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Herodotus · Histories §9.102.1-9.102.4

Athenian Assault on the Persian Camp at Mycale

Passage 1557 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The Athenian-led left wing advances along a flat route and engages the Persians first, eventually breaking their shield wall and driving them into their stronghold, which the Greeks then capture. Meanwhile, the Lacedaemonians take a mountainous detour, and by the time they arrive, the battle is decided, with two Persian generals slain and two escaping.

§9.102.1τοῖσι μέν νυν Ἀθηναίοισι καὶ τοῖσι προσεχέσι τούτοισι τεταγμένοισι, μέχρι κου τῶν ἡμισέων, ἡ ὁδὸς ἐγίνετο κατʼ αἰγιαλόν τε καὶ ἄπεδον χῶρον, τοῖσι δὲ Λακεδαιμονίοισι καὶ τοῖσι ἐπεξῆς τούτοισι τεταγμένοισι κατά τε χαράδραν καὶ ὄρεα.
Now for the Athenians and those stationed next to them, up to about half of the army, their way lay along the shore and a flat place, but for the Lacedaemonians and those stationed next in order, it lay through a ravine and mountains.
ἐν ᾧ δὲ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι περιήισαν, οὗτοι οἱ ἐπὶ τῷ ἑτέρῳ κέρεϊ ἔτι καὶ δὴ ἐμάχοντο.
And while the Lacedaemonians were making their detour, those on the other wing were already actually fighting.
§9.102.2ἕως μέν νυν τοῖσι Πέρσῃσι ὀρθὰ ἦν τὰ γέρρα, ἠμύνοντό τε καὶ οὐδὲν ἔλασσον εἶχον τῇ μάχῃ· ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶν Ἀθηναίων καὶ τῶν προσεχέων ὁ στρατός, ὅκως ἑωυτῶν γένηται τὸ ἔργον καὶ μὴ Λακεδαιμονίων, παρακελευσάμενοι ἔργου εἴχοντο προθυμότερον, ἐνθεῦτεν ἤδη ἑτεροιοῦτο τὸ πρῆγμα.
Indeed, as long as the wicker shields of the Persians remained upright, they defended themselves and had no disadvantage in the battle; but when the army of the Athenians and those stationed next to them, encouraging one another so that the achievement might be theirs and not the Lacedaemonians', set themselves to the work more eagerly, from that moment the matter took a different turn.
§9.102.3διωσάμενοι γὰρ τὰ γέρρα οὗτοι φερόμενοι ἐσέπεσον ἁλέες ἐς τοὺς Πέρσας, οἳ δὲ δεξάμενοι καὶ χρόνον συχνὸν ἀμυνόμενοι τέλος ἔφευγον ἐς τὸ τεῖχος.
For having thrust aside the wicker shields, they rushed forward and fell in a body upon the Persians, who received them and defended themselves for a considerable time, but at last fled into the stronghold.
Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ καὶ Κορίνθιοι καὶ Σικυώνιοι καὶ Τροιζήνιοι (οὕτω γὰρ ἦσαν ἐπεξῆς τεταγμένοι) συνεπισπόμενοι συνεσέπιπτον ἐς τὸ τεῖχος.
And the Athenians, Corinthians, Sicyonians, and Troezenians (for they were stationed next in order in this way), following close behind, rushed into the stronghold together with them.
ὡς δὲ καὶ τὸ τεῖχος ἀραίρητο, οὔτʼ ἔτι πρὸς ἀλκὴν ἐτράποντο οἱ βάρβαροι πρὸς φυγήν τε ὁρμέατο οἱ ἄλλοι πλὴν Περσέων·
But when the stronghold also had been taken, the barbarians no longer turned to defense, and all the others except the Persians set themselves to flight.
§9.102.4οὗτοι δὲ κατʼ ὀλίγους γινόμενοι ἐμάχοντο τοῖσι αἰεὶ ἐς τὸ τεῖχος ἐσπίπτουσι Ἑλλήνων.
But these, forming into small groups, continued to fight against the Greeks who kept rushing into the stronghold.
καὶ τῶν στρατηγῶν τῶν Περσικῶν δύο μὲν ἀποφεύγουσι, δύο δὲ τελευτῶσι· Ἀρταΰντης μὲν καὶ Ἰθαμίτρης τοῦ ναυτικοῦ στρατηγέοντες ἀποφεύγουσι, Μαρδόντης δὲ καὶ ὁ τοῦ πεζοῦ στρατηγὸς Τιγράνης μαχόμενοι τελευτῶσι.
And of the Persian generals, two escaped and two perished; Artayntes and Ithamitres, who were generals of the fleet, escaped, while Mardontes and Tigranes, the general of the land army, perished fighting.

Notes

  1. §9.102.1μέχρι κου τῶν ἡμισέων — Meaning "up to about half." The genitive `τῶν ἡμισέων` refers to the fact that the Athenians and those stationed next to them (the left wing) constituted approximately half of the entire army. Although it could theoretically refer to "halfway along the road," the context of describing the disposition of the battle line makes the reference to the proportion of the forces more natural.
  2. §9.102.2ὅκως ἑωυτῶν γένηται τὸ ἔργον — A subjunctive clause of purpose introduced by `ὅκως` (= `ὅπως`). The genitive `ἑωυτῶν` is a possessive genitive, meaning "so that the achievement (or victory, `τὸ ἔργον`) might become theirs." The contrasted `Λακεδαιμονίων` is likewise a possessive genitive.
  3. §9.102.2ἔργου εἴχοντο — The middle voice `ἔχομαι` (of `ἔχω`) means "to cling to, set oneself to," and governs the genitive `ἔργου`. Here it means "they applied themselves to the work (i.e., the battle) more eagerly."

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §9.102.1-9.102.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.102.1-9.102.4

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