Herodotus · Histories §4.1.1-4.1.3

Motives for Darius's Scythian Expedition

Passage 565 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The motive for Darius's expedition against the Scythians is introduced, along with the background of the previous Scythian rule over Asia and the domestic trouble they faced upon their return due to their wives' relations with slaves.

§4.1.1μετὰ δὲ τὴν Βαβυλῶνος αἵρεσιν ἐγένετο ἐπὶ Σκύθας αὐτοῦ Δαρείου ἔλασις· ἀνθεύσης γὰρ τῆς Ἀσίης ἀνδράσι καὶ χρημάτων μεγάλων συνιόντων, ἐπεθύμησε ὁ Δαρεῖος τίσασθαι Σκύθας, ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι πρότεροι ἐσβαλόντες ἐς τὴν Μηδικὴν καὶ νικήσαντες μάχῃ τοὺς ἀντιουμένους ὑπῆρξαν ἀδικίης.

After the taking of Babylon, there took place an expedition of Darius himself against the Scythians; for as Asia was flourishing with men and vast wealth was coming in, Darius desired to take vengeance upon the Scythians, because they had been the first to commit injustice by invading the Median territory and defeating in battle those who opposed them.

§4.1.2τῆς γὰρ ἄνω Ἀσίης ἦρξαν, ὡς καὶ πρότερον μοι εἴρηται, Σκύθαι ἔτεα δυῶν δέοντα τριήκοντα. Κιμμερίους γὰρ ἐπιδιώκοντες ἐσέβαλον ἐς τὴν Ἀσίην, καταπαύσαντες τῆς ἀρχῆς Μήδους· οὗτοι γὰρ πρὶν ἢ Σκύθας ἀπικέσθαι ἦρχον τῆς Ἀσίης.

For the Scythians ruled Upper Asia, as I have also said before, for twenty-eight years; for they entered Asia in pursuit of the Cimmerians, depriving the Medes of their rule; for these latter ruled Asia before the Scythians arrived.

§4.1.3τοὺς δὲ Σκύθας ἀποδημήσαντας ὀκτὼ καὶ εἴκοσι ἔτεα καὶ διὰ χρόνου τοσούτου κατιόντας ἐς τὴν σφετέρην ἐξεδέξατο οὐκ ἐλάσσων πόνος τοῦ Μηδικοῦ· εὗρον γὰρ ἀντιουμένην σφίσι στρατιήν οὐκ ὀλίγην.

But when the Scythians had been away from home for twenty-eight years, and were returning to their own land after so long a time, a labour no less than the Median awaited them; for they found opposing them no small army.

αἱ γὰρ τῶν Σκυθέων γυναῖκες, ὥς σφι οἱ ἄνδρες ἀπῆσαν χρόνον πολλόν, ἐφοίτεον παρὰ τοὺς δούλους.

For the wives of the Scythians, since their husbands were away for a long time, had associated with the slaves.

Notes

4.1.1ἀνθεύσης γὰρ τῆς Ἀσίης ἀνδράσι καὶ χρημάτων μεγάλων συνιόντων — Two genitive absolute constructions (ἀνθεύσης τῆς Ἀσίης and χρημάτων συνιόντων) are coordinated to express the cause of the main verb ἐπεθύμησε. The dative ἀνδράσι (in terms of men / with men) is a dative of respect or means modifying the participle ἀνθεύσης.
4.1.1ὑπῆρξαν ἀδικίης — The verb ὑπάρχω with a genitive object means "to begin" or "to be the first to do." Here it means "they were the first to commit injustice."
4.1.3τοὺς δὲ Σκύθας ... ἐξεδέξατο οὐκ ἐλάσσων πόνος τοῦ Μηδικοῦ — The accusative phrase τοὺς δὲ Σκύθας at the beginning of the sentence (modified by the participles ἀποδημήσαντας and κατιόντας) is the direct object of the transitive verb ἐξεδέξατο, while the subject is the postposed οὐκ ἐλάσσων πόνος (a labor no less). This inversion places the focus on the returning Scythians.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.1.1-4.1.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.1.1-4.1.3

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