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Herodotus · Histories §1.115.1-1.115.3

Interrogation by Astyages and Cyrus's Defense

Passage 115 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Astyages summons the herdsman and Cyrus out of respect for Artembares and accuses Cyrus of violence, but Cyrus boldly defends his actions, stating that he was justly chosen as king and merely punished a disobedient subject.

§1.115.1ἀκούσας δὲ καὶ ἰδὼν Ἀστυάγης, θέλων τιμωρῆσαι τῷ παιδὶ τιμῆς τῆς Ἀρτεμβάρεος εἵνεκα, μετεπέμπετο τόν τε βουκόλον καὶ τὸν παῖδα.
When Astyages heard and saw this, wishing to avenge the boy for the sake of the honor due to Artembares, he sent for both the herdsman and his son.
ἐπείτε δὲ παρῆσαν ἀμφότεροι, βλέψας πρὸς τὸν Κῦρον ὁ Ἀστυάγης ἔφη §1.115.2σὺ δὴ ἐὼν τοῦδε τοιούτου ἐόντος παῖς ἐτόλμησας τὸν τοῦδε παῖδα ἐόντος πρώτου παρʼ ἐμοὶ ἀεικείῃ τοιῇδε περισπεῖν; ὁ δὲ ἀμείβετο ὧδε. ὦ δέσποτα, ἐγὼ ταῦτα τοῦτον ἐποίησα σὺν δίκῃ.
And when they both appeared, Astyages looked at Cyrus and said: "Did you, who are the son of such a man as this, dare to treat the son of this man, who is the first in rank with me, with such outrage?" And he replied as follows: "Master, I did these things to him with justice.
οἱ γάρ με ἐκ τῆς κώμης παῖδες, τῶν καὶ ὅδε ἦν, παίζοντες σφέων αὐτῶν ἐστήσαντο βασιλέα· ἐδόκεον γὰρ σφι εἶναι ἐς τοῦτο ἐπιτηδεότατος.
For the boys of the village, among whom this one also was, chose me in play to be their king, for I seemed to them to be the most suitable for this.
§1.115.3οἱ μέν νυν ἄλλοι παῖδες τὰ ἐπιτασσόμενα ἐπετέλεον, οὗτος δὲ ἀνηκούστεέ τε καὶ λόγον εἶχε οὐδένα, ἐς ὃ ἔλαβὲ τὴν δίκην.
Now the other boys did what was ordered of them, but this one was disobedient and paid no regard, until he received his punishment.
εἰ ὦν δὴ τοῦδε εἵνεκα ἄξιός τευ κακοῦ εἰμί, ὅδε τοὶ πάρειμι.
If, then, I deserve some punishment for this, here I am before you."

Notes

  1. 1.115.1θέλων τιμωρῆσαι τῷ παιδὶ — The verb `τιμωρέω` with a dative object (`τῷ παιδὶ`) means "to avenge someone" or "to bring assistance to someone," whereas with an accusative it means "to punish someone." Here, with the dative, it means "wishing to avenge the boy (for his sake)."
  2. 1.115.2τοῦδε τοιούτου ἐόντος — The demonstrative pronoun `τοῦδε` refers to the herdsman standing nearby. The phrase `τοιούτου ἐόντος` is a genitive absolute ("he being such a one"), emphasizing his low social status.
  3. 1.115.2τὸν τοῦδε παῖδα ἐόντος πρώτου παρʼ ἐμοὶ — A complex attributive structure where the article `τὸν` agrees with the accusative `παῖδα` ("the son"), but embedded within this noun phrase is the genitive `τοῦδε` ("of this man," i.e., Artembares). The participle clause `ἐόντος πρώτου παρʼ ἐμοὶ` ("who is the first with me") is a genitive agreeing with `τοῦδε`, modifying Artembares rather than his son.
  4. 1.115.2ἐγὼ ταῦτα τοῦτον ἐποίησα — The verb `ποιέω` is used with a double accusative, taking both the direct object of the action (`ταῦτα`, things) and the person affected (`τοῦτον`, this person), meaning "I did these things to him."
  5. 1.115.3ἐς ὃ ἔλαβὲ τὴν δίκην — The phrase `ἐς ὅ` means "until." `δίκην λαμβάνω` (literally "to take punishment") is used here in a passive sense, meaning "he received his punishment" (with the boy as the subject). Alternatively, it could mean "until I exacted justice from him" (with Cyrus as the subject), but interpreting the boy as the subject who finally got punished fits the context better.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §1.115.1-1.115.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.115.1-1.115.3

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