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Herodotus · Histories §1.210.1-1.210.3

The True Meaning of Cyrus's Dream and Hystaspes's Reply

Passage 210 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Cyrus suspects Darius of plotting against him based on his vision, but the divinity was actually foreshadowing Cyrus's death and Darius's succession. Hystaspes asserts his loyalty and offers to hand over his son for punishment if he is indeed plotting rebellion.

§1.210.1Κῦρος μὲν δοκέων οἱ Δαρεῖον ἐπιβουλεύειν ἔλεγε τάδε· τῷ δὲ ὁ δαίμων προέφαινε ὡς αὐτὸς μὲν τελευτήσειν αὐτοῦ ταύτῃ μέλλοι, ἡ δὲ βασιληίη αὐτοῦ περιχωρέοι ἐς Δαρεῖον.
Cyrus spoke these words thinking that Darius was plotting against him; but the divinity was showing him beforehand that he himself was destined to die there in that place, and that his kingdom was to pass to Darius.
§1.210.2ἀμείβεται δὴ ὦν ὁ Ὑστάσπης τοῖσιδε. ὦ βασιλεῦ, μὴ εἴη ἀνὴρ Πέρσης γεγονὼς ὅστις τοὶ ἐπιβουλεύσειε, εἰ δʼ ἐστί, ἀπόλοιτο ὡς τάχιστα· ὃς ἀντὶ μὲν δούλων ἐποίησας ἐλευθέρους Πέρσας εἶναι, ἀντὶ δὲ ἄρχεσθαι ὑπʼ ἄλλων ἄρχειν ἁπάντων.
Then Hystaspes answered with these words: "O King, may there be no Persian born who would plot against you, but if there is, may he perish as quickly as possible; you who made the Persians free instead of slaves, and rulers of all instead of being ruled by others.
§1.210.3εἰ δέ τις τοὶ ὄψις ἀπαγγέλλει παῖδα τὸν ἐμὸν νεώτερα βουλεύειν περὶ σέο, ἐγώ τοι παραδίδωμι χρᾶσθαι αὐτῷ τοῦτο ὅ τι σὺ βούλεαι.
And if some vision announces to you that my son is plotting revolutionary designs against you, I deliver him to you to deal with him in whatever way you wish."

Notes

  1. §1.210.1τῷ — Dative of the demonstrative pronoun referring to Cyrus: "to him" (Cyrus).
  2. §1.210.1μέλλοι — Verb within the ὡς clause. Since the main verb `προέφαινε` is in a past tense (imperfect), this verb is in the optative of indirect discourse (oblique optative).
  3. §1.210.2μὴ εἴη — Optative of wish with the negative particle `μὴ`, expressing a strong negative wish: "may there not be."
  4. §1.210.3νεώτερα — Comparative neuter plural of the adjective `νέος` (new), literally meaning "newer things," but here used as a euphemism for "revolutionary designs" or "rebellion."
  5. §1.210.3βούλεαι — Second-person singular present middle indicative, the uncontracted Ionic form corresponding to the Attic `βούλῃ` (or `βούλει`).

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §1.210.1-1.210.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.210.1-1.210.3

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