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Herodotus · Histories §1.127.1-1.127.3

Persian Revolt and the Defection of the Medes

Passage 127 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Under the leadership of Cyrus, the Persians rise up for independence and refuse Astyages' summons. Astyages arms the Medes and appoints Harpagus as general, but during the battle, many Medes desert to the Persians or flee.

§1.127.1πέρσαι μέν νυν προστάτεω ἐπιλαβόμενοι ἄσμενοὶ ἐλευθεροῦντο, καὶ πάλαι δεινὸν ποιεύμενοι ὑπὸ Μήδων ἄρχεσθαι.
Thus the Persians, having obtained a leader, gladly sought to win their freedom, as they had long felt it intolerable to be ruled by the Medes.
Ἀστυάγης δὲ ὡς ἐπύθετο Κῦρον ταῦτα πρήσσοντα, πέμψας ἄγγελον ἐκάλεε αὐτόν.
When Astyages learned that Cyrus was doing these things, he sent a messenger and summoned him.
§1.127.2ὁ δὲ Κῦρος ἐκέλευε τὸν ἄγγελον ἀπαγγέλλειν ὅτι πρότερον ἥξοι παρʼ ἐκεῖνον ἢ Ἀστυάγης αὐτὸς βουλήσεται.
But Cyrus ordered the messenger to report back that he would arrive before Astyages himself would wish him to.
ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Ἀστυάγης Μήδους τε ὥπλισε πάντας, καὶ στρατηγὸν αὐτῶν ὥστε θεοβλαβὴς ἐὼν Ἅρπαγον ἀπέδεξε, λήθην ποιεύμενος τά μιν ἐόργεε.
On hearing this, Astyages armed all the Medes, and as if blinded by a god, making light of the outrage he had committed against him, he appointed Harpagus as their general.
§1.127.3ὡς δὲ οἱ Μῆδοι στρατευσάμενοι τοῖσι Πέρσῃσι συνέμισγον, οἳ μέν τινὲς αὐτῶν ἐμάχοντο, ὅσοι μὴ τοῦ λόγου μετέσχον, οἳ δὲ αὐτομόλεον πρὸς τοὺς Πέρσας, οἱ δὲ πλεῖστοι ἐθελοκάκεόν τε καὶ ἔφευγον.
When the Medes marched out and engaged with the Persians, some of them fought—namely, those who had no share in the plot—while others deserted to the Persians, and the majority of them fought half-heartedly and fled.

Notes

  1. §1.127.1προστάτεω — Genitive object governed by the participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (from ἐπιλαμβάνομαι, 'to lay hold of, obtain'), referring to Cyrus as their leader.
  2. §1.127.2ἥξοι — Future optative in the indirect discourse clause introduced by ὅτι. It is used because the governing verb of the main clause (ἐκέλευε) is in a past tense (imperfect), representing an original future indicative in direct speech.
  3. §1.127.2ὥστε θεοβλαβὴς ἐὼν — The particle ὥστε with the participle ἐὼν (equivalent to ἅτε or ὡς in Attic in this context) denotes a subjective view or comparison, meaning 'as if being blinded by a god.'
  4. §1.127.2τά μιν ἐόργεε — ἐόργεε is the pluperfect of ἔρδω ('to do'), which takes a double accusative: the relative pronoun τά (acting as the object of action) and the personal pronoun μιν (referring to Harpagus, accusative). The subject is Astyages, meaning 'the things which he (Astyages) had done to him (Harpagus).'

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §1.127.1-1.127.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.127.1-1.127.3

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