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Herodotus · Histories §1.89.1-1.89.3

Croesus's Plan to Confiscate Plunder for Zeus

Passage 89 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Croesus advises Cyrus to station guards at all the gates to confiscate a tenth of the plundered wealth under the pretext of offering it to Zeus, thereby preventing the Persians from becoming rich and rebellious.

§1.89.1Κύρῳ δὲ ἐπιμελὲς ἐγένετο τὰ Κροῖσος εἶπε· μεταστησάμενος δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους, εἴρετο Κροῖσον ὅ τι οἱ ἐνορῴη ἐν τοῖσι ποιευμένοισι.
What Croesus said became a matter of concern to Cyrus; and having removed the others, he asked Croesus what he saw in what was being done.
ὁ δὲ εἶπε ἐπείτε με θεοὶ ἔδωκαν δοῦλον σοί, δικαιῶ, εἴ τι ἐνορέω πλέον, σημαίνειν σοί.
And he said: "Since the gods have given me to you as a slave, I think it right, if I see anything more, to point it out to you.
§1.89.2Πέρσαι φύσιν ἐόντες ὑβρισταὶ εἰσὶ ἀχρήματοι.
The Persians, being by nature arrogant, are without wealth.
ἢν ὦν σὺ τούτους περιίδῃς διαρπάσαντας καὶ κατασχόντας χρήματα μεγάλα, τάδε τοὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐπίδοξα γενέσθαι. ὃς ἂν αὐτῶν πλεῖστα κατάσχῃ, τοῦτον προσδέκεσθαί τοι ἐπαναστησόμενον.
If, therefore, you allow them to plunder and possess great wealth, you must expect the following consequences from them: that whoever of them possesses the most, you must expect this man to rise in rebellion against you.
νῦν ὦν ποίησον ὧδε, εἲ τοι ἀρέσκει τὰ ἐγὼ λέγω· §1.89.3κάτισον τῶν δορυφόρων ἐπὶ πάσῃσι τῇσι πύλῃσι φυλάκους, οἳ λεγόντων πρὸς τοὺς ἐκφέροντας τὰ χρήματα ἀπαιρεόμενοι ὡς σφέα ἀναγκαίως ἔχει δεκατευθῆναι τῷ Διί.
Now therefore, if what I say pleases you, do as follows: station guards from among your bodyguards at all the gates, and let them take away the wealth from those who are carrying it out, saying that it must of necessity be tithed for Zeus.
καὶ σύ τέ σφι οὐκ ἀπεχθήσεαι βίῃ ἀπαιρεόμενος τὰ χρήματα, καὶ ἐκεῖνοι συγγνόντες ποιέειν σε δίκαια ἑκόντες προήσουσι.
Thus you will not be hated by them for taking away the wealth by force, and they, recognizing that you are doing what is just, will yield it willingly."

Notes

  1. 1.89.1ὅ τι οἱ ἐνορῴη — The verb `ἐνορῴη` in the indirect question is in the oblique optative (optativus obliquus) because the main verb `εἴρετο` is in a past tense (imperfect). The pronoun `οἱ` is the third-person singular dative, here used indirectly reflexively to refer to Croesus himself, the subject of the indirect question.
  2. 1.89.2ἐπίδοξα γενέσθαι — The adjective `ἐπίδοξος` (likely, expected) is followed by the infinitive `γενέσθαι`. The copula (`ἐστί`) is omitted, and the phrase as a whole has an impersonal force meaning "it is to be expected that these things will happen."
  3. 1.89.3ἀναγκαίως ἔχει — An impersonal construction combining the verb `ἔχω` with the adverb `ἀναγκαίως`, synonymous with `ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστι` (it is necessary). It takes the passive infinitive `δεκατευθῆναι` (to be tithed) and its subject accusative `σφέα` (them, i.e., the wealth, in the Ionic neuter plural), forming an accusative-with-infinitive construction.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §1.89.1-1.89.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.89.1-1.89.3

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