Humanitext Reader

Herodotus · Histories §7.230.1

Alternative Account of Aristodemus as Messenger

Passage 1293 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Introduces an alternative account of Aristodemus's survival, according to which he was sent as a messenger and intentionally delayed on the road to survive, while his fellow messenger died in the battle.

§7.230.1οἳ μέν νυν οὕτω σωθῆναι λέγουσι Ἀριστόδημον ἐς Σπάρτην καὶ διὰ πρόφασιν τοιήνδε, οἳ δὲ ἄγγελον πεμφθέντα ἐκ τοῦ στρατοπέδου, ἐξεὸν αὐτῷ καταλαβεῖν τὴν μάχην γινομένην οὐκ ἐθελῆσαι, ἀλλʼ ὑπομείναντα ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ περιγενέσθαι, τὸν δὲ συνάγγελον αὐτοῦ ἀπικόμενον ἐς τὴν μάχην ἀποθανεῖν.
Some, then, say that Aristodemus was saved and returned to Sparta in this manner and for such a reason; but others say that he had been sent as a messenger from the camp, and although it was open to him to have caught up with the battle that was taking place, he did not wish to do so, but by lingering on the road survived, whereas his fellow messenger reached the battle and was slain.

Notes

  1. §7.230.1οἳ μέν ... οἳ δέ — An archaic use of the relative (or demonstrative) pronoun in the plural nominative with μέν ... δέ, meaning "some... others..." serving as the subject of the main verb λέγουσι.
  2. §7.230.1ἐξεὸν αὐτῷ — An accusative absolute construction using the neuter accusative singular of the present participle of the impersonal verb ἔξεστι ("it is allowed/possible"), expressing concession: "although it was possible for him."
  3. §7.230.1καταλαβεῖν τὴν μάχην γινομένην — The infinitive καταλαβεῖν functions as the subject of the impersonal participle ἐξεὸν ("to catch up with"). γινομένην is a present participle modifying τὴν μάχην, meaning "the battle that was taking place."
  4. §7.230.1ὑπομείναντα — Aorist participle in the masculine accusative singular, agreeing with the implied subject of the infinitive (Aristodemus) under λέγουσι. It means "having lingered" or "having delayed."

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §7.230.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.230.1

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.