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Herodotus · Histories §1.157.1-1.157.3

Flight of Pactyes to Cyme and Consulting the Oracle

Passage 157 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

While Cyrus returns home, Pactyes flees to Cyme. Mazares the Mede arrives at Sardis, enforces Cyrus's decrees on the Lydians, and then demands Cyme to surrender Pactyes, prompting the Cymaeans to consult the oracle of Branchidae.

§1.157.1ὃ μὲν δὴ ταῦτα ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ ἐντειλάμενος ἀπήλαυνε ἐς ἤθεα τὰ Περσέων, Πακτύης δὲ πυθόμενος ἀγχοῦ εἶναι στρατὸν ἐπʼ ἑωυτὸν ἰόντα δείσας οἴχετο φεύγων ἐς Κύμην. §1.157.2Μαζάρης δὲ ὁ Μῆδος ἐλάσας ἐπὶ τὰς Σάρδις τοῦ Κύρου στρατοῦ μοῖραν ὅσην δή κοτε ἔχων, ὡς οὐκ εὗρε ἔτι ἐόντας τοὺς ἀμφὶ Πακτύην ἐν Σάρδισι, πρῶτα μὲν τοὺς Λυδοὺς ἠνάγκασε τὰς Κύρου ἐντολὰς ἐπιτελέειν, ἐκ τούτου δὲ κελευσμοσύνης Λυδοὶ τὴν πᾶσαν δίαιταν τῆς ζόης μετέβαλον. §1.157.3Μαζάρης δὲ μετὰ τοῦτο ἔπεμπε ἐς τὴν Κύμην ἀγγέλους ἐκδιδόναι κελεύων Πακτύην.
Having given these instructions on his way, he marched back to the lands of the Persians; but Pactyes, hearing that an army was near at hand marching against him, became frightened and fled to Cyme. Mazares the Mede, having marched against Sardis with a certain portion of Cyrus's army—however large it might have been—when he found that Pactyes and his followers were no longer in Sardis, first of all compelled the Lydians to carry out Cyrus's commands; and as a result of this command, the Lydians changed their whole way of life. After this, Mazares sent messengers to Cyme, demanding that they deliver up Pactyes.
οἱ δὲ Κυμαῖοι ἔγνωσαν συμβουλῆς πέρι ἐς θεὸν ἀνοῖσαι τὸν ἐν Βραγχίδῃσι· ἦν γὰρ αὐτόθι μαντήιον ἐκ παλαιοῦ ἱδρυμένον, τῷ Ἴωνές τε πάντες καὶ Αἰολέες ἐώθεσαν χρᾶσθαι.
The Cymaeans decided to refer the matter to the god at Branchidae for counsel; for there had been an oracle established there of old, which all the Ionians and Aeolians were accustomed to consult.
ὁ δὲ χῶρος οὗτος ἐστὶ τῆς Μιλησίης ὑπὲρ Πανόρμου λιμένος.
This place is in the territory of Miletus, inland from the harbor of Panormus.

Notes

  1. 1.157.1ὃ μὲν δὴ — The demonstrative article ὁ used as a demonstrative pronoun, referring to Cyrus from the preceding context.
  2. 1.157.1οἴχετο φεύγων — The verb οἴχομαι combined with a present participle expresses that the action has already occurred and the subject is gone ("he had fled and was gone").
  3. 1.157.2ὅσην δή κοτε ἔχων — The relative pronoun ὅσην accompanied by the generalizing particles δή κοτε, meaning "however large it might have been" or "of whatever size," leaving the exact size of the army unspecified.
  4. 1.157.3ἔγνωσαν ... ἀνοῖσαι — The aorist active infinitive ἀνοῖσαι (from ἀναφέρω) depends on ἔγνωσαν ("they decided"). In this context, ἀναφέρω means "to refer or submit a matter" to an oracle or higher authority.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §1.157.1-1.157.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.157.1-1.157.3

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