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Herodotus · Histories §7.192.1-7.192.2

The Greeks' Prayers to Poseidon and Return to Artemisium

Passage 1255 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

On the fourth day, the storm ceases, and lookouts from Euboea report the devastating damage to the Persian fleet to the Greeks. Hearing this, the Greeks pray to Poseidon and quickly return to Artemisium.

§7.192.1ὃ μὲν δὴ τετάρτῃ ἡμέρῃ ἐπέπαυτο·
Thus on the fourth day the wind ceased.
τοῖσι δὲ Ἕλλησι οἱ ἡμεροσκόποι ἀπὸ τῶν ἄκρων τῶν Εὐβοϊκῶν καταδραμόντες δευτέρῃ ἡμέρῃ ἀπʼ ἧς ὁ χειμὼν ὁ πρῶτος ἐγένετο, ἐσήμαινον πάντα τὰ γενόμενα περὶ τὴν ναυηγίην.
Meanwhile, the lookouts, running down from the heights of Euboea on the second day after the storm first began, reported to the Greeks all that had happened regarding the shipwreck.
§7.192.2οἳ δὲ ὡς ἐπύθοντο, Ποσειδέωνι σωτῆρι εὐξάμενοι καὶ σπονδὰς προχέαντες τὴν ταχίστην ὀπίσω ἠπείγοντο ἐπὶ τὸ Ἀρτεμίσιον, ἐλπίσαντες ὀλίγας τινάς σφι ἀντιξόους ἔσεσθαι νέας.
Upon hearing this, they prayed to Poseidon the Savior and poured libations, and then hastened back with all speed to Artemisium, hoping that only a few opposing ships would be left to face them.

Notes

  1. §7.192.1ὃ — A demonstrative pronoun, either neuter or masculine singular. Based on the context of the preceding chapter (§7.191.2), it refers back to the wind (ὁ ἄνεμος) or the storm (τὸ χεῖμα).
  2. §7.192.1ἀπʼ ἧς — The relative pronoun ἧς is in the genitive case (governed by the preposition ἀπό) agreeing with the implied noun ἡμέρας from the preceding δευτέρῃ ἡμέρῃ. It is a contracted expression for ἀφ' ἧς ἡμέρας, meaning 'on the second day from [the day] on which...'
  3. §7.192.2οἳ δὲ — The relative pronoun used as a demonstrative pronoun. It is nominative plural masculine, referring to the Greeks (οἱ Ἕλληνες). Combined with δέ, it indicates a change of subject.
  4. §7.192.2τὴν ταχίστην — An accusative expression used adverbially, with the noun ὁδόν (way, manner) omitted. Idiomatically meaning 'with all speed' or 'as quickly as possible' (literally, 'by the quickest way').
  5. §7.192.2ὀλίγας τινάς σφι ἀντιξόους ἔσεσθαι νέας — An accusative with infinitive construction introduced by the participle ἐλπίσαντες. The subject accusative of the infinitive ἔσεσθαι is ὀλίγας τινὰς νέας, and σφι (to them) is a dative of disadvantage or interest. This translates to 'hoping that only a few ships would be opposed to them'.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §7.192.1-7.192.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.192.1-7.192.2

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