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Herodotus · Histories §4.14.1-4.14.3

Disappearance and Reappearance of Aristeas

Passage 578 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Relates the legend that Aristeas was reported dead in a fuller's shop in Proconnesus, but his body vanished, and he reappeared seven years later to compose his epic.

§4.14.1καὶ ὅθεν μὲν ἦν Ἀριστέης ὁ ταῦτα εἴπας, εἴρηκα, τὸν δὲ περὶ αὐτοῦ ἤκουον λόγον ἐν Προκοννήσῳ καί Κυζίκῳ, λέξω.
Now, whence Aristeas who said these things was, I have already told; but the story which I heard about him in Proconnesus and Cyzicus, I will relate.
Ἀριστέην γὰρ λέγουσι, ἐόντα τῶν ἀστῶν οὐδενὸς γένος ὑποδεέστερον, ἐσελθόντα ἐς κναφήιον ἐν Προκοννήσῳ ἀποθανεῖν, καὶ τόν κναφέα κατακληίσαντα τὸ ἐργαστήριον οἴχεσθαι ἀγγελέοντα τοῖσι προσήκουσι τῷ νεκρῷ.
For they say that Aristeas, who was in birth inferior to none of the citizens, entered into a fuller's shop in Proconnesus and died there; and the fuller, having locked up his workshop, went away to report the matter to the relatives of the dead man.
§4.14.2ἐσκεδασμένου δὲ ἤδη τοῦ λόγου ἀνὰ τὴν πόλιν ὡς τεθνεώς εἴη ὁ Ἀριστέης, ἐς ἀμφισβασίας τοῖσι λέγουσι ἀπικνέεσθαι ἄνδρα Κυζικηνὸν ἥκοντα ἐξ Ἀρτάκης πόλιος, φάντα συντυχεῖν τε οἱ ἰόντι ἐπὶ Κυζίκου καὶ ἐς λόγους ἀπικέσθαι.
But when the story had already spread through the city that Aristeas was dead, a man of Cyzicus who had come from the city of Artace arrived and entered into dispute with those who said so, saying that he had met Aristeas going towards Cyzicus and had spoken with him.
καὶ τοῦτον μὲν ἐντεταμένως ἀμφισβατέειν, τοὺς δὲ προσήκοντας τῷ νεκρῷ ἐπὶ τὸ κναφήιον παρεῖναι ἔχοντας τὰ πρόσφορα ὡς ἀναιρησομένους·
While this man was disputing vehemently, the relatives of the dead man arrived at the fuller's shop, bringing what was necessary to carry him away.
§4.14.3ἀνοιχθέντος δὲ τοῦ οἰκήματος οὔτε τεθνεῶτα οὔτε ζῶντα φαίνεσθαι Ἀριστέην.
But when the room was opened, Aristeas was nowhere to be seen, neither dead nor alive.
μετὰ δὲ ἑβδόμῳ ἔτει φανέντα αὐτὸν ἐς Προκόννησον ποιῆσαι τὰ ἔπεα ταῦτα τὰ νῦν ὑπʼ Ἑλλήνων Ἀριμάσπεα καλέεται, ποιήσαντα δὲ ἀφανισθῆναι τὸ δεύτερον.
In the seventh year after that, he appeared in Proconnesus and composed those epic verses which are now called by the Greeks the 'Arimaspea,' and having composed them, disappeared for the second time.

Notes

  1. 4.14.1λέγουσι — The indirect speech introduced by this verb λέγουσι (they say) continues through to the final infinitive ἀφανισθῆναι in 4.14.3, indicating that the entire sequence of events is presented as hearsay or legend current in Proconnesus and Cyzicus.
  2. 4.14.1γένος — An accusative of specification (or relationship) modifying the comparative adjective ὑποδεέστερον (inferior), meaning 'in respect of birth' or 'by birth'.
  3. 4.14.2ἀπικνέεσθαι — Part of the accusative and infinitive construction in indirect discourse, with ἄνδρα Κυζικηνὸν (a Cyzicene man) as its subject accusative, dependent on the main verb λέγουσι (4.14.1).
  4. 4.14.2οἱ — The dative singular personal pronoun, functioning as an indirect reflexive referring to Aristeas himself; it serves as the object of συντυχεῖν (to meet) along with the participle ἰόντι (going).
  5. 4.14.2ὡς ἀναιρησομένους — The conjunction ὡς combined with the future participle (middle voice) expressing the subjective purpose of the subject of the clause (the relatives): 'with the intention of carrying away (the body)'.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.14.1-4.14.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.14.1-4.14.3

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