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Herodotus · Histories §9.46.1-9.46.3

Pausanias's Proposal to Swap Wings with the Athenians

Passage 1501 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Upon hearing of the Persian attack plan from the Athenian generals, Pausanias proposes swapping the positions of the Athenians and Spartans due to their differing experience with the enemy, a suggestion which the Athenians gladly accept.

§9.46.1οἱ δὲ στρατηγοὶ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ τὸ δεξιὸν κέρας ἔλεγον Παυσανίῃ τά περ ἤκουσαν Ἀλεξάνδρου.
The generals of the Athenians, having gone to the right wing, told Pausanias exactly what they had heard from Alexander.
ὁ δὲ τούτῳ τῷ λόγῳ καταρρωδήσας τοὺς Πέρσας ἔλεγε τάδε. §9.46.2ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἐς ἠῶ ἡ συμβολὴ γίνεται, ὑμέας μὲν χρεόν ἐστι τοὺς Ἀθηναίους στῆναι κατὰ τοὺς Πέρσας, ἡμέας δὲ κατὰ τοὺς Βοιωτούς τε καὶ τοὺς κατʼ ὑμέας τεταγμένους Ἑλλήνων, τῶνδε εἵνεκα·
And he, having been struck with fear of the Persians by this message, spoke as follows: "Since, then, the battle will take place at dawn, it is proper for you Athenians to stand opposite the Persians, and for us to stand opposite the Boeotians and those of the Greeks who are stationed opposite you, for the following reason.
ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε τοὺς Μήδους καὶ τὴν μάχην αὐτῶν ἐν Μαραθῶνι μαχεσάμενοι, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄπειροί τε εἰμὲν καὶ ἀδαέες τούτων τῶν ἀνδρῶν· Σπαρτιητέων γὰρ οὐδεὶς πεπείρηται Μήδων·
You know the Medes and their manner of fighting, having fought at Marathon, whereas we are inexperienced in and ignorant of these men; for no one of the Spartans has made trial of the Medes.
ἡμεῖς δὲ Βοιωτῶν καὶ Θεσσαλῶν ἔμπειροι εἰμέν.
But we are experienced in dealing with the Boeotians and Thessalians.
§9.46.3ἀλλʼ ἀναλαβόντας τὰ ὅπλα χρεόν ἐστι ἰέναι ὑμέας ἐς τόδε τὸ κέρας, ἡμέας δὲ ἐς τὸ εὐώνυμον. πρὸς δὲ ταῦτα εἶπαν οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι τάδε. καὶ αὐτοῖσι ἡμῖν πάλαι ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, ἐπείτε εἴδομεν κατʼ ὑμέας τασσομένους τοὺς Πέρσας, ἐν νόῳ ἐγένετο εἰπεῖν ταῦτα τά περ ὑμεῖς φθάντες προφέρετε· ἀλλὰ ἀρρωδέομεν μὴ ὑμῖν οὐκ ἡδέες γένωνται οἱ λόγοι.
Therefore, taking up your arms, you must go to this wing, and we to the left." To this the Athenians replied as follows: "To us ourselves also, long ago from the very beginning, when we saw the Persians being stationed opposite you, it occurred to our mind to say the very things which you have anticipated us in proposing; but we were afraid lest our words might not be pleasing to you.
ἐπεὶ δʼ ὦν αὐτοὶ ἐμνήσθητε, καὶ ἡδομένοισι ἡμῖν οἱ λόγοι γεγόνασι καὶ ἕτοιμοι εἰμὲν ποιέειν ταῦτα.
But since you yourselves have mentioned it, your words have indeed come to us with pleasure, and we are ready to do this."

Notes

  1. 9.46.2μαχεσάμενοι — A nominative plural participle (aorist) agreeing with the subject of the main clause `ὑμεῖς`, functioning adverbially to express the reason ("since you fought") or means for the verb `ἐπίστασθε`.
  2. 9.46.3ἀναλαβόντας — In the accusative-and-infinitive construction governed by the impersonal expression `χρεόν ἐστι`, this participle takes the accusative plural to agree with `ὑμέας` and `ἡμέας`, the subject accusatives of the infinitive `ἰέναι`.
  3. 9.46.3φθάντες — The participle of the verb `φθάνω` (to anticipate) is used in combination with the main verb `προφέρετε` to express temporal priority adverbially ("which you have anticipated us in proposing").
  4. 9.46.3μὴ ... οὐκ — Introduced by the verb of fearing `ἀρρωδέομεν`, the conjunction `μὴ` (lest) is combined with the negative `οὐκ` modifying `ἡδέες`, expressing the apprehension that the words "might not be pleasing" (i.e., might be displeasing).

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §9.46.1-9.46.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.46.1-9.46.3

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