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Herodotus · Histories §5.74.1-5.74.2

Cleomenes' Invasion of Eleusis and the Attack on Attica

Passage 843 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Cleomenes invades Eleusis with a large army to take revenge on Athens and install Isagoras, while the Boeotians and Chalcidians launch coordinated attacks on Attica, prompting the Athenians to prioritize confronting the Peloponnesians at Eleusis.

§5.74.1Κλεομένης δὲ ἐπιστάμενος περιυβρίσθαι ἔπεσι καὶ ἔργοισι ὑπʼ Ἀθηναίων συνέλεγε ἐκ πάσης Πελοποννήσου στρατόν, οὐ φράζων ἐς τὸ συλλέγει, τίσασθαι τε ἐθέλων τὸν δῆμον τὸν Ἀθηναίων καὶ Ἰσαγόρην βουλόμενος τύραννον καταστῆσαι· συνεξῆλθε γάρ οἱ οὗτος ἐκ τῆς ἀκροπόλιος.
Cleomenes, understanding that he had been greatly insulted in word and deed by the Athenians, gathered an army from all over the Peloponnese, without declaring for what purpose he was gathering it, wishing to take vengeance on the Athenian populace and desiring to establish Isagoras as tyrant; for the latter had gone out with him from the acropolis.
§5.74.2Κλεομένης τε δὴ στόλῳ μεγάλῳ ἐσέβαλε ἐς Ἐλευσῖνα, καὶ οἱ Βοιωτοὶ ἀπὸ συνθήματος Οἰνόην αἱρέουσι καὶ Ὑσιὰς δήμους τοὺς ἐσχάτους τῆς Ἀττικῆς, Χαλκιδέες τε ἐπὶ τὰ ἕτερα ἐσίνοντο ἐπιόντες χώρους τῆς Ἀττικῆς.
So Cleomenes invaded Eleusis with a great force, and the Boeotians, by agreement, captured Oenoe and Hysiae, the outermost demes of Attica, while the Chalcidians attacked and ravaged other areas of Attica.
Ἀθηναῖοι δέ, καίπερ ἀμφιβολίῃ ἐχόμενοι, Βοιωτῶν μὲν καὶ Χαλκιδέων ἐς ὕστερον ἔμελλον μνήμην ποιήσεσθαι, Πελοποννησίοισι δὲ ἐοῦσι ἐν Ἐλευσῖνι ἀντία ἔθεντο τὰ ὅπλα.
The Athenians, although they were beset by a double attack, resolved to attend to the Boeotians and Chalcidians later, and drew up their arms in opposition to the Peloponnesians who were at Eleusis.

Notes

  1. §5.74.1ἐς τὸ συλλέγει — Meaning "for what purpose (or to where) he was gathering [them]." The article `τό` is used in the Ionic dialect as a relative pronoun (equivalent to `ὅ`), forming an indirect question construction that translates to "without declaring [the purpose] for which he was gathering."
  2. §5.74.2ἀμφιβολίῃ — The dative `ἀμφιβολίῃ` acts as the instrument or cause with `ἐχόμενοι` (being beset). It refers to the state of being attacked from two sides at once (by the Boeotians and Chalcidians on one side, and the Peloponnesians on the other).
  3. §5.74.2ἔμελλον μνήμην ποιήσεσθαι — `ἔμελλον` with the future infinitive `ποιήσεσθαι` expresses intention or destiny ("they were going to / they intended to"). Combining with `μνήμην ποιέομαι` (to pay attention to, to make mention of), it means "they intended to attend to them later."
  4. §5.74.2ἀντία ἔθεντο τὰ ὅπλα — The phrase `τίθεσθαι τὰ ὅπλα` is a military idiom meaning "to draw up arms" or "to take up positions under arms." Accompanied by the adverbial neuter plural `ἀντία` (against, opposite), it means they drew up their forces in opposition to the Peloponnesians.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §5.74.1-5.74.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.74.1-5.74.2

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