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Herodotus · Histories §6.6.1

Persian mobilization of land and naval forces against Miletus

Passage 908 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

While Histiaeus and his associates operate, the Persian generals concentrate their massive land and naval forces against Miletus, putting aside other towns, with the fleet joined by the Phoenicians and others.

§6.6.1Ἱστιαῖος μέν νυν καὶ Μυτιληναῖοι ἐποίευν ταῦτα.
Histiaeus and the Mytilenaeans, then, were doing these things.
ἐπὶ δὲ Μίλητον αὐτὴν ναυτικὸς πολλὸς καὶ πεζὸς ἦν στρατὸς προσδόκιμος· συστραφέντες γὰρ οἱ στρατηγοὶ τῶν Περσέων καὶ ἓν ποιήσαντες στρατόπεδον ἤλαυνον ἐπὶ τὴν Μίλητον, τἆλλα πολίσματα περὶ ἐλάσσονος ποιησάμενοι.
But against Miletus itself, a large naval force and land army were expected; for the Persian generals, having united and formed a single army, were marching against Miletus, holding the other towns of less account.
τοῦ δὲ ναυτικοῦ Φοίνικες μὲν ἦσαν προθυμότατοι, συνεστρατεύοντο δὲ καὶ Κύπριοι νεωστὶ κατεστραμμένοι καὶ Κίλικές τε καὶ Αἰγύπτιοι.
Of the fleet, the Phoenicians were the most eager, and the Cyprians, who had been recently subdued, as well as both the Cilicians and the Egyptians, campaigned with them.

Notes

  1. §6.6.1προσδόκιμος — The adjective `προσδόκιμος` (expected) is used predicatively with the copula `ἦν`, referring to the subject `ναυτικὸς πολλὸς καὶ πεζὸς ... στρατὸς` (a large naval force and land army), meaning 'was expected to arrive'.
  2. §6.6.1περὶ ἐλάσσονος ποιησάμενοι — The middle participle `ποιησάμενοι` from `ποιέομαι`, combined with the preposition `περί` and a genitive of value (`ἐλάσσονος`), forms an idiomatic expression meaning 'holding in less estimation' or 'considering of less importance,' taking `τἆλλα πολίσματα` as its direct object.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §6.6.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.6.1

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