Herodotus Book 1 58.1-64.6 Translation Translated and Annotated by David Gravolet τούτων δὴ ὦν τῶν ἐθνέων τὸ µὲν Ἀττικὸν κατεχόµενόν τε καὶ διεσπασµένον ἐπυνθάνετο ὁ Κροῖσος ὑπὸ Πεισιστράτου τοῦ Ἱπποκράτεος τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον τυραννεύοντος Ἀθηναίων. Ἱπποκράτεϊ γὰρ ἐόντι ἰδιώτῃ καὶ θεωρέοντι τὰ Ὀλύµπια τέρας ἐγένετο µέγα: θύσαντος γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἱρὰ οἱ λέβητες ἐπεστεῶτες καὶ κρεῶν τε ἐόντες ἔµπλεοι καὶ ὕδατος ἄνευ πυρὸς ἔζεσαν καὶ ὑπερέβαλον. Indeed among these people Croesus learned that the Attic one is both held and torn asunder by Pisistratus, son of Hippocrates ruling the Athenians during this time. For a great sign came to Hippocrates being a private citizen and seeing the Olympic games: For the man himself having sacrificed holy things, the cauldrons, having stood on tripods and being full both of water and of meats without fire bubbled up and boiled over. ἐθνέων - Part. gen κατεχόµενόν, διεσπασµένον - Pres. pass. part. n. acc. sg. Ἱπποκράτεος - Patronymic χρόνον - Acc. duration of time ἐόντι, θεωρέοντι - Pres. act. part. m. dat. sg. θύσαντος αὐτοῦ - Gen. abs., Aor. act. part. m. gen. sg. ἐπεστεῶτες - Perf. act. part. m. nom. pl. ἐόντες - Pres. act. part. m. nom. pl. ἔζεσαν, ὑπερέβαλον - 3rd pl. aor. act. indic. Χίλων δὲ ὁ Λακεδαιµόνιος παρατυχὼν καὶ θεησάµενος τὸ τέρας συνεβούλευε Ἱπποκράτεϊ πρῶτα µὲν γυναῖκα µὴ ἄγεσθαι τεκνοποιὸν ἐς τὰ οἰκία, εἰ δὲ τυγχάνει ἔχων, δευτέρα τὴν γυναῖκα ἐκπέµπειν, καὶ εἴ τίς οἱ τυγχάνει ἐὼν παῖς, τοῦτον ἀπείπασθαι. οὔκων ταῦτα παραινέσαντος Χίλωνος πείθεσθαι θέλειν τὸν Ἱπποκράτεα: γενέσθαι οἱ µετὰ ταῦτα τὸν Πεισίστρατον τοῦτον, ὃς στασιαζόντων τῶν παράλων καὶ τῶν ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου Ἀθηναίων, καὶ τῶν µὲν προεστεῶτος Μεγακλέος τοῦ Ἀλκµέωνος, τῶν δὲ ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου Λυκούργου Ἀριστολαΐδεω, καταφρονήσας τὴν τυραννίδα ἤγειρε τρίτην στάσιν: συλλέξας δὲ στασιώτας καὶ τῷ λόγῳ τῶν ὑπερακρίων προστὰς µηχανᾶται τοιάδε. And Chilon, a Lacedamonian, having happened to be present and having seen the sign, advised to Hippocrates not to lead his first child-bearing woman into his homes, if he happens to have one, second to send off his wife, and if any child happens to be for him, to renounce him. With Chilon therefore not having advised these things, Hippocrates was willing to be persuaded. After these things this Pisistratus came to be born for him, who, the coastal people and Athenians quarreling on the plain and Megcales, son of Alkmenos, being in charge of the former and Lycurges, son of Aristolaides, being in charge of those from the plain, having aimed at the power, awakened a third quarrel. And having collected partisans and having been in charge of the hill people in word, he contrives such things. παρατυχὼν - Aor. act. part. m. nom. sg. θεησάµενος - Aor. mid. part. m. nom. sg. συνεβούλευε - Imperf. 3rd sg. indic. act. ἄγεσθαι - Pres. mid. inf. τυγχάνει - Pres. indic. act. 3rd sg., with part. = "happens to [participle]" ἔχων, ἐὼν - Pres. act. part. m. nom. sg. οἱ - Dat. possession ἀπείπασθαι - Aor. mid. inf. παραινέσαντος Χίλωνος - Gen. Abs., aor. act. part. m. gen. sg. οἱ - Dat. possession στασιαζόντων...παράλων...ἀθηναίων - Gen. Abs., pres. act. part. m. gen. pl. Ἀλκµέωνος, Ἀριστολαΐδεω - Patronymic τῶν µὲν...τῶν δὲ - Idiomatic for "former...latter" ἤγειρε - Imperf. 3rd sg. indic. act. καταφρονήσας, συλλέξας, προστὰς - Aor. act. part. m. nom. sg. µηχανᾶται - Contracted from µηχαναεται, 3rd sg. indic. mid. pres. Available at dgdissemination.com 1
