Humanitext Reader

Herodotus · Histories §8.121.1-8.121.2

Greek Return to Salamis and Offerings to the Gods

Passage 1429 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Describes how the Greeks, failing to capture Andros, retreated to Salamis, dedicated three triremes to the gods, and sent first-fruits to Delphi to construct a colossal statue.

§8.121.1οἱ δὲ Ἕλληνες ἐπείτε οὐκ οἷοί τε ἐγίνοντο ἐξελεῖν τὴν Ἄνδρον, τραπόμενοι ἐς Κάρυστον καὶ δηιώσαντες αὐτῶν τὴν χώρην ἀπαλλάσσοντο ἐς Σαλαμῖνα.
But when the Greeks were unable to capture Andros, they turned toward Carystus, and after devastating their territory, they departed for Salamis.
πρῶτα μέν νυν τοῖσι θεοῖσι ἐξεῖλον ἀκροθίνια ἄλλα τε καὶ τριήρεας τρεῖς Φοινίσσας, τὴν μὲν ἐς Ἰσθμὸν ἀναθεῖναι, ἥ περ ἔτι καὶ ἐς ἐμὲ ἦν, τὴν δὲ ἐπὶ Σούνιον, τὴν δὲ τῷ Αἴαντι αὐτοῦ ἐς Σαλαμῖνα.
First of all, they set aside for the gods, along with other first-fruits, three Phoenician triremes: one to be dedicated at the Isthmus, which was still there even up to my own time; another at Sunium; and the third for Ajax there at Salamis.
§8.121.2μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο διεδάσαντο τὴν ληίην καὶ τὰ ἀκροθίνια ἀπέπεμψαν ἐς Δελφούς, ἐκ τῶν ἐγένετο ἀνδριὰς ἔχων ἐν τῇ χειρὶ ἀκρωτήριον νεός, ἐὼν μέγαθος δυώδεκα πηχέων·
After this, they divided the booty and sent the first-fruits to Delphi, from which was made a statue twelve cubits high, holding the beak of a ship in its hand.
ἕστηκε δὲ οὗτος τῇ περ ὁ Μακεδὼν Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ χρύσεος.
This statue stands in the very place where the golden statue of Alexander the Macedonian stands.

Notes

  1. 8.121.1ἀναθεῖναι — Infinitive of purpose, indicating the aim of the main verb `ἐξεῖλον` (set aside) to dedicate the ship. The subsequent phrases (`τὴν δὲ...`) are understood with a similar purpose implied.
  2. 8.121.2ἐὼν μέγαθος — `ἐὼν` is the nominative present participle. `μέγαθος` is an accusative of respect (specification), meaning 'in size' or 'in stature,' describing the dimensions of the statue.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §8.121.1-8.121.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.121.1-8.121.2

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.