεγέγραπτο δὲ τάδε· ‘ὧδε λέγει βασιλεὺς Ξέρξης Παυσανίᾳ.
In it was written in reply the following: 'Thus says King Xerxes to Pausanias.
καὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν οὕς μοι πέραν θαλάσσης ἐκ Βυζαντίου ἔσωσας κείσεταί σοι εὐεργεσία ἐν τῷ ἡμετέρῳ οἴκῳ ἐς αἰεὶ ἀνάγραπτος, καὶ τοῖς λόγοις τοῖς ἀπὸ σοῦ ἀρέσκομαι.
For the men whom you saved for me from Byzantium across the sea, a favor shall lie recorded for you in our house forever, and I am pleased with the proposals from you.
καί σε μήτε νὺξ μήθ’ ἡμέρα ἐπισχέτω ὥστε ἀνεῖναι πράσσειν τι ὧν ἐμοὶ ὑπισχνῇ, μηδὲ χρυσοῦ καὶ ἀργύρου δαπάνῃ κεκωλύσθω μηδὲ στρατιᾶς πλήθει, εἴ ποι δεῖ παραγίγνεσθαι, ἀλλὰ μετ’ Ἀρταβάζου ἀνδρὸς ἀγαθοῦ, ὅν σοι ἔπεμψα, πρᾶσσε θαρσῶν καὶ τὰ ἐμὰ καὶ τὰ σὰ ὅπῃ κάλλιστα καὶ ἄριστα ἕξει ἀμφοτέροις. ’
Let neither night nor day stop you so as to slacken in doing any of those things which you promise me, nor let it be hindered by expense of gold or silver, nor by a multitude of an army, if there is need to go anywhere; but with Artabazus, a good man whom I sent to you, carry on boldly both my affairs and yours, in whatever way they will be best and most excellent for both of us.'

Notes

  1. §1.129.1τῶν ἑαυτοῦ πραγμάτων — The reflexive pronoun ἑαυτοῦ refers to the subject of the main clause, Xerxes (the King). Thus, 'his own affairs' means 'the King's affairs/interests,' though in this context it practically implies the joint undertakings of Pausanias and the King.
  2. §1.129.3τῶν ἀνδρῶν — A genitive noun phrase with the relative clause οὕς ... ἔσωσας. It functions as a genitive of topic or respect placed at the beginning of the sentence ('regarding the men...'), or substantively depends on the following noun εὐεργεσία ('favor/benefaction for the men').
  3. §1.129.3ὥστε ἀνεῖναι — A clause of result introduced by ὥστε with the infinitive ἀνεῖναι (active infinitive of ἀνίημι, 'to slacken, relax'). It expresses a strong exhortation: 'let neither night nor day hold you back so as to slacken in...'

Cite this passage

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War §1.129.1-1.129.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.129.1-1.129.3

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