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Herodotus · Histories §2.161.1-2.161.4

Reign of Apries and the Rebellion after Defeat at Cyrene

Passage 383 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

After the sudden death of Psammis, his son Apries succeeded to the throne and achieved great prosperity, fighting against Sidon and Tyre, but a major defeat in an expedition against Cyrene triggered a domestic rebellion.

§2.161.1ψάμμιος δὲ ἓξ ἔτεα μοῦνον βασιλεύσαντος Αἰγύπτου καὶ στρατευσαμένου ἐς Αἰθιοπίην καὶ μεταυτίκα τελευτήσαντος ἐξεδέξατο Ἀπρίης ὁ Ψάμμιος·
When Psammis had reigned over Egypt for only six years, campaigned against Ethiopia, and died immediately after, Apries the son of Psammis succeeded him.
§2.161.2ὃς μετὰ Ψαμμήτιχον τὸν ἑωυτοῦ προπάτορα ἐγένετο εὐδαιμονέστατος τῶν πρότερον βασιλέων, ἐπʼ ἔτεα πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι ἄρξας, ἐν τοῖσι ἐπί τε Σιδῶνα στρατὸν ἤλασε καὶ ἐναυμάχησε τῷ Τυρίῳ.
He became, after his own great-grandfather Psammetichos, the most prosperous of the former kings, ruling for twenty-five years, during which he led an army against Sidon and fought a sea battle with the Tyrian.
§2.161.3ἐπεὶ δέ οἱ ἔδεε κακῶς γενέσθαι, ἐγίνετο ἀπὸ προφάσιος τὴν ἐγὼ μεζόνως μὲν ἐν τοῖσι Λιβυκοῖσι λόγοισι ἀπηγήσομαι, μετρίως δʼ ἐν τῷ παρεόντι.
But when it was destined for him to meet with misfortune, it arose from a cause which I shall relate at greater length in the Libyan books, but moderately for the present.
§2.161.4ἀποπέμψας γὰρ στράτευμα ὁ Ἀπρίης ἐπὶ Κυρηναίους μεγαλωστὶ προσέπταισε, Αἰγύπτιοι δὲ ταῦτα ἐπιμεμφόμενοι ἀπέστησαν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, δοκέοντες τὸν Ἀπρίην ἐκ προνοίης αὐτοὺς ἀποπέμψαι ἐς φαινόμενον κακόν, ἵνα δὴ σφέων φθορὴ γένηται, αὐτὸς δὲ τῶν λοιπῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἀσφαλέστερον ἄρχοι.
For Apries, having sent an army against the Cyrenians, suffered a great defeat, and the Egyptians, blaming him for this, revolted from him; for they thought that Apries had sent them to a manifest disaster of set purpose, in order that they might be destroyed and he himself might rule more securely over the remaining Egyptians.
ταῦτα δὲ δεινὰ ποιεύμενοι οὗτοί τε οἱ ἀπονοστήσαντες καὶ οἱ τῶν ἀπολομένων φίλοι ἀπέστησαν ἐκ τῆς ἰθέης.
Resenting this deeply, both those who returned and the friends of those who had perished revolted from their allegiance.

Notes

  1. 2.161.1ψάμμιος... τελευτήσαντος — A long genitive absolute construction where three aorist participles (`βασιλεύσαντος`, `στρατευσαμένου`, `τελευτήσαντος`) are joined in apposition to the proper noun `ψάμμιος`.
  2. 2.161.2μετὰ Ψαμμήτιχον τὸν ἑωυτοῦ προπάτορα — While `προπάτωρ` can refer to ancestors in general, here it specifically denotes Apries's "great-grandfather" in the genealogy (Psammetichos I, Nekos II, Psammis, Apries).
  3. 2.161.3ἐπεὶ δέ οἱ ἔδεε κακῶς γενέσθαι — An impersonal construction where the verb `ἔδεε` (ἔδει) is combined with the dative `οἱ` (αὐτῷ) and the infinitive phrase `κακῶς γενέσθαι` ("to fare badly"), reflecting Herodotus's characteristic fatalistic expression.
  4. 2.161.4ἵνα δὴ σφέων φθορὴ γένηται, αὐτὸς δὲ τῶν λοιπῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἀσφαλέστερον ἄρχοι — Within the purpose clause introduced by `ἵνα`, the subjunctive (`γένηται`) and the optative (`ἄρχοι`) are juxtaposed. The former expresses the immediate, direct result (the destruction of the troops), while the latter represents the more remote, continuous aim (secure rule).
  5. 2.161.4ἐκ τῆς ἰθέης — While `ἰθέη` (εὐθεῖα) literally means "straight way," when combined with the preposition `ἐκ`, it functions as an idiomatic expression meaning departure from "loyalty" or "right path" to the king, i.e., "to revolt."

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §2.161.1-2.161.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.161.1-2.161.4

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