Herodotus · Histories §4.126.1

Darius's Demand for Battle or Submission

Passage 690 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Darius sends a messenger to the Scythian king Idanthyrsus, who continuously avoids a decisive battle, demanding that he either stand and fight or submit by offering earth and water.

§4.126.1ὡς δὲ πολλὸν τοῦτο ἐγίνετο καὶ οὐκ ἐπαύετο, πέμψας Δαρεῖος ἱππέα παρὰ τὸν Σκυθέων βασιλέα Ἰδάνθυρσον ἔλεγε τάδε. δαιμόνιε ἀνδρῶν, τί φεύγεις αἰεί, ἐξεόν τοι τῶνδε τὰ ἕτερα ποιέειν;

When this had gone on for a long time and did not cease, Darius sent a horseman to the Scythian king Idanthyrsus with this message: "Strange man, why do you always flee, when it is in your power to do one of two other things?

εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἀξιόχρεος δοκέεις εἶναι σεωυτῷ τοῖσι ἐμοῖσι πρήγμασι ἀντιωθῆναι, σὺ δὲ στάς τε καὶ παυσάμενος πλάνης μάχεσθαι· εἰ δὲ συγγινώσκεαι εἶναι ἥσσων, σὺ δὲ καὶ οὕτω παυσάμενος τοῦ δρόμου δεσπότῃ τῷ σῷ δῶρα φέρων γῆν τε καὶ ὕδωρ ἐλθὲ ἐς λόγους.

For if you think yourself able to withstand my power, stand and cease your wandering, and fight; but if you confess yourself to be the weaker, then even so, cease your running, and come to a conference with your master, bringing gifts of earth and water."

Notes

4.126.1ἐξεόν — Accusative absolute of the impersonal verb ἔξεστι (it is possible), using the neuter singular present participle. It forms an adverbial clause indicating a concession or preliminary condition ("when it is possible for you").
4.126.1σὺ δὲ στάς τε καὶ παυσάμενος πλάνης μάχεσθαι — The δὲ at the beginning of the apodosis (consequent clause) is an apodotic de, used to emphasize the main clause after a conditional clause. The verb μάχεσθαι is a present infinitive used in place of an imperative (infinitive for imperative), meaning "fight!". The preceding participles στάς and παυσάμενος are circumstantial participles modifying this infinitive.
4.126.1συγγινώσκεαι εἶναι ἥσσων — συγγινώσκεαι is the Ionic form (corresponding to Attic συγγιγνώσκῃ) of the second-person singular present indicative passive (or middle) of συγγινώσκω (to confess, acknowledge). Since the subject of the following infinitive εἶναι is identical to that of the main verb (you), the predicate adjective ἥσσων (weaker) is placed in the nominative case instead of the accusative.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.126.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.126.1

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