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Herodotus · Histories §4.4.1

Flight of the Slaves' Sons and Darius's Decision for War

Passage 568 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Struck with terror by the whips, the slaves' sons flee, and the Scythians successfully return home. Darius, motivated by the history of their rule over Asia, prepares an expedition against them.

§4.4.1ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες οἱ Σκύθαι ἐποίευν ἐπιτελέα· οἳ δὲ ἐκπλαγέντες τῷ γινομένῳ τῆς μάχης τε ἐπελάθοντο καὶ ἔφευγον.
Having heard this, the Scythians carried it into effect; and they, struck with terror by what was happening, both forgot the battle and fled.
οὕτω οἱ Σκύθαι τῆς τε Ἀσίης ἧρξαν καὶ ἐξελασθέντες αὖτις ὑπὸ Μήδων κατῆλθον τρόπῳ τοιούτῳ ἐς τὴν σφετέρην.
Thus the Scythians ruled over Asia and, having been driven out again by the Medes, returned in such a manner to their own land.
τῶνδε εἵνεκα ὁ Δαρεῖυς τίσασθαι βουλόμενος συνήγειρε ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς στράτευμα.
For these reasons Darius, wishing to take vengeance, assembled an army against them.

Notes

  1. §4.4.1ἐποίευν ἐπιτελέα — The neuter plural accusative of the adjective ἐπιτελής ('brought to completion') is used as a predicative accusative with ποιέω, forming an idiomatic expression meaning 'to carry into effect' or 'to accomplish.'
  2. §4.4.1οἳ δὲ — The relative pronoun ὅς functions as a demonstrative pronoun with the conjunction δέ ('but they'). In this context, it refers not to the Scythians, but to their opponents, the sons of the slaves.
  3. §4.4.1τῶνδε εἵνεκα — The genitive neuter plural of the demonstrative pronoun ὅδε is governed by the postposition εἵνεκα ('on account of,' 'for the sake of'). It refers to the entire series of historical events just described, namely the Scythians' rule over Asia and their subsequent return.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.4.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.4.1

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