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Herodotus · Histories §4.167.1-4.167.3

Aryandes Dispatches an Expedition Against Barca

Passage 731 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Aryandes pities Pheretime and provides her with the entire Egyptian army and navy under appointed generals. After inquiring about Arcesilaus' murder and receiving a collective admission of guilt from the Barcaeans, he dispatches the forces under the pretext of revenge, though his true aim is the conquest of Libya.

§4.167.1τότε δὲ οὗτος ὁ Ἀρυάνδης κατοικτείρας Φερετίμην διδοῖ αὐτῇ στρατὸν τὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἅπαντα καὶ τὸν πεζὸν καὶ τὸν ναυτικόν·
At that time this Aryandes took pity on Pheretime and gave her the entire force from Egypt, both the land army and the navy.
στρατηγὸν δὲ τοῦ μὲν πεζοῦ Ἄμασιν ἀπέδεξε ἄνδρα Μαράφιον, τοῦ δὲ ναυτικοῦ Βάδρην ἐόντα Πασαργάδην γένος.
He appointed Amasis, a man of the Maraphians, as general of the land army, and Badres, who was of the tribe of the Pasargadae, as general of the navy.
§4.167.2πρὶν δὲ ἢ ἀποστεῖλαι τὴν στρατιήν, ὁ Ἀρυάνδης πέμψας ἐς τὴν Βάρκην κήρυκα ἐπυνθάνετο τίς εἴη ὁ Ἀρκεσίλεων ἀποκτείνας.
But before sending the army, Aryandes sent a herald to Barca to inquire who it was that had killed Arcesilaus.
οἱ δὲ Βαρκαῖοι αὐτοὶ ὑπεδέκοντο πάντες· πολλά τε γὰρ καὶ κακὰ πάσχειν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ.
The Barcaeans themselves all took the responsibility upon themselves, saying that they had suffered many evils at his hands.
πυθόμενος δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Ἀρυάνδης οὕτω δὴ τὴν στρατιὴν ἀπέστειλε ἅμα τῇ Φερετίμῃ.
When Aryandes learned this, he then finally dispatched the army together with Pheretime.
§4.167.3αὕτη μέν νυν αἰτίη πρόσχημα τοῦ στόλου ἐγίνετο, ἀπεπέμπετο δὲ ἡ στρατιή, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκέειν, ἐπὶ Λιβύης καταστροφῇ.
Now this cause became the pretext for the expedition, but the army was sent, as it seems to me, for the subjugation of Libya.
Λιβύων γὰρ δὴ ἔθνεα πολλὰ καὶ παντοῖα ἐστι, καὶ τὰ μὲν αὐτῶν ὀλίγα βασιλέος ἦν ὑπήκοα, τὰ δὲ πλέω ἐφρόντιζε Δαρείουοὐδέν.
For indeed the tribes of the Libyans are many and of all kinds, and while a few of them were subjects of the King, the greater part cared nothing for Darius.

Notes

  1. §4.167.1γένος — The word `γένος` in the phrase `ἐόντα Πασαργάδην γένος` (being of the Pasargadae tribe by birth) is an accusative of respect (or specification), meaning "by birth" or "with respect to family."
  2. §4.167.2τίς εἴη ὁ Ἀρκεσίλεων ἀποκτείνας — `εἴη` is the optative of indirect discourse (oblique optative), replacing an indicative of the direct question because it is dependent on the past-tense main verb `ἐπυνθάνετο` (was inquiring).
  3. §4.167.2πολλά τε γὰρ καὶ κακὰ πάσχειν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ — The infinitive `πάσχειν` stands in indirect discourse dependent on the sense of statement implied by `ὑπεδέκοντο` (they admitted/undertook), explaining their stated reason (that they had suffered many evils at his hands).
  4. §4.167.3ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκέειν — The infinitive `δοκέειν` is an "absolute infinitive" used parenthetically, a common idiomatic expression meaning "as it seems to me" or "in my opinion."

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.167.1-4.167.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.167.1-4.167.3

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