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Herodotus · Histories §1.55.1-1.55.2

Croesus's Inquiry on His Reign and the Prophecy of the Mule

Passage 55 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Convinced of the oracle's truth, Croesus consults it for a third time to ask about the duration of his reign, receiving a cryptic prophecy about a mule becoming king of the Medes.

§1.55.1δωρησάμενος δὲ τοὺς Δελφοὺς ὁ Κροῖσος ἐχρηστηριάζετο τὸ τρίτον· ἐπείτε γὰρ δὴ παρέλαβε τοῦ μαντείου ἀληθείην, ἐνεφορέετο αὐτοῦ.
Having presented his gifts to the Delphians, Croesus consulted the oracle for the third time; for since he had once convinced himself of the truth of the oracle, he made use of it to the full.
ἐπειρώτα δὲ τάδε χρηστηριαζόμενος, εἴ οἱ πολυχρόνιος ἔσται ἡ μουναρχίη.
In consulting it, he enquired as follows, whether his monarchy would endure for a long time.
§1.55.2ἡ δὲ Πυθίη οἱ χρᾷ τάδε. " ἀλλʼ ὅταν ἡμίονος βασιλεὺς Μήδοισι γένηται, καὶ τότε, Λυδὲ ποδαβρέ, πολυψήφιδα παρʼ Ἕρμον φεύγειν μηδὲ μένειν μηδʼ αἰδεῖσθαι κακός εἶναι.
And the Pythia gave him the following response: "But whenever a mule shall become king of the Medes, even then, tender-footed Lydian, along the pebbly Hermus flee and do not stay, nor be ashamed to be a coward.
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Notes

  1. 1.55.1ἐνεφορέετο αὐτοῦ — The verb ἐμφορέομαι (imperfect middle-passive, "to take one's fill of", "to satiety") governs the genitive, with the pronoun αὐτοῦ referring back to the preceding τοῦ μαντείου. It vividly describes how Croesus, now fully trustful, began to exploit the oracle excessively.
  2. 1.55.2φεύγειν μηδὲ μένειν μηδʼ αἰδεῖσθαι — These infinitives (φεύγειν, μένειν, αἰδεῖσθαι) function as "imperative infinitives" expressing direct commands, a well-attested stylistic feature in oracular and epic poetry.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §1.55.1-1.55.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.55.1-1.55.2

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