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Herodotus · Histories §1.54.1-1.54.2

Gifts to Delphians and Privileges Granted to Lydians

Passage 54 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Fully convinced of his victory over Cyrus, Croesus presented the Delphians with a large amount of gold, in return for which they granted him and the Lydians various privileges, including citizenship.

§1.54.1ἐπείτε δὲ ἀνενειχθέντα τὰ θεοπρόπια ἐπύθετο ὁ Κροῖσος, ὑπερήσθη τε τοῖσι χρηστηρίοισι, πάγχυ τε ἐλπίσας καταλύσειν τὴν Κύρου βασιληίην, πέμψας αὖτις ἐς Πυθὼ Δελφοὺς δωρέεται, πυθόμενος αὐτῶν τὸ πλῆθος, κατʼ ἄνδρα δύο στατῆρσι ἕκαστον χρυσοῦ.
When Croesus heard the oracles that were brought back, he was exceedingly pleased with the responses, and fully expecting that he would destroy the kingdom of Cyrus, he sent again to Pytho and presented the Delphians—having enquired their number—with two gold staters for each man.
§1.54.2Δελφοὶ δὲ ἀντὶ τούτων ἔδοσαν Κροίσῳ καὶ Λυδοῖσι προμαντηίην καὶ ἀτελείην καὶ προεδρίην, καὶ ἐξεῖναι τῷ βουλομένῳ αὐτῶν γίνεσθαι Δελφὸν ἐς τὸν αἰεὶ χρόνον.
In return for this, the Delphians granted to Croesus and the Lydians the right of prior consultation of the oracle, exemption from taxes, and the front seats at festivals, and the right for any of them who wished to become a citizen of Delphi for all time to come.

Notes

  1. 1.54.1ἀνενειχθέντα τὰ θεοπρόπια ἐπύθετο — The verb ἐπύθετο (3rd sg. aorist of πυνθάνομαι) takes a participle (ἀνενειχθέντα, aorist passive participle neuter plural accusative of ἀναφέρω) in an indirect discourse construction, meaning "he learned that the oracles had been brought back."
  2. 1.54.1Δελφοὺς δωρέεται ... δύο στατῆρσι — The verb δωρέομαι (to present, gift) is construed with the accusative of the person (Δελφοὺς) and the dative of the thing (δύο στατῆρσι), meaning "to present the Delphians with two staters."
  3. 1.54.2καὶ ἐξεῖναι — This is the infinitive of the impersonal verb ἔξεστι (it is allowed/possible), functioning as an object clause coordinated with the preceding main verb ἔδοσαν (they granted). The subject of the infinitive is the dative phrase τῷ βουλομένῳ.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §1.54.1-1.54.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.54.1-1.54.2

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