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Herodotus · Histories §2.180.1-2.180.2

Amasis Contributes to Rebuilding the Temple at Delphi

Passage 402 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The Delphians, tasked with providing a quarter of the funds to rebuild the temple of Delphi, collected contributions from various cities, receiving substantial aid from King Amasis and Greeks living in Egypt.

§2.180.1Ἀμφικτυόνων δὲ μισθωσάντων τὸν ἐν Δελφοῖσι νῦν ἐόντα νηὸν τριηκοσίων ταλάντων ἐξεργάσασθαι (ὁ γὰρ πρότερον ἐὼν αὐτόθι αὐτόματος κατεκάη), τοὺς Δελφοὺς δὴ ἐπέβαλλε τεταρτημόριον τοῦ μισθώματος παρασχεῖν.
When the Amphictyons contracted for the completion of the temple which now stands in Delphi for three hundred talents (for the one that was previously there had been accidentally burned down), it fell to the Delphians to provide a fourth part of the contract price.
§2.180.2πλανώμενοι δὲ οἱ Δελφοὶ περὶ τὰς πόλις ἐδωτίναζον, ποιεῦντες δὲ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐλάχιστον ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἠνείκαντο· Ἄμασις μὲν γάρ σφι ἔδωκε χίλια στυπτηρίης τάλαντα, οἱ δὲ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ οἰκέοντες Ἕλληνες εἴκοσι μνέας.
So the Delphians wandered about the cities collecting contributions, and in doing this they brought back no small amount from Egypt; for Amasis gave them a thousand talents of alum, and the Greeks living in Egypt gave twenty minae.

Notes

  1. §2.180.1Ἀμφικτυόνων δὲ μισθωσάντων ... ἐξεργάσασθαι — Genitive absolute construction. The active of `μισθόω` (here in the aorist participle) means 'to let out on contract, to lease out', and the infinitive `ἐξεργάσασθαι` functions as an infinitive of purpose or result, defining the terms of the contract (to complete the building).
  2. §2.180.1τριηκοσίων ταλάντων — Genitive of value or price, indicating the total contract cost for rebuilding the temple (three hundred talents).
  3. §2.180.1τοὺς Δελφοὺς δὴ ἐπέβαλλε — The verb `ἐπέβαλλε` is used impersonally in the imperfect, meaning 'it fell to someone's share' or 'it was imposed upon someone', taking the accusative `τοὺς Δελφοὺς` as the subject of the infinitive `παρασχεῖν`.
  4. §2.180.2οὐκ ἐλάχιστον — Litotes ('not the least'), meaning a very large amount or a highly substantial contribution.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §2.180.1-2.180.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.180.1-2.180.2

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