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Herodotus · Histories §9.81.1-9.81.2

Dedication of Spoils to the Gods and Division of Booty

Passage 1536 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

The Greek allies dedicated a tenth of the spoils to the gods (Apollo, Zeus, and Poseidon) and distributed the rest, with Pausanias receiving ten of every kind of prize as a special portion.

§9.81.1συμφορήσαντες δὲ τὰ χρήματα καὶ δεκάτην ἐξελόντες τῷ ἐν Δελφοῖσι θεῷ, ἀπʼ ἧς ὁ τρίπους ὁ χρύσεος ἀνετέθη ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ τρικαρήνου ὄφιος τοῦ χαλκέου ἐπεστεὼς ἄγχιστα τοῦ βωμοῦ, καὶ τῷ ἐν Ὀλυμπίῃ θεῷ ἐξελόντες, ἀπʼ ἧς δεκάπηχυν χάλκεον Δία ἀνέθηκαν, καὶ τῷ ἐν Ἰσθμῷ θεῷ, ἀπʼ ἧς ἑπτάπηχυς χάλκεος Ποσειδέων ἐξεγένετο, ταῦτα ἐξελόντες τὰ λοιπὰ διαιρέοντο, καὶ ἔλαβον ἕκαστοι τῶν ἄξιοι ἦσαν, καὶ τὰς παλλακὰς τῶν Περσέων καὶ τὸν χρυσὸν καὶ ἄργυρον καὶ ἄλλα χρήματα τε καὶ ὑποζύγια.
Having collected the treasures, they set aside a tenth for the god at Delphi, from which was dedicated the golden tripod that stands upon the bronze three-headed serpent very close to the altar; they also set aside a tenth for the god at Olympia, from which they dedicated a bronze Zeus ten cubits high; and for the god at the Isthmus, from which a bronze Poseidon seven cubits high was made. Having set these aside, they divided the remainder, and each received what they were worthy of—the concubines of the Persians, the gold, the silver, other treasures, and the beasts of burden.
§9.81.2ὃσα μέν νυν ἐξαίρετα τοῖσι ἀριστεύσασι αὐτῶν ἐν Πλαταιῇσι ἐδόθη, οὐ λέγεται πρὸς οὐδαμῶν, δοκέω δʼ ἔγωγε καὶ τούτοισι δοθῆναι· Παυσανίη· δὲ πάντα δέκα ἐξαιρέθη τε καὶ ἐδόθη, γυναῖκες ἵπποι τάλαντα κάμηλοι, ὣς δὲ αὕτως καὶ τἆλλα χρήματα.
Now, what special gifts were given to those of them who had distinguished themselves at Plataea is not mentioned by anyone, though I for my part suppose that gifts were given to them as well; but for Pausanias, ten of everything was set aside and given to him—women, horses, talents, camels, and likewise all the other treasures.

Notes

  1. 9.81.1ἐπεστεὼς — The perfect active participle ἐπεστεὼς (an Ionic form of ἐφεστεώς from ἐφίστημι, nominative singular masculine) modifies the preceding noun ὁ τρίπους (the tripod). It indicates that the golden tripod was "standing upon" the bronze three-headed serpent.
  2. 9.81.1τῶν ἄξιοι ἦσαν — The relative pronoun τῶν (retaining the demonstrative form in the Ionic dialect) stands for τούτων ὧν, representing a case attraction where the antecedent is omitted. It means "those things of which they were worthy."
  3. 9.81.2πάντα δέκα — Used adverbially or appositively to mean "ten of everything" or "tenfold of all things." The neuter plural πάντα collectively summarizes the various categories that follow (women, horses, talents, camels), which are of different genders.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §9.81.1-9.81.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.81.1-9.81.2

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