Humanitext Reader

Herodotus · Histories §9.14.1

Mardonius Advances to Megara and Ravages It

Passage 1469 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

On his way, Mardonius received news that a Lacedaemonian vanguard had arrived at Megara, and he turned his army back to Megara, hoping to defeat them first. His cavalry overran the Megarian territory, marking the furthest western point the Persian army reached in Europe during this expedition.

§9.14.1Μαρδόνιος μὲν δὴ ὑπεξεχώρεε, ἤδη δὲ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐόντι αὐτῷ ἦλθε ἀγγελίη πρόδρομον ἄλλην στρατιὴν ἥκειν ἐς Μέγαρα, Λακεδαιμονίων χιλίους·
Thus Mardonius was withdrawing, and while he was already on his way, news came to him that another army, a vanguard of a thousand Lacedaemonians, had arrived at Megara.
πυθόμενος δὲ ταῦτα ἐβουλεύετο θέλων εἴ κως τούτους πρῶτον ἕλοι.
Learning this, he took counsel, wishing if by any means he might first capture them.
ὑποστρέψας δὲ τὴν στρατιὴν ἦγε ἐπὶ τὰ Μέγαρα·
Turning his army back, he led it toward Megara.
ἡ δὲ ἵππος προελθοῦσα κατιππάσατο χώρην τὴν Μεγαρίδα.
And the cavalry, having gone ahead, overran the Megarian territory.
ἐς ταύτην δὴ ἑκαστάτω τῆς Εὐρώπης τὸ πρὸς ἡλίου δύνοντος ἡ Περσικὴ αὕτη στρατιὴ ἀπίκετο.
Indeed, this was the furthest point in Europe toward the setting sun that this Persian army reached.

Notes

  1. 9.14.1ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐόντι αὐτῷ — The dative `αὐτῷ` is the indirect object of the verb `ἦλθε`. The present participle `ἐόντι` agrees with it in gender, number, and case, referring to the same person as the initial `Μαρδόνιος`.
  2. 9.14.1ἀγγελίη πρόδρομον ἄλλην στρατιὴν ἥκειν — An accusative-with-infinitival clause explaining the content of the noun `ἀγγελίη`. The subject of the infinitive `ἥκειν` is the accusative `ἄλλην στρατιὴν`, which is modified by the adjective `πρόδρομον` meaning 'vanguard' or 'precursor'.
  3. 9.14.1εἴ κως τούτους πρῶτον ἕλοι — An indirect question or a clause of purpose/expectation introduced by the historical tense verb `ἐβουλεύετο`. The optative `ἕλοι` (aorist active of `αἱρέω`) is used to express Mardonius's subjective intention or hope: 'whether by any means he might first capture them'.
  4. 9.14.1ἑκαστάτω τῆς Εὐρώπης τὸ πρὸς ἡλίου δύνοντος — The superlative adverb `ἑκαστάτω` (furthest) governs the partitive genitive `τῆς Εὐρώπης`. The phrase `τὸ πρὸς ἡλίου δύνοντος` (toward the setting of the sun, i.e., the west) is an accusative of direction or specification, collectively meaning 'the furthest point in Europe toward the west'.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §9.14.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.14.1

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.