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Herodotus · Histories §7.5.1-7.5.3

Mardonius Persuades Xerxes to Invade Greece

Passage 1050 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Following the death of Darius, Xerxes inherits the throne and plans an Egyptian campaign, but his influential general Mardonius repeatedly urges him to invade Athens, appealing to revenge and the beauty of Europe.

§7.5.1ἀποθανόντος δὲ Δαρείου ἡ βασιληίη ἀνεχώρησε ἐς τὸν παῖδα τὸν ἐκείνου Ξέρξην.
Upon the death of Darius, the kingship passed to his son, Xerxes.
ὁ τοίνυν Ξέρξης ἐπὶ μὲν τὴν Ἑλλάδα οὐδαμῶς πρόθυμος ἦν κατʼ ἀρχὰς στρατεύεσθαι, ἐπὶ δὲ Αἴγυπτον ἐποιέετο στρατιῆς ἄγερσιν.
Now Xerxes was at first by no means eager to march against Greece, but was gathering an army against Egypt.
παρεὼν δὲ καὶ δυνάμενος παρʼ αὐτῷ μέγιστον Περσέων Μαρδόνιος ὁ Γοβρύεω, ὃς ἦν Ξέρξῃ μὲν ἀνεψιὸς Δαρείου δὲ ἀδελφεῆς παῖς, τοιούτου λόγου εἴχετο, λέγων §7.5.2δέσποτα, οὐκ οἰκός ἐστι Ἀθηναίους ἐργασαμένους πολλὰ δὴ κακὰ Πέρσας μὴ οὐ δοῦναι δίκην τῶν ἐποίησαν.
However, Mardonius son of Gobryas, who was present and had the greatest influence with him among the Persians (being a cousin to Xerxes and a nephew of Darius, as the son of his sister), clung to the following argument, saying: "Master, it is not right that the Athenians, having done many evils to the Persians, should not pay the penalty for what they did.
ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ μὲν νῦν ταῦτα πρήσσοις τά περ ἐν χερσὶ ἔχεις· ἡμερώσας δὲ Αἴγυπτον τὴν ἐξυβρίσασαν στρατηλάτεε ἐπὶ τὰς Ἀθήνας, ἵνα λόγος τέ σε ἔχῃ πρὸς ἀνθρώπων ἀγαθός, καί τις ὕστερον φυλάσσηται ἐπὶ γῆν τὴν σὴν στρατεύεσθαι. §7.5.3οὗτος μέν οἱ ὁ λόγος ἦν τιμωρός· τοῦδε δὲ τοῦ λόγου παρενθήκην ποιεέσκετο τήνδε, ὡς ἡ Εὐρώπη περικαλλὴς εἴη χώρη, καὶ δένδρεα παντοῖα φέρει τὰ ἥμερα, ἀρετήν τε ἄκρη, βασιλέι τε μούνῳ θνητῶν ἀξίη ἐκτῆσθαι.
But for the present, may you carry out what you have in hand; and when you have subdued Egypt, which has behaved with insolence, lead your army against Athens, so that you may have a good reputation among men, and that in future everyone may beware of marching against your land." This was his argument for revenge; but he used to make the following addition to it, namely, that Europe was an exceedingly beautiful land, bearing all kinds of cultivated trees, and of the highest excellence, worthy to be possessed by the king alone among mortal men.

Notes

  1. §7.5.1τοιούτου λόγου εἴχετο — The imperfect verb εἴχετο (from ἔχομαι in the middle voice) literally means "clung to" or "held fast to." Its continuous aspect emphasizes Mardonius's persistent and repeated efforts to persuade the king.
  2. §7.5.2μὴ οὐ δοῦναι δίκην — The double negative μὴ οὐ is used before the infinitive δοῦναι because it depends on the preceding negative expression οὐκ οἰκός ("it is not right"). It creates a strong affirmative meaning: "it is not right that they should *not* pay the penalty" (i.e., they must pay).
  3. §7.5.2εἰ τὸ μὲν νῦν ταῦτα πρήσσοις — The conjunction εἰ followed by the optative πρήσσοις without ἄν expresses a tentative wish or a mild, polite command addressed to the sovereign ("if only you would do...").
  4. §7.5.3ἀρετήν τε ἄκρη — The noun ἀρετή ("excellence," here referring to the fertility of the soil) combined with the adjective ἄκρος ("highest") is in the accusative of respect (ἀρετήν), meaning "at the very peak in terms of excellence."

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §7.5.1-7.5.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.5.1-7.5.3

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