Humanitext Reader

Herodotus · Histories §3.95.1-3.95.2

Calculation of the Total Annual Tribute to Darius

Passage 499 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The author converts the total amount of Babylonian silver and gold dust into Euboic talents, calculating the total annual tribute received by Darius to be 14,560 talents.

§3.95.1τὸ μὲν δὴ ἀργύριον τὸ Βαβυλώνιον πρὸς τὸ Εὐβοϊκὸν συμβαλλόμενον τάλαντον γίνεται ὀγδώκοντα καὶ ὀκτακόσια καὶ εἰνακισχίλια τάλαντα· τὸ δὲ χρυσίον τρισκαιδεκαστάσιον λογιζόμενον, τὸ ψῆγμα εὑρίσκεται ἐὸν Εὐβοϊκῶν ταλάντων ὀγδώκοντα καὶ ἑξακοσίων καὶ τετρακισχιλίων.
The Babylonian silver talent, when compared with the Euboic talent, becomes nine thousand eight hundred and eighty talents; and the gold being calculated at thirteen times its value, the gold dust is found to be forty-six hundred and eighty Euboic talents.
§3.95.2τούτων ὦν πάντων συντιθεμένων τὸ πλῆθος Εὐβοϊκὰ τάλαντα συνελέγετο ἐς τὸν ἐπέτειον φόρον Δαρείῳ μύρια καὶ τετρακισχίλια καὶ πεντακόσια καὶ ἑξήκοντα· τὸ δʼ ἔτι τούτων ἔλασσον ἀπιεὶς οὐ λέγω.
So when all these are added together, the total sum collected for Darius as annual tribute was fourteen thousand five hundred and sixty Euboic talents; and omitting what is still less than these, I do not mention it.

Notes

  1. 3.95.1συμβαλλόμενον — Passive participle, agreeing with the neuter τάλαντον (or ἀργύριον). With πρὸς τὸ Εὐβοϊκὸν, it means "when compared with/converted to the Euboic [talent]".
  2. 3.95.1εὑρίσκεται ἐὸν — The passive of εὑρίσκω with the participle ἐόν (neuter nominative present participle of εἰμί) serving as a supplementary participle, meaning "is found to be".
  3. 3.95.2ἀπιεὶς — Active present participle masculine singular nominative of ἀφίημι, agreeing with the subject of the main verb (the narrator), meaning "letting go" or "omitting".

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §3.95.1-3.95.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.95.1-3.95.2

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