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Herodotus · Histories §1.14.1-1.14.3

Offerings of Gyges and Midas to Delphi

Passage 14 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The passage describes the numerous silver and gold offerings, including six golden mixing-bowls, dedicated by Gyges to Delphi, and notes that they are kept alongside the throne dedicated by King Midas of Phrygia.

§1.14.1τὴν μὲν δὴ τυραννίδα οὕτω ἔσχον οἱ Μερμνάδαι τοὺς Ἡρακλείδας ἀπελόμενοι, Γύγης δὲ τυραννεύσας ἀπέπεμψε ἀναθήματα ἐς Δελφοὺς οὐκ ὀλίγα, ἀλλʼ ὅσα μὲν ἀργύρου ἀναθήματα, ἔστι οἱ πλεῖστα ἐν Δελφοῖσι, πάρεξ δὲ τοῦ ἀργύρου χρυσὸν ἄπλετον ἀνέθηκε ἄλλον τε καὶ τοῦ μάλιστα μνήμην ἄξιον ἔχειν ἐστί, κρητῆρες οἱ ἀριθμὸν ἓξ χρύσεοι ἀνακέαται.
In this way the Mermnadae obtained the tyranny, having deprived the Heraclidae of it. When Gyges became king, he sent not a few offerings to Delphi; indeed, of all the silver offerings at Delphi, the greatest part belong to him. Besides the silver, he dedicated an immense amount of gold, among which, worthy of special mention, are six golden mixing-bowls, which stand there and belong to him.
§1.14.2ἑστᾶσι δὲ οὗτοι ἐν τῷ Κορινθίων θησαυρῷ, σταθμὸν ἔχοντες τριήκοντα τάλαντα·
These stand in the treasury of the Corinthians, weighing thirty talents.
ἀληθέι δὲ λόγῳ χρεωμένῳ οὐ Κορινθίων τοῦ δημοσίου ἐστὶ ὁ θησαυρός, ἀλλὰ Κυψέλου τοῦ Ἠετίωνος.
But to tell the truth, this treasury does not belong to the state of Corinth, but to Cypselus the son of Eetion.
οὗτος δὲ ὁ Γύγης πρῶτος βαρβάρων τῶν ἡμεῖς ἴδμεν ἐς Δελφοὺς ἀνέθηκε ἀναθήματα μετὰ Μίδην τὸν Γορδίεω Φρυγίης βασιλέα.
This Gyges was the first of the barbarians we know of to send offerings to Delphi, after Midas the son of Gordias, king of Phrygia.
§1.14.3ἀνέθηκε γὰρ δὴ καὶ Μίδης τὸν βασιλήιον θρόνον ἐς τὸν προκατίζων ἐδίκαζε, ἐόντα ἀξιοθέητον· κεῖται δὲ ὁ θρόνος οὗτος ἔνθα περ οἱ τοῦ Γύγεω κρητῆρες.
For Midas also dedicated the royal throne on which he used to sit and deliver judgment, which is well worth seeing; and this throne is placed in the very same spot as the mixing-bowls of Gyges.
ὁ δὲ χρυσός οὗτος καὶ ὁ ἄργυρος τὸν ὁ Γύγης ἀνέθηκε, ὑπὸ Δελφῶν καλέεται Γυγάδας ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀναθέντος ἐπωνυμίην.
This gold and silver which Gyges dedicated is called by the Delphians "Gygadas," named after the dedicative donor.

Notes

  1. §1.14.1τοὺς Ἡρακλείδας ἀπελόμενοι — The verb ἀφαιρέομαι takes a double accusative construction: 'to deprive someone (accusative) of something (accusative).' Here, the 'thing deprived' (τὴν τυραννίδα) is omitted as it is understood from the context, leaving only the 'person deprived' (τοὺς Ἡρακλείδας) expressed.
  2. §1.14.1ἔστι οἱ πλεῖστα — The pronoun οἱ (third-person singular dative) is a dative of possession. Combined with ἔστι (third-person singular of εἰμί expressing existence/possession), it literally means 'there exist for him the most,' signifying 'he has the greatest number of them.'
  3. §1.14.1τοῦ μάλιστα μνήμην ἄξιον ἔχειν ἐστί — The genitive demonstrative pronoun τοῦ (acting as a relative pronoun) is governed by the adjective ἄξιον ('worthy of'). The active infinitive ἔχειν is used with a passive force in the phrase μνήμην ἔχειν ('to have mention/remembrance,' i.e., 'to be mentioned'), modifying ἄξιον.
  4. §1.14.2ἀληθέι δὲ λόγῳ χρεωμένῳ — The dative present participle χρεωμένῳ (from χράομαι) functions as an impersonal absolute construction (equivalent to 'if one uses...'), forming an idiomatic adverbial phrase meaning 'to tell the truth' or 'in truth.'

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §1.14.1-1.14.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.14.1-1.14.3

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