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Herodotus · Histories §9.84.1-9.84.2

Disappearance of Mardonius' Body and Burial Accounts

Passage 1539 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

On the disappearance of Mardonius' corpse and the mystery of who buried him. Herodotus mentions that many received gifts from his son for doing so, and notes a rumor pointing to Dionysophanes of Ephesus.

§9.84.1ἐπείτε δὲΜαρδονίου δευτέρῃ ἡμέρῃ ὁ νεκρὸς ἠφάνιστο, ὑπὸ ὅτευ μὲν ἀνθρώπων τὸ ἀτρεκὲς οὐκ ἔχω εἰπεῖν, πολλοὺς δὲ τινὰς ἤδη καὶ παντοδαποὺς ἤκουσα θάψαι Μαρδόνιον, καὶ δῶρα μεγάλα οἶδα λαβόντας πολλοὺς παρὰ Ἀρτόντεω τοῦ Μαρδονίου παιδὸς διὰ τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον· §9.84.2ὅστις μέντοι ἦν αὐτῶν ὁ ὑπελόμενός τε καὶ θάψας τὸν νεκρὸν τὸν Μαρδονίου, οὐ δύναμαι ἀτρεκέως πυθέσθαι, ἔχει δὲ τινὰ φάτιν καὶ Διονυσοφάνης ἀνὴρ Ἐφέσιος θάψαι Μαρδόνιον.
When, on the second day, the corpse of Mardonius had disappeared, I cannot say for certain by which of men it was done; but I have already heard of many and various people who buried Mardonius, and I know that many received great gifts from Artontes, the son of Mardonius, because of this deed. Whoever, however, among them was the one who secretly carried off and buried the corpse of Mardonius, I am unable to learn with certainty; yet Dionysophanes, an Ephesian, also has some reputation for having buried Mardonius.
ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν τρόπῳ τοιούτῳ ἐτάφη.
At any rate, he was buried in such a manner.

Notes

  1. §9.84.1οὐκ ἔχω εἰπεῖν — The verb ἔχω with the infinitive (εἰπεῖν) is used to express capability, meaning "I am able to say" or "I can say".
  2. §9.84.1οἶδα λαβόντας — The verb of knowing οἶδα takes a participle (λαβόντας) to form an indirect statement, meaning "I know that they received."
  3. §9.84.2ὁ ὑπελόμενός — Aorist middle participle of ὑφαιρέω (Ionic ὑπελόμενος for Attic ὑφελόμενος), meaning "secretly carrying off" or "stealing away," substantivized with the article.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §9.84.1-9.84.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.84.1-9.84.2

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