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Herodotus · Histories §7.74.1-7.74.2

Equipment and Commander of the Lydians and Mysians

Passage 1137 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The equipment and name origins of the Lydians and Mysians are described, along with their commander, Artaphrenes.

§7.74.1Λυδοὶ δὲ ἀγχοτάτω τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν εἶχον ὅπλα.
The Lydians had arms very close to the Greek arms.
οἱ δὲ Λυδοὶ Μηίονες ἐκαλεῦντο τὸ πάλαι, ἐπὶ δὲ Λυδοῦ τοῦ Ἄτους ἔσχον τὴν ἐπωνυμίην, μεταβαλόντες τὸ οὔνομα.
The Lydians were called Meiones of old, but they obtained their surname after Lydus the son of Atys, changing their name.
Μυσοὶ δὲ ἐπὶ μὲν τῇσι κεφαλῇσι εἶχον κράνεα ἐπιχώρια, ἀσπίδας δὲ μικράς, ἀκοντίοισι δὲ ἐχρέωντο ἐπικαύτοισι.
The Mysians had on their heads local helmets, and small shields, and they used javelins hardened in the fire.
§7.74.2οὗτοι δὲ εἰσὶ Λυδῶν ἄποικοι, ἀπʼ Ὀλύμπου δὲ ὄρεος καλέονται Ὀλυμπιηνοί.
These are colonists of the Lydians, and after Mount Olympus they are called Olympieni.
Λυδῶν δὲ καὶ Μυσῶν ἦρχε Ἀρταφρένης ὁ Ἀρταφρένεος ὃς ἐς Μαραθῶνα ἐσέβαλε ἅμα Δάτι.
In command of the Lydians and Mysians was Artaphrenes the son of Artaphrenes, who had invaded Marathon together with Datis.

Notes

  1. 7.74.1τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν — Meaning "of the Greek (arms)." The noun for comparison, ὅπλων, is omitted after the preceding ὅπλα, leaving the genitive in a substantivized form. It is interpreted as "arms very close to those of the Greeks."
  2. 7.74.1ἐπὶ δὲ Λυδοῦ τοῦ Ἄτους — The preposition ἐπί with the genitive case, here expressing the origin or basis of a name, meaning "after Lydus the son of Atys" or "named after."
  3. 7.74.1ἐπικαύτοισι — Meaning "burnt at the end" or "hardened in the fire." It refers to wooden javelins whose tips were hardened by fire instead of using metal points.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §7.74.1-7.74.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.74.1-7.74.2

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