Herodotus · Histories §8.60C.1

Benefits of Victory and Divine Favor for Sound Plans

Passage 1365 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Themistocles explains the strategic benefits of a victory at Salamis, mentioning the favorable oracle, and emphasizes that success and divine favor generally follow reasonable planning.

§8.60C.1ἢν δέ γε καὶ τὰ ἐγὼ ἐλπίζω γένηται καὶ νικήσωμεν τῇσι νηυσί, οὔτε ὑμῖν ἐς τὸν Ἰσθμὸν παρέσονται οἱ βάρβαροι οὔτε προβήσονται ἑκαστέρω τῆς Ἀττικῆς, ἀπίασί τε οὐδενὶ κόσμῳ, Μεγάροισί τε κερδανέομεν περιεοῦσι καὶ Αἰγίνῃ καὶ Σαλαμῖνι, ἐν τῇ ἡμῖν καὶ λόγιον ἐστὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν κατύπερθε γενέσθαι.

But if indeed what I hope for comes to pass and we win with our ships, the barbarians will neither come to the Isthmus to face you nor advance any further than Attica, and they will retreat in utter disarray. We shall also gain Megara, which survives, as well as Aegina and Salamis, in which very place it is foretold by oracle that we shall get the better of our enemies.

οἰκότα μέν νυν βουλευομένοισι ἀνθρώποισι ὡς τὸ ἐπίπαν ἐθέλει γίνεσθαι· μὴ δὲ οἰκότα βουλευομένοισι οὐκ ἐθέλει οὐδὲ ὁ θεὸς προσχωρέειν πρὸς τὰς ἀνθρωπηίας γνώμας.

Now, for men who plan what is reasonable, reasonable results are generally wont to follow; but for those who do not plan what is reasonable, not even God is willing to accommodate himself to human designs.

Notes

8.60C.1ὑμῖν — Dative of reference or disadvantage with the verb `παρέσονται` ("to face you" or "to your disadvantage").
8.60C.1Μεγάροισί τε κερδανέομεν περιεοῦσι — `Μεγάροισι` is the Ionic dative plural of the neuter plural noun `τὰ Μέγαρα`, agreeing with the present participle `περιεοῦσι` (from `περίειμι`, "to survive"). The verb `κερδαίνω` here takes the dative, meaning "to gain from" or "to acquire (Megara which survives)."
8.60C.1ἐθέλει — When used with an inanimate subject and an infinitive, `ἐθέλω` expresses a natural tendency or habit ("to be wont to", "generally to happen").

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §8.60C.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.60C.1

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