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Herodotus · Histories §7.8D.1-7.8D.2

Xerxes' Summons for the Army and Call for Deliberation

Passage 1057 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Xerxes demands his subjects to assemble with enthusiasm when summoned, promising the finest rewards to the one who brings the best-prepared army. He also opens the expedition plan for public discussion to avoid appearing self-willed.

§7.8D.1ὑμεῖς δʼ ἄν μοι τάδε ποιέοντες χαρίζοισθε· ἐπεὰν ὑμῖν σημήνω τὸν χρόνον ἐς τὸν ἥκειν δεῖ, προθύμως πάντα τινὰ ὑμέων χρήσει παρεῖναι. ὃς ἂν δὲ ἔχων ἥκῃ παρεσκευασμένον στρατὸν κάλλιστα, δώσω οἱ δῶρα τὰ τιμιώτατα νομίζεται εἶναι ἐν ἡμετέρου.
And you would please me by doing these things: when I indicate to you the time at which it is necessary to arrive, every single one of you must be present with enthusiasm. To whoever comes having a force prepared in the finest manner, I will give him the gifts which are considered the most honorable among us. And you would please me by doing these things: when I indicate to you the time at which it is necessary to arrive, every single one of you must be present with enthusiasm. To whoever comes having a force prepared in the finest manner, I will give him the gifts which are considered the most honorable among us.
§7.8D.2ποιητέα μέν νυν ταῦτα ἐστὶ οὕτω· ἵνα δὲ μὴ ἰδιοβουλεύειν ὑμῖν δοκέω, τίθημι τὸ πρῆγμα ἐς μέσον, γνώμην κελεύων ὑμέων τὸν βουλόμενον ἀποφαίνεσθαι. ταῦτα εἴπας ἐπαύετο.
Now these things must be done in this way; but lest I seem to you to follow my own counsel, I lay the matter before you in common, bidding whoever of you wishes to declare his opinion. Having said these things, he ceased. Now these things must be done in this way; but lest I seem to you to follow my own counsel, I lay the matter before you in common, bidding whoever of you wishes to declare his opinion. Having said these things, he ceased.

Notes

  1. 7.8D.1ἄν ... χαρίζοισθε — Potential optative with ἄν. The present participle ποιέοντες functions as the protasis of a conditional clause ('if you do these things').
  2. 7.8D.1χρήσει — Used as the future tense of the impersonal verb χρή (it will be necessary) in the Ionic dialect, taking the accusative subject πάντα τινά and the infinitive παρεῖναι.
  3. 7.8D.1ἐν ἡμετέρου — An elliptical expression with the genitive ἡμετέρου depending on an omitted noun (such as δώμασιν or οἴκῳ), meaning 'at our court' or 'among our people'.
  4. 7.8D.2ἐς μέσον — Idiomatic expression meaning 'into the middle,' i.e., 'in public' or 'for common consultation.' Combined with τίθημι, it means 'to submit for public discussion.'

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §7.8D.1-7.8D.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.8D.1-7.8D.2

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