Humanitext Reader

Herodotus · Histories §7.55.1-7.55.3

The Persian Army Begins Crossing the Hellespont

Passage 1118 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The Persian army begins crossing the Hellespont using both bridges. Various divisions, the sacred chariot, and Xerxes himself cross over two days, while the fleet also sets sail.

§7.55.1ὡς δὲ ταῦτά οἱ ἐπεποίητο, διέβαινον κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἑτέρην τῶν γεφυρέων τὴν πρὸς τοῦ Πόντου ὁ πεζός τε καὶ ἡ ἵππος ἅπασα, κατὰ δὲ τὴν πρὸς τὸ Αἰγαῖον τὰ ὑποζύγια καὶ ἡ θεραπηίη.
When these things had been prepared for him, they began to cross; on the one of the bridges that was toward the Pontus crossed both the infantry and all the cavalry, and on the one toward the Aegean the baggage animals and the attendants.
§7.55.2ἡγέοντο δὲ πρῶτα μὲν οἱ μύριοι Πέρσαι, ἐστεφανωμένοι πάντες, μετὰ δὲ τούτους ὁ σύμμικτος στρατὸς παντοίων ἐθνέων.
First led the ten thousand Persians, all wearing wreaths, and after them the mixed army of all kinds of nations.
ταύτην μὲν τὴν ἡμέρην οὗτοι, τῇ δὲ ὑστεραίῃ πρῶτοι μὲν οἵ τε ἱππόται καὶ οἱ τὰς λόγχας κάτω τρέποντες· ἐστεφάνωντο δὲ καὶ οὗτοι.
On this day these crossed, and on the next day first both the horsemen and those who turned their spears downwards; and these also wore wreaths.
§7.55.3μετὰ δὲ οἵ τε ἵπποι οἱ ἱροὶ καὶ τὸ ἅρμα τὸ ἱρόν, ἐπὶ δὲ αὐτός τε Ξέρξης καὶ οἱ αἰχμοφόροι καὶ οἱ ἱππόται οἱ χίλιοι, ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοισι ὁ ἄλλος στρατός.
After them came the sacred horses and the sacred chariot, and next Xerxes himself and the spear-bearers and the thousand horsemen, and after these the rest of the army.
καὶ αἱ νέες ἅμα ἀνήγοντο ἐς τὴν ἀπεναντίον.
At the same time the ships also put out to the opposite shore.
ἤδη δὲ ἤκουσα καὶ ὕστατον διαβῆναι βασιλέα πάντων.
But I have already heard another account that the king crossed last of all.

Notes

  1. §7.55.1ταῦτά οἱ ἐπεποίητο — The neuter plural subject ταῦτα takes the singular verb ἐπεποίητο (pluperfect passive 3rd person singular of ποιέω). The pronoun οἱ functions as a dative of agent.
  2. §7.55.2ταύτην μὲν τὴν ἡμέρην οὗτοι — The verb διέβαινον (were crossing) is omitted from the preceding context. The structure uses the contrastive μέν ... δέ to mean 'on this day these [crossed], but on the next day...'.
  3. §7.55.3διαβῆναι βασιλέα — An accusative with infinitive construction (indirect discourse) functioning as the object of the verb ἤκουσα (I heard). The subject of the infinitive is the accusative βασιλέα, accompanied by the adverbial adjective ὕστατον (last).

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §7.55.1-7.55.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.55.1-7.55.3

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