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Herodotus · Histories §8.122.1

Delphic Demand and the Aeginetan Dedication

Passage 1430 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The oracle at Delphi demanded from the Aeginetans their prize of valor for the battle of Salamis, which prompted them to dedicate golden stars on a bronze mast.

§8.122.1πέμψαντες δὲ ἀκροθίνια οἱ Ἕλληνες ἐς Δελφοὺς ἐπειρώτων τὸν θεὸν κοινῇ εἰ λελάβηκε πλήρεα καὶ ἀρεστὰ τὰ ἀκροθίνια.
After sending the first-fruits to Delphi, the Greeks asked the god in common whether he had received the first-fruits as complete and acceptable.
ὁ δὲ παρʼ Ἑλλήνων μὲν τῶν ἄλλων ἔφησε ἔχειν, παρὰ Αἰγινητέων δὲ οὔ, ἀλλὰ ἀπαίτεε αὐτοὺς τὰ ἀριστήια τῆς ἐν Σαλαμῖνι ναυμαχίης.
He replied that he had received them from the other Greeks, but not from the Aeginetans; rather, he demanded from them the prize of valor for the sea-battle of Salamis.
Αἰγινῆται δὲ πυθόμενοι ἀνέθεσαν ἀστέρας χρυσέους, οἳ ἐπὶ ἱστοῦ χαλκέου ἑστᾶσι τρεῖς ἐπὶ τῆς γωνίης, ἀγχοτάτω τοῦ Κροίσου κρητῆρος.
When the Aeginetans heard of this, they dedicated golden stars, three of which stand on a bronze mast in the corner, closest to the mixing-bowl of Croesus.

Notes

  1. §8.122.1λελάβηκε πλήρεα καὶ ἀρεστὰ τὰ ἀκροθίνια — Meaning "whether he had received the first-fruits as complete and acceptable." `λελάβηκε` is the Ionic perfect active third-person singular of `λαμβάνω` (equivalent to Attic `εἴληφε`). `πλήρεα καὶ ἀρεστὰ` (complete and acceptable) are predicate adjectives qualifying the object `τὰ ἀκροθίνια`.
  2. §8.122.1ἀπαίτεε αὐτοὺς τὰ ἀριστήια — A double accusative construction with the verb `ἀπαιτέω` (to demand), taking both the person from whom something is demanded (`αὐτούς`, "them") and the thing demanded (`τὰ ἀριστήια`, "the prize of valor"). `ἀπαίτεε` is the uncontracted third-person singular imperfect.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §8.122.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.122.1

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