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Herodotus · Histories §6.1.1-6.1.2

Histiaeus and Artaphrenes at Sardis

Passage 903 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Following the death of Aristagoras, Histiaeus arrives in Sardis from Susa. When questioned by Artaphrenes about the cause of the Ionian revolt, Histiaeus pretends ignorance, but Artaphrenes metaphorically reveals that he knows Histiaeus was the real plotter.

§6.1.1Ἀρισταγόρης μέν νυν Ἰωνίην ἀποστήσας οὕτω τελευτᾷ.
Thus Aristagoras, having caused Ionia to revolt, met his end.
Ἱστιαῖος δὲ ὁ Μιλήτου τύραννος μεμετιμένος ὑπὸ Δαρείου παρῆν ἐς Σάρδις·
Meanwhile, Histiaeus, the tyrant of Miletus, having been dismissed by Darius, arrived at Sardis.
ἀπιγμένον δὲ αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν Σούσων εἴρετο Ἀρταφρένης ὁ Σαρδίων ὕπαρχος κατὰ κοῖόν τι δοκέοι Ἴωνας ἀπεστάναι.
Upon his arrival from Susa, Artaphrenes, the governor of Sardis, asked him for what possible reason he thought the Ionians had revolted.
ὁ δὲ οὔτε εἰδέναι ἔφη ἐθώμαζέ τε τὸ γεγονός, ὡς οὐδὲν δῆθεν τῶν παρεόντων πρηγμάτων ἐπιστάμενος.
But Histiaeus said he knew nothing of it and feigned amazement at what had happened, as if, forsooth, he had no knowledge of the present state of affairs.
§6.1.2ὁ δὲ Ἀρταφρένης ὁρέων αὐτὸν τεχνάζοντα εἶπε, εἰδὼς τὴν ἀτρεκείην τῆς ἀποστάσιος, οὕτω τοι Ἱστιαῖε ἔχει κατὰ ταῦτα τὰ πρήγματα· τοῦτο τὸ ὑπόδημα ἔρραψας μὲν σύ, ὑπεδήσατο δὲ Ἀρισταγόρης.
But Artaphrenes, seeing that he was dissembling, and knowing the exact truth about the revolt, said: "This is how it stands, Histiaeus, with this matter: you stitched this shoe, and Aristagoras put it on."

Notes

  1. 6.1.1ἀπιγμένον δὲ αὐτὸν — The verb `εἴρετο` ("asked") takes a double accusative of the person asked (`αὐτόν`) and the question asked (the indirect question clause `κατὰ κοῖόν τι...`). The participle `ἀπιγμένον` agrees with `αὐτόν`, functioning adverbially to indicate time ("when he had arrived").
  2. 6.1.1ὡς οὐδὲν δῆθεν τῶν παρεόντων πρηγμάτων ἐπιστάμενος — The combination of the conjunction `ὡς` with the participle `ἐπιστάμενος` expresses a subjective reason or pretense of the subject. The addition of the particle `δῆθεν` ("allegedly," "as if indeed") emphasizes that this pretense is false. `τῶν παρεόντων πρηγμάτων` is a genitive of object governed by the participle `ἐπιστάμενος`.
  3. 6.1.2ὑπεδήσατο — An aorist middle of `ὑποδέομαι` ("to put on shoes"). In contrast with the preceding `ἔρραψας` ("you stitched"), the metaphor contrasts the maker of the shoe (the schemer who designs the plot) with the wearer of the shoe (the agent who executes it).

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §6.1.1-6.1.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.1.1-6.1.2

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