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Herodotus · Histories §9.35.1-9.35.2

The Five Great Victories Won by Sparta with Tisamenus

Passage 1490 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The Spartans accepted Tisamenus' terms and granted him citizenship, and as a Spartan he helped them win five major battles, including Plataea.

§9.35.1ὣς δὲ καὶ Σπαρτιῆται, ἐδέοντο γὰρ δεινῶς τοῦ Τισαμενοῦ, πάντως συνεχώρεόν οἱ.
Thus the Spartans too, for they desperately needed Tisamenus, yielded to him in every way.
συγχωρησάντων δὲ καὶ ταῦτα τῶν Σπαρτιητέων, οὕτω δὴ πέντε σφι μαντευόμενος ἀγῶνας τοὺς μεγίστους Τισαμενὸς ὁ Ἠλεῖος, γενόμενος Σπαρτιήτης, συγκαταιρέει.
When the Spartans had agreed to these terms also, Tisamenus the Elean, having become a Spartan citizen, thus by his prophesying helped them win five of the greatest contests.
μοῦνοι δὲ δὴ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐγένοντο οὗτοι Σπαρτιήτῃσι πολιῆται.
These were the only men of all mankind who were made citizens by the Spartans.
§9.35.2οἱ δὲ πέντε ἀγῶνες οἵδε ἐγένοντο, εἷς μὲν καὶ πρῶτος οὗτος ὁ ἐν Πλαταιῇσι, ἐπὶ δὲ ὁ ἐν Τεγέῃ πρὸς Τεγεήτας τε καὶ Ἀργείους γενόμενος, μετὰ δὲ ὁ ἐν Διπαιεῦσι πρὸς Ἀρκάδας πάντας πλὴν Μαντινέων, ἐπὶ δὲ ὁ Μεσσηνίων ὁ πρὸς Ἰθώμῃ, ὕστατος δὲ ὁ ἐν Τανάγρῃ πρὸς Ἀθηναίους τε καὶ Ἀργείους γενόμενος· οὗτος δὲ ὕστατος κατεργάσθη τῶν πέντε ἀγώνων.
These five contests were as follows: one and first, this one at Plataea; next, the one at Tegea against the Tegeans and Argives; after that, the one at Dipaea against all the Arcadians except the Mantineans; next, the Messenian contest at Ithome; and last, the one at Tanagra against the Athenians and Argives; this was accomplished last of the five contests.

Notes

  1. 9.35.1συγκαταιρέει — The third-person singular present of the verb συγκαθαιρέω (to take down together, to conquer together). Here it means that Tisamenus 'helps to win' or 'conquers together with' the Spartans.
  2. 9.35.1οὗτοι — Nominative masculine plural of the demonstrative pronoun. It is plural because it refers to both Tisamenus and his brother, following his demand for citizenship for his brother as well in the previous chapter.
  3. 9.35.2ἀγῶνες — Plural of the noun ἀγών, which means 'contest' or 'struggle.' Here it refers to 'battles' rather than athletic contests, reflecting the oracle which foretold that Tisamenus would win 'five contests,' a prediction he initially misunderstood as referring to athletic ones.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §9.35.1-9.35.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.35.1-9.35.2

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