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Herodotus · Histories §8.33.1

Destruction of Cities along the Cephisus and the Burning of Abae

Passage 1335 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Describes the Persian army marching along the Cephisus river, burning down many Phocian cities including the temple of Apollo at Abae, and pursuing the inhabitants and violating the women.

§8.33.1πορευόμενοι γὰρ ταύτῃ παρὰ τὸν Κηφισὸν ποταμὸν ἐδηίουν πάντα, καὶ κατὰ μὲν ἔκαυσαν Δρυμὸν πόλιν κατὰ δὲ Χαράδραν καὶ Ἔρωχον καὶ Τεθρώνιον καὶ Ἀμφίκαιαν καὶ Νέωνα καὶ Πεδιέας καὶ Τριτέας καὶ Ἐλάτειαν καὶ Ὑάμπολιν καὶ Παραποταμίους καὶ Ἄβας, ἔνθα ἦν ἱρὸν Ἀπόλλωνος πλούσιον, θησαυροῖσί τε καὶ ἀναθήμασι πολλοῖσι κατεσκευασμένον· ἦν δὲ καὶ τότε καὶ νῦν ἔτι χρηστήριον αὐτόθι.
For marching along this route by the Cephisus river they ravaged everything, and on the one hand they burnt down the city of Drymus, and on the other hand Charadra, Erochus, Tethronium, Amphicaea, Neon, Pedieis, Triteis, Elateia, Hyampolis, Parapotamioi, and Abae, where there was a wealthy temple of Apollo, adorned with many treasuries and dedications; there was a oracle there both then and still now.
καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἱρὸν συλήσαντες ἐνέπρησαν.
And after plundering this temple, they set it on fire.
καί τινας διώκοντες εἷλον τῶν Φωκέων πρὸς τοῖσι ὄρεσι, καὶ γυναῖκας τινὰς διέφθειραν μισγόμενοι ὑπὸ πλήθεος.
They also pursued and captured some of the Phocians near the mountains, and ruined some women by ravishing them in great numbers.

Notes

  1. 8.33.1κατὰ μὲν ἔκαυσαν ... κατὰ δὲ — An example of tmesis, where the prefix κατὰ- is separated from the verb ἔκαυσαν (from κατακαίω, 'to burn down'). In the subsequent clause starting with κατὰ δὲ, the verb is omitted by ellipsis, carrying over the action of burning down to the list of cities.
  2. 8.33.1μισγόμενοι ὑπὸ πλήθεος — The combination of the present middle/passive participle μισγόμενοι ('mingling with', here in a sexual sense) and ὑπὸ πλήθεος ('by a multitude' indicating the agent or manner) describes how the soldiers collectively violated the women in great numbers, leading to their ruin or death (διέφθειραν).

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §8.33.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.33.1

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