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Herodotus · Histories §7.71.1

Equipment of Libyans and Commander Massages

Passage 1134 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

This section describes the equipment of the Libyans, consisting of leather gear and fire-hardened javelins, and names Massages as their commander.

§7.71.1Λίβυες δὲ σκευὴν μὲν σκυτίνην ἤισαν ἔχοντες, ἀκοντίοισι δὲ ἐπικαύτοισι χρεώμενοι, ἄρχοντα δὲ παρείχοντο Μασσάγην τὸν Ὀαρίζου.
The Libyans marched wearing leather equipment, using javelins with fire-hardened tips, and they had as their commander Massages the son of Oarizus.

Notes

  1. §7.71.1ἤισαν — The third-person plural imperfect (or pluperfect) of `εἶμι` (to go). In historical prose, it is frequently used in the military sense of 'marched' or 'went to war.' Here, combined with the nominative participle `ἔχοντες`, it describes their marching in a specific equipment.
  2. §7.71.1ἄρχοντα δὲ παρείχοντο Μασσάγην τὸν Ὀαρίζου — `παρείχοντο` is the imperfect middle third-person plural of `παρέχω` (to provide, present). The middle voice denotes that they provided or had a leader for themselves ('held/had as their commander'). `ἄρχοντα` (accusative) functions as a predicate accusative to the direct object `Μασσάγην`, meaning 'they had Massages as their commander.'

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §7.71.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.71.1

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