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Herodotus · Histories §7.160.1-7.160.2

Gelon's Compromise Proposing to Divide Command of Land and Sea

Passage 1223 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

In response to Syagros's rejection, Gelon remains calm and offers a modified compromise, proposing that they divide the command by taking charge of either the land army or the fleet.

§7.160.1πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Γέλων, ἐπειδὴ ὥρα ἀπεστραμμένους τοὺς λόγους τοῦ Συάγρου, τὸν τελευταῖόν σφι τόνδε ἐξέφαινε λόγον. ὦ ξεῖνε Σπαρτιῆτα, ὀνείδεα κατιόντα ἀνθρώπῳ φιλέει ἐπανάγειν τὸν θυμόν· σὺ μέντοι ἀποδεξάμενος ὑβρίσματα ἐν τῷ λόγῳ οὔ με πείσεις ἀσχήμονα ἐν τῇ ἀμοιβῇ γενέσθαι.
To this Gelon, seeing that the words of Syagros turned away, declared this last word to them: "Spartan guest, insults heaped upon a man tend to arouse his anger; you, however, although showing insolence in your speech, will not persuade me to become unseemly in my reply.
§7.160.2ὅκου δὲ ὑμεῖς οὕτω περιέχεσθε τῆς ἡγεμονίης, οἰκὸς καὶ ἐμὲ μᾶλλον ὑμέων περιέχεσθαι, στρατιῆς τε ἐόντα πολλαπλησίης ἡγεμόνα καὶ νεῶν πολλὸν πλεύνων.
Since you are so clinging to the leadership, it is reasonable that I should cling to it even more than you, being the leader of a many times larger army and of far more ships.
ἀλλʼ ἐπείτε ὑμῖν ὁ λόγος οὕτω προσάντης κατίσταται, ἡμεῖς τι ὑπείξομεν τοῦ ἀρχαίου λόγου· εἰ τοῦ μὲν πεζοῦ ὑμεῖς ἡγέοισθε, τοῦ δὲ ναυτικοῦ ἐγώ. εἰ δὲ ὑμῖν ἡδονὴ τοῦ κατὰ θάλασσαν ἡγεμονεύειν, τοῦ πεζοῦ ἐγὼ θέλω.
But since this proposal stands so steep to you, we will yield somewhat from our original proposal: if you should lead the land army, I will lead the fleet; but if it is your pleasure to command by sea, I am willing to take the land army.
καὶ ἢ τούτοισι ὑμέας χρεόν ἐστι ἀρέσκεσθαι ἢ ἀπιέναι συμμάχων τοιῶνδε ἐρήμους.
And it is necessary for you either to be satisfied with these terms or to depart destitute of such allies."

Notes

  1. §7.160.1ἀπεστραμμένους — Perfect passive participle of ἀποστρέφω (to turn away, reject). Here used attributively to mean 'averse,' 'hostile,' or 'rebellious,' indicating that Syagros' speech was entirely rejective of Gelon's proposal.
  2. §7.160.1ἀποδεξάμενος — In Herodotus' Ionic dialect, this participle often represents the first aorist middle participle of ἀποδείκνυμι (to display, exhibit), equivalent to Attic ἀποδειξάμενος, rather than from ἀποδέχομαι (to receive). Thus, 'having displayed insolence' fits the context better than 'having received.'
  3. §7.160.2οἰκὸς — The Ionic form of the Attic εἰκός (reasonable, natural). Used in an impersonal construction with an accusative and infinitive (ἐμὲ ... περιέχεσθαι), meaning 'it is reasonable/natural that I...'
  4. §7.160.2τοῦ κατὰ θάλασσαν ἡγεμονεύειν — Genitive of the articular infinitive. It functions either as a genitive of apposition explaining the noun ἡδονή (pleasure, desire) or as an objective genitive representing the object of the desire ('pleasure of commanding by sea').

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §7.160.1-7.160.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.160.1-7.160.2

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