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Herodotus · Histories §5.26.1

Otanes Captures Byzantium and Surrounding Islands

Passage 795 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Otanes succeeded Megabazus in his military command and captured Byzantium, Calchedon, and several other cities and islands including Lemnos and Imbros.

§5.26.1οὗτος ὦν ὁ Ὀτάνης ὁ ἐγκατιζόμενος ἐς τοῦτον τὸν θρόνον, τότε διάδοχος γενόμενος Μεγαβάζῳ τῆς στρατηγίης, Βυζαντίους τε εἷλε καὶ Καλχηδονίους, εἷλε δὲ Ἄντανδρον τὴν ἐν τῇ Τρῳάδι γῇ, εἷλε δὲ Λαμπώνιον, λαβὼν δὲ παρὰ Λεσβίων νέας εἷλε Λῆμνόν τε καὶ Ἴμβρον, ἀμφοτέρας ἔτι τότε ὑπὸ Πελασγῶν οἰκεομένας.
So this Otanes, who was seated upon that chair, having then become the successor of Megabazus in his command, captured the Byzantines and the Calchedonians, and captured Antandros in the land of Troy, and captured Lamponium, and having obtained ships from the Lesbians, he captured Lemnos and Imbros, both of which were at that time still inhabited by Pelasgians.

Notes

  1. §5.26.1ὁ ἐγκατιζόμενος — Present middle-passive participle meaning "he who is seated / sits upon." This refers back to the passage immediately preceding (5.25.2) where Otanes was commanded to sit on the judgment seat covered with his father's skin. The present tense emphasizes his ongoing state of holding this office and sitting on that very chair.
  2. §5.26.1διάδοχος γενόμενος Μεγαβάζῳ τῆς στρατηγίης — Syntax concerning the case government of the noun `διάδοχος` ("successor"). The predecessor being replaced (`Μεγαβάζῳ`) is in the dative, while the office or command being succeeded to (`τῆς στρατηγίης`) is in the genitive.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §5.26.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.26.1

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