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Herodotus · Histories §3.67.1-3.67.3

Reign of the False Smerdis and His Favors to Subjects

Passage 471 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

After Cambyses's death, the Magian usurped the throne under the name of Smerdis and won the devotion of his Asian subjects by granting them a three-year exemption from military service and tribute.

§3.67.1οὗτοι μέν νυν ἠπιστέατο Σμέρδιν τὸν Κύρου βασιλέα ἐνεστεῶτα·
Thus, they believed that Smerdis, the son of Cyrus, was established as king.
δεινῶς γὰρ καὶ ὁ Πρηξάσπης ἔξαρνος ἦν μὴ μὲν ἀποκτεῖναι Σμέρδιν· οὐ γὰρ ἦν οἱ ἀσφαλὲς Καμβύσεω τετελευτηκότος φάναι τὸν Κύρου υἱὸν ἀπολωλεκέναι αὐτοχειρίῃ.
For Prexaspes also vehemently denied that he had killed Smerdis; with Cambyses being dead, it was not safe for him to say that he had slain the son of Cyrus with his own hand.
§3.67.2ὁ δὲ δὴ Μάγος τελευτήσαντος Καμβύσεω ἀδεῶς ἐβασίλευσε, ἐπιβατεύων τοῦ ὁμωνύμου Σμέρδιος τοῦ Κύρου, μῆνας ἑπτὰ τοὺς ἐπιλοίπους Καμβύσῃ ἐς τὰ ὀκτὼ ἔτεα τῆς πληρώσιος·
Now, when Cambyses had died, the Magian reigned without fear, usurping the position of Cyrus's son Smerdis, who had the same name, during the remaining seven months to complete Cambyses's eight years of reign.
§3.67.3ἐν τοῖσι ἀπεδέξατο ἐς τοὺς ὑπηκόους πάντας εὐεργεσίας μεγάλας, ὥστε ἀποθανόντος αὐτοῦ πόθον ἔχειν πάντας τοὺς ἐν τῇ Ἀσίῃ πάρεξ αὐτῶν Περσέων.
In these months, he performed great benefactions for all his subjects, so that when he died, all those in Asia, except for the Persians themselves, felt a deep sense of loss for him.
διαπέμψας γὰρ ὁ Μάγος ἐς πᾶν ἔθνος τῶν ἦρχε προεῖπε ἀτελείην εἶναι στρατηίης καὶ φόρου ἐπʼ ἔτεα τρία.
For the Magian sent messengers to every nation under his rule and proclaimed a three-year exemption from military service and tribute.

Notes

  1. §3.67.1ἔξαρνος ἦν μὴ μὲν ἀποκτεῖναι — The infinitive following the negative adjective ἔξαρνος ('denying') takes a redundant negative μὴ. It means 'denied that he had killed.' The particle μὲν here does not mark a contrast but expresses emphasis or assurance.
  2. §3.67.2τοὺς ἐπιλοίπους Καμβύσῃ ἐς τὰ ὀκτὼ ἔτεα τῆς πληρώσιος — Meaning 'the remaining (months) for Cambyses to complete the eight years (of reign).' Καμβύσῃ is a dative of relation (with respect to Cambyses's reign), indicating that the Magian's seven months added to Cambyses's seven years and five months complete a full eight-year period.
  3. §3.67.3τῶν ἦρχε — Genitive of the relative pronoun due to attraction or the government of the verb. The relative pronoun is plural (τῶν in Ionic = ὧν) responding to the collective singular antecedent πᾶν ἔθνος, and is in the genitive case because it is governed by the verb ἦρχε ('ruled over').

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §3.67.1-3.67.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.67.1-3.67.3

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