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Herodotus · Histories §1.63.1-1.63.2

Victory at Pallene and Dispersal of the Athenians

Passage 63 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Pisistratus accepts the oracle and advances, routing the unprepared Athenian forces. He then prevents them from regrouping by sending his sons to persuade the fleeing citizens to return to their homes.

§1.63.1ὃ μὲν δή οἱ ἐνθεάζων χρᾷ τάδε, Πεισίστρατος δὲ συλλαβὼν τὸ χρηστήριον καὶ φὰς δέκεσθαι τὸ χρησθὲν ἐπῆγε τὴν στρατιήν.
While he, being divinely inspired, pronounced these words, Pisistratus, grasping the oracle and saying that he accepted what had been prophesied, led his army forward.
Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ οἱ ἐκ τοῦ ἄστεος πρὸς ἄριστον τετραμμένοι ἦσαν δὴ τηνικαῦτα, καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἄριστον μετεξέτεροι αὐτῶν οἳ μὲν πρὸς κύβους οἳ δὲ πρὸς ὕπνον.
Now the Athenians from the city had turned to their midday meal at that very time, and after the meal, some of them betook themselves to dice, and others to sleep.
οἱ δὲ ἀμφὶ Πεισίστρατον ἐσπεσόντες τοὺς Ἀθηναίους τρέπουσι.
Then those around Pisistratus, falling upon them, put the Athenians to flight.
§1.63.2φευγόντων δὲ τούτων βουλὴν ἐνθαῦτα σοφωτάτην Πεισίστρατος ἐπιτεχνᾶται, ὅκως μήτε ἁλισθεῖεν ἔτι οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι διεσκεδασμένοι τε εἶεν· ἀναβιβάσας τοὺς παῖδας ἐπὶ ἵππους προέπεμπε, οἳ δὲ καταλαμβάνοντες τοὺς φεύγοντας ἔλεγον τὰ ἐντεταλμένα ὑπὸ Πεισιστράτου, θαρσέειν τε κελεύοντες καὶ ἀπιέναι ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τὰ ἑωυτοῦ.
While they were fleeing, Pisistratus then devised a most clever plan, so that the Athenians might not assemble again but remain scattered; having mounted his sons on horses, he sent them ahead, and they, overtaking the fugitives, spoke what had been commanded by Pisistratus, telling them to be of good courage and to depart each to his own home.

Notes

  1. 1.63.1ὃ μὲν — Although identical in form to the relative pronoun, ὃ here functions as a demonstrative pronoun (a Homeric usage) referring to the seer Amphilytus mentioned in the previous section. It stands in contrast with Πεισίστρατος δὲ.
  2. 1.63.1μετεξέτεροι αὐτῶν οἳ μὲν πρὸς κύβους οἳ δὲ πρὸς ὕπνον — The phrase οἳ μὲν ... οἳ δὲ (some ... others) stands in partitive apposition to the subject μετεξέτεροι αὐτῶν (some of them). A verb of turning or directing oneself (such as ἐτράποντο) is omitted, understood from the preceding πρὸς ἄριστον τετραμμένοι ἦσαν.
  3. 1.63.2ὅκως μήτε ἁλισθεῖεν ἔτι ... διεσκεδασμένοι τε εἶεν — A purpose clause introduced by ὅκως (Ionic for ὅπως). Since the main verb ἐπιτεχνᾶται is a historical present, the verbs in the purpose clause are in the optative mood (ἁλισθεῖεν, εἶεν) following the sequence of tenses for secondary tenses.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §1.63.1-1.63.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.63.1-1.63.2

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