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Herodotus · Histories §6.85.1-6.85.3

Aeginetan Demand for Leotychides and the Agreement

Passage 987 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Following Cleomenes' death, the Aeginetans successfully demand the extradition of Leotychides, but warned by the prominent Spartan Theasides, they change their plan and agree that Leotychides should accompany them to Athens to recover the hostages.

§6.85.1τελευτήσαντος δὲ Κλεομένεος ὡς ἐπύθοντο Αἰγινῆται, ἔπεμπον ἐς Σπάρτην ἀγγέλους καταβωσομένους Λευτυχίδεω περὶ τῶν ἐν Ἀθήνῃσι ὁμήρων ἐχομένων.
When the Aeginetans learned of the death of Cleomenes, they sent messengers to Sparta to cry out against Leotychides concerning the hostages held in Athens.
Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ δικαστήριον συναγαγόντες ἔγνωσαν περιυβρίσθαι Αἰγινήτας ὑπὸ Λευτυχίδεω, καί μιν κατέκριναν ἔκδοτον ἄγεσθαι ἐς Αἴγιναν ἀντὶ τῶν ἐν Ἀθήνῃσι ἐχομένων ἀνδρῶν.
The Lacedaemonians, having assembled a court, judged that the Aeginetans had been outrageously treated by Leotychides, and they condemned him to be delivered up and led away to Aegina in place of the men held in Athens.
§6.85.2μελλόντων δὲ ἄγειν τῶν Αἰγινητέων τὸν Λευτυχίδεα, εἶπέ σφι Θεασίδης ὁ Λεωπρέπεος, ἐὼν ἐν Σπάρτῃ δόκιμος ἀνήρ, τί βουλεύεσθε ποιέειν, ἄνδρες Αἰγινῆται;
But when the Aeginetans were about to lead Leotychides away, Theasides son of Leoprepes, a man of high standing in Sparta, said to them: "What are you planning to do, men of Aegina?
τὸν βασιλέα τῶν Σπαρτιητέων ἔκδοτον γενόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν πολιητέων ἄγειν;
To lead away the king of the Spartans, who has been delivered up by his fellow citizens?
εἰ νῦν ὀργῇ χρεώμενοι ἔγνωσαν οὕτω Σπαρτιῆται, ὅκως ἐξ ὑστέρης μή τι ὑμῖν, ἢν ταῦτα πρήσσητε, πανώλεθρον κακὸν ἐς τὴν χώρην ἐμβάλωσι. §6.85.3ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες οἱ Αἰγινῆται ἔσχοντο τῆς ἀγωγῆς, ὁμολογίῃ δὲ ἐχρήσαντο τοιῇδε, ἐπισπόμενον Λευτυχίδεα ἐς Ἀθήνας ἀποδοῦναι Αἰγινήτῃσι τοὺς ἄνδρας.
Even if the Spartans have now, under the influence of anger, so decided, see to it that they do not hereafter, if you do this, bring a ruinous disaster upon your land." Having heard this, the Aeginetans refrained from leading him away, and made the following agreement: that Leotychides should accompany them to Athens and restore the men to the Aeginetans.

Notes

  1. §6.85.1καταβωσομένους — Future participle masculine accusative plural, expressing purpose ("to cry out against Leotychides"). The verb καταβοάω typically takes a genitive of the person cried out against (here Λευτυχίδεω).
  2. §6.85.2ὅκως ... μή ... ἐμβάλωσι — A clause with the Ionic form ὅκως (equivalent to Attic ὅπως) and the subjunctive ἐμβάλωσι used independently to express a warning or precaution ("see to it that they do not..."). It is typically understood as an ellipsis of an imperative like ὅρα or ὁρᾶτε.
  3. §6.85.3ἐπισπόμενον Λευτυχίδεα ... ἀποδοῦναι — An infinitive clause in apposition explaining the content of the agreement (ὁμολογίῃ). The aorist participle ἐπισπόμενον agrees with the subject accusative of the infinitive, Λευτυχίδεα, meaning "that Leotychides, having accompanied them, should restore (the men)."

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §6.85.1-6.85.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.85.1-6.85.3

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