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Herodotus · Histories §3.51.1-3.51.3

Periander's Ban on Sheltering Lycophron

Passage 455 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Periander extracts the grandfather's words from his elder son and, realizing that the younger son has learned the truth, forbids anyone to shelter him; yet the son's friends continue to receive him despite their fear.

§3.51.1ἐξελάσας δὲ τοῦτον ἱστόρεε τὸν πρεσβύτερον τά σφι ὁ μητροπάτωρ διελέχθη.
Having driven this son out, Periander questioned the elder one as to what their mother's father had said to them.
ὁ δέ οἱ ἀπηγέετο ὡς σφέας φιλοφρόνως ἐδέξατο· ἐκείνου δὲ τοῦ ἔπεος τό σφι ὁ Προκλέης ἀποστέλλων εἶπε, ἅτε οὐ νόῳ λαβών, οὐκ ἐμέμνητο.
He related to him how warmly their grandfather had received them; but of that saying which Procles had spoken as he was sending them away, since he had not taken it to heart, he made no mention.
Περίανδρος δὲ οὐδεμίαν μηχανὴν ἔφη εἶναι μὴ οὔ σφι ἐκεῖνον ὑποθέσθαι τι, ἐλιπάρεέ τε ἱστορέων· ὁ δὲ ἀναμνησθεὶς εἶπε καὶ τοῦτο.
But Periander said that it was impossible that that man had not suggested something to them, and he importuned him with questions; and the lad, having remembered, told him this as well.
§3.51.2Περίανδρος δὲ νόῳ λαβὼν καὶ μαλακὸν ἐνδιδόναι βουλόμενος οὐδέν, τῇ ὁ ἐξελασθεὶς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ παῖς δίαιταν ἐποιέετο, ἐς τούτους πέμπων ἄγγελον ἀπηγόρευε μή μιν δέκεσθαι οἰκίοισι.
Periander, taking this to mind and wishing to show no indulgence, sent a messenger to those with whom his banished son was staying, and forbade them to receive him into their houses.
§3.51.3ὁ δὲ ὅκως ἀπελαυνόμενος ἔλθοι ἐς ἄλλην οἰκίην, ἀπηλαύνετʼ ἂν καὶ ἀπὸ ταύτης, ἀπειλέοντός τε τοῦ Περίανδρου τοῖσι δεξαμένοισι καὶ ἐξέργειν κελεύοντος· ἀπελαυνόμενος δʼ ἂν ἤιε ἐπʼ ἑτέρην τῶν ἑταίρων· οἳ δὲ ἅτε Περιάνδρου ἐόντα παῖδα καίπερ δειμαίνοντες ὅμως ἐδέκοντο.
And whenever, being driven away, the lad went to another house, he would be driven from this one too, since Periander threatened those who received him and ordered them to exclude him; yet, when driven away, he would go to another of his companions' houses; and they, although they were in fear, nevertheless received him, inasmuch as he was the son of Periander.

Notes

  1. 3.51.1μὴ οὔ σφι ἐκεῖνον ὑποθέσθαι τι — In the infinitive clause introduced by the negative expression οὐδεμίαν μηχανὴν εἶναι, μὴ οὐ is used to reinforce the negative. The construction functions as a double negation, implying a strong affirmation: 'it was impossible that he had not suggested something to them' (i.e., 'he must have suggested something').
  2. 3.51.3ὅκως... ἔλθοι..., ἀπηλαύνετʼ ἂν — The temporal conjunction ὅκως (Ionic for ὅπως) with the optative mood, corresponding to the imperfect tense with the particle ἄν (ἀπηλαύνετʼ ἂν) in the main clause, forms a repetitive construction expressing habitual or repeated action in the past ('whenever he went..., he would be driven away').

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §3.51.1-3.51.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.51.1-3.51.3

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