Humanitext Reader

Herodotus · Histories §3.123.1-3.123.2

Maeandrius' Inspection and Oroetes' Fake Treasure

Passage 527 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Upon receiving Oroetes' proposal, Polycrates sends his secretary Maeandrius to inspect the wealth, while Oroetes prepares a deception by filling chests with stones and covering them with gold.

§3.123.1ταῦτα ἀκούσας Πολυκράτης ἥσθη τε καὶ ἐβούλετο· καί κως ἱμείρετο γὰρ χρημάτων μεγάλως, ἀποπέμπει πρῶτα κατοψόμενον Μαιάνδριον Μαιανδρίου ἄνδρα τῶν ἀστῶν, ὅς οἱ ἦν γραμματιστής·
On hearing this, Polycrates was pleased and desired it; and since, somehow, he had a great longing for money, he sent first, to inspect the matter, Maeandrius, son of Maeandrius, a fellow citizen who was his secretary.
ὃς χρόνῳ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον τούτων τὸν κόσμον τὸν ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρεῶνος τοῦ Πολυκράτεος ἐόντα ἀξιοθέητον ἀνέθηκε πάντα ἐς τὸ Ἥραιον.
This was the same Maeandrius who, not long after these events, dedicated all the splendid adornment from the men's hall of Polycrates to the Heraion.
§3.123.2ὁ δὲ Ὀροίτης μαθὼν τὸν κατάσκοπον ἐόντα προσδόκιμον ἐποίεε τοιάδε· λάρνακας ὀκτὼ πληρώσας λίθων πλὴν κάρτα βραχέος τοῦ περὶ αὐτὰ τὰ χείλεα, ἐπιπολῆς τῶν λίθων χρυσὸν ἐπέβαλε, καταδήσας δὲ τὰς λάρνακας εἶχε ἑτοίμας.
Now Oroetes, having learned that the inspector was expected, did as follows: he filled eight chests with stones, except for a very small space right around the rims, and on top of the stones he laid gold; then, having bound up the chests, he kept them in readiness.
ἐλθὼν δὲ ὁ Μαιάνδριος καὶ θεησάμενος ἀπήγγελλε τῷ Πολυκράτεϊ.
And Maeandrius came, and having viewed them, reported to Polycrates.

Notes

  1. 3.123.1ἐβούλετο — Interpreted as "desired [it / to do so]" with the object or an infinitive (e.g., to accept the offer) omitted from the context.
  2. 3.123.1καί κως ἱμείρετο γὰρ — The particle γάρ introduces a causal clause explaining the main verb ἀποπέμπει, meaning "for he was, somehow, longing greatly for money." The ionic form κως (attic πως) adds the nuance of "somehow" or "in some way."
  3. 3.123.1κατοψόμενον — Future participle of καθοράω in the accusative masculine singular, expressing purpose ("to inspect / view").
  4. 3.123.1τὸν κόσμον τὸν ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρεῶνος τοῦ Πολυκράτεος ἐόντα ἀξιοθέητον — The participle ἐόντα (Ionic for ὤν) agrees with κόσμον, with ἀξιοθέητον acting as a predicate or attributive adjective, meaning "the adornment which was in the men's hall of Polycrates, being splendid."
  5. 3.123.2τὸν κατάσκοπον ἐόντα προσδόκιμον — An accusative-and-participle construction in indirect discourse after the verb of perceiving μαθών. It literally means "having learned that the inspector (τὸν κατάσκοπον) was expected (ἐόντα προσδόκιμον)."
  6. 3.123.2πλὴν κάρτα βραχέος τοῦ περὶ αὐτὰ τὰ χείλεα — The prepositional adverb πλὴν governs the genitive case. βραχέος τοῦ... means "the very small [space] around..." and refers to the narrow margin just below the rim (χείλεα) of the chests which was left unfilled by stones.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §3.123.1-3.123.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.123.1-3.123.2

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.