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Herodotus · Histories §8.64.1-8.64.2

The Earthquake and Summoning of the Aeacidae

Passage 1369 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

As the Greek forces at Salamis prepare for battle following Eurybiades' decision, an earthquake occurs at sunrise. They pray to the gods and summon Ajax, Telamon, and the other Aeacidae from Aegina as allies.

§8.64.1οὕτω μὲν οἱ περὶ Σαλαμῖνα ἔπεσι ἀκροβολισάμενοι, ἐπείτε Εὐρυβιάδῃ ἔδοξε, αὐτοῦ παρεσκευάζοντο ὡς ναυμαχήσοντες.
Thus, having skirmished with words, those around Salamis, since Eurybiades had so resolved, prepared themselves on the spot to fight a sea battle.
ἡμέρη τε ἐγίνετο καὶ ἅμα τῷ ἡλίῳ ἀνιόντι σεισμὸς ἐγένετο ἔν τε τῇ γῇ καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ.
Day was breaking, and at the same time as the sun was rising, an earthquake occurred both on land and in the sea.
§8.64.2ἔδοξε δέ σφι εὔξασθαι τοῖσι θεοῖσι καὶ ἐπικαλέσασθαι τοὺς Αἰακίδας συμμάχους.
And it seemed good to them to pray to the gods and to call upon the Aeacidae as allies.
ὡς δέ σφι ἔδοξε, καὶ ἐποίευν ταῦτα· εὐξάμενοι γὰρ πᾶσι τοῖσι θεοῖσι, αὐτόθεν μὲν ἐκ Σαλαμῖνος Αἴαντά τε καὶ Τελαμῶνα ἐπεκαλέοντο, ἐπὶ δὲ Αἰακὸν καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους Αἰακίδας νέα ἀπέστελλον ἐς Αἴγιναν.
And as they had resolved, so they did; for having prayed to all the gods, they called upon Ajax and Telamon from Salamis itself, and they dispatched a ship to Aegina to fetch Aeacus and the other Aeacidae.

Notes

  1. 8.64.1ἔπεσι ἀκροβολισάμενοι — The verb ἀκροβολίζομαι originally refers to light-armed troops "skirmishing" or "exchanging preliminary missiles" from a distance. Here, used metaphorically with ἔπεσι ("words"), it describes the intense verbal debate and exchange of arguments preceding the actual conflict.
  2. 8.64.1ὡς ναυμαχήσοντες — The conjunction ὡς combined with the future participle ναυμαχήσοντες expresses the subjective intention or purpose of the agents ("intending to fight a sea battle" or "in order to fight").
  3. 8.64.2ἐπὶ δὲ Αἰακὸν καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους Αἰακίδας — The preposition ἐπί with the accusative indicates the purpose of fetching or summoning someone ("to fetch Aeacus and the other Aeacidae"). It implies that a ship was dispatched to bring back their sacred images or divine presence.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §8.64.1-8.64.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.64.1-8.64.2

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