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Herodotus · Histories §6.34.1-6.34.2

Phoenician Conquest of the Chersonese and the Dolonci Oracle

Passage 936 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The Phoenicians conquer the whole Chersonese except for Cardia. The narrative begins explaining how the Dolonci, harassed by war, sought a founder according to the Delphic oracle.

§6.34.1τῆς δὲ Χερσονήσου πλὴν Καρδίης πόλιος τὰς ἄλλας πάσας ἐχειρώσαντο οἱ Φοίνικες.
The Phoenicians made themselves masters of all the other cities of the Chersonese, except for the city of Cardia.
ἐτυράννευε δὲ αὐτέων μέχρι τότε Μιλτιάδης ὁ Κίμωνος τοῦ Στησαγόρεω, κτησαμένου τὴν ἀρχὴν ταύτην πρότερον Μιλτιάδεω τοῦ Κυψέλου τρόπῳ τοιῷδε.
Until then, these had been ruled as tyrant by Miltiades, the son of Cimon, son of Stesagoras; but this rule had been acquired earlier by Miltiades, the son of Cypselus, in the following manner.
εἶχον Δόλογκοι Θρήικες τὴν Χερσόνησον ταύτην.
This Chersonese was held by the Dolonci, a Thracian tribe.
οὗτοι ὦν οἱ Δόλογκοι πιεσθέντες πολέμῳ ὑπὸ Ἀψινθίων ἐς Δελφοὺς ἔπεμψαν τοὺς βασιλέας περὶ τοῦ πολέμου χρησομένους.
Now these Dolonci, being hard pressed in war by the Apsinthians, sent their kings to Delphi to consult the oracle about the war.
§6.34.2ἡ δὲ Πυθίη σφι ἀνεῖλε οἰκιστὴν ἐπάγεσθαι ἐπὶ τὴν χώρην τοῦτον ὃς ἂν σφέας ἀπιόντας ἐκ τοῦ ἱροῦ πρῶτος ἐπὶ ξείνια καλέσῃ.
The Pythian priestess declared to them in oracle that they should bring to their land as a founder the first man who, upon their departure from the temple, should invite them to hospitality.
ἰόντες δὲ οἱ Δόλογκοι τὴν ἱρὴν ὁδὸν διὰ Φωκέων τε καὶ Βοιωτῶν ἤισαν· καί σφεας ὡς οὐδεὶς ἐκάλεε, ἐκτρέπονται ἐπʼ Ἀθηνέων.
So the Dolonci went by the Sacred Way and journeyed through Phocis and Boeotia; and since no one invited them, they turned aside toward Athens.

Notes

  1. 6.34.1κτησαμένου τὴν ἀρχὴν ταύτην πρότερον Μιλτιάδεω τοῦ Κυψέλου — Genitive absolute construction. It serves to introduce the historical background of how Miltiades, son of Cypselus, had previously acquired the rule, in contrast to the current ruler Miltiades, son of Cimon.
  2. 6.34.2τοῦτον ὃς ἂν σφέας ἀπιόντας ἐκ τοῦ ἱροῦ πρῶτος ἐπὶ ξείνια καλέσῃ — The antecedent `τοῦτον` is the object of the infinitive `ἐπάγεσθαι`. The relative clause uses `ὃς ἂν` with the subjunctive `καλέσῃ` to express a future contingency ('whoever should call...'). The present participle `ἀπιόντας` agrees with `σφέας` ('them departing'), describing their state as they leave the temple.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §6.34.1-6.34.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.34.1-6.34.2

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