τρωµατίσας ἑωυτόν τε καὶ ἡµιόνους ἤλασε ἐς τὴν ἀγορὴν τὸ ζεῦγος ὡς ἐκπεφευγὼς τοὺς ἐχθρούς, οἵ µιν ἐλαύνοντα ἐς ἀγρὸν ἠθέλησαν ἀπολέσαι δῆθεν, ἐδέετό τε τοῦ δήµου φυλακῆς τινος πρὸς αὐτοῦ κυρῆσαι, πρότερον εὐδοκιµήσας ἐν τῇ πρὸς Μεγαρέας γενοµένῃ στρατηγίῃ, Νίσαιάν τε ἑλὼν καὶ ἄλλα ἀποδεξάµενος µεγάλα ἔργα. ὁ δὲ δῆµος ὁ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἐξαπατηθεὶς ἔδωκέ οἱ τῶν ἀστῶν καταλέξας ἄνδρας τούτους οἳ δορυφόροι µὲν οὐκ ἐγένοντο Πεισιστράτου, κορυνηφόροι δέ: ξύλων γὰρ κορύνας ἔχοντες εἵποντό οἱ ὄπισθε. Having wounded both himself and his mules, he drove his cart to the marketplace, as having fled enemies who really wished to kill him driving in the country, and he asked the people to obtain some guard for himself, earlier having been well reputed in the generalship being to the Megarians, both having snatched up Nisaea and having displayed other great deeds. And the people of these Athenians having been deceived gave to him of the countrymen these men, having picked them, who did not become spear-bearers of Pisistratus but club-bearers. For having clubs of wood, they attended behind him. τρωµατίσας - Aor. act. part. m. nom. sg. ἤλασε - Aor. indic. act. 3rd sg. temp. aug. ἐκπεφευγὼς - Perf. act. part. m. nom. sg. ἐλαύνοντα - Pres. act. part. m. acc. ag. ἠθέλησαν - Aor. indic. act. 3rd pl. temp. aug. κυρῆσαι - Aor. act. inf., takes gen. εὐδοκιµήσας, ἑλὼν, καταλέξας - Aor. act. part. m. nom. sg. γενοµένῃ - Aor. dep. part. fem. dat. sg. ἀποδεξάµενος - Aor. dep. part. m. nom. sg. ἐξαπατηθεὶς - Aor. pass. part. m. nom. sg. ἔχοντες - Pres. act part. m. nom. pl. εἵποντό - Temp. aug. imperf. 3rd pl. indic. mid. συνεπαναστάντες δὲ οὗτοι ἅµα Πεισιστράτῳ ἔσχον τὴν ἀκρόπολιν. ἔνθα δὴ ὁ Πεισίστρατος ἦρχε Ἀθηναίων, οὔτε τιµὰς τὰς ἐούσας συνταράξας οὔτε θέσµια µεταλλάξας, ἐπί τε τοῖσι κατεστεῶσι ἔνεµε τὴν πόλιν κοσµέων καλῶς τε καὶ εὖ. µετὰ δὲ οὐ πολλὸν χρόνον τὠυτὸ φρονήσαντες οἵ τε τοῦ Μεγακλέος στασιῶται καὶ οἱ τοῦ Λυκούργου ἐξελαύνουσί µιν. οὕτω µὲν Πεισίστρατος ἔσχε τὸ πρῶτον Ἀθήνας, καὶ τὴν τυραννίδα οὔκω κάρτα ἐρριζωµένην ἔχων ἀπέβαλε. οἳ δὲ ἐξελάσαντες Πεισίστρατον αὖτις ἐκ νέης ἐπ ἀλλήλοισι ἐστασίασαν. And the same men, having risen up together with Pisistratus, had the citadel. And then indeed Pisistratus ruled the Athenians, neither having distressed those existing honors nor having altered the laws, within standing laws he governed the city, ordering both beautifully and well. And after not much time, having thought the same, the partisans of Megacles and those of Lycurges drive him out. Thus Pisistratus first held Athens, and holding the tyranny, having not yet taken root strongly, he lost it. And they, having driven out Pisistratus, again disputed anew amongst one another. συνεπαναστάντες - Aor. dep. part. m. nom. pl. ἦρχε - Temp. aug. imperf. 3rd sg. indic. act. συνταράξας, µεταλλάξας - Aor. act. part. m. nom. sg. κοσµέων - Pres. act. part. m. nom. sg. οὐ πολλὸν - Litotes τὠυτὸ - Crasis for το αὐτο φρονήσαντες, ἐξελάσαντες - Aor. act. part. m. nom. pl. ἐρριζωµένην - Perf. act. part. fem. acc. sg. ἐστασίασαν - Aor. indic. act. 3rd pl. Available at dgdissemination.com 2
περιελαυνόµενος δὲ τῇ στάσι ὁ Μεγακλέης ἐπεκηρυκεύετο Πεισιστράτῳ, εἰ βούλοιτό οἱ τὴν θυγατέρα ἔχειν γυναῖκα ἐπὶ τῇ τυραννίδι. ἐνδεξαµένου δὲ τὸν λόγον καὶ ὁµολογήσαντος ἐπὶ τούτοισι Πεισιστράτου, µηχανῶνται δὴ ἐπὶ τῇ κατόδῳ πρῆγµα εὐηθέστατον, ὡς ἐγὼ εὑρίσκω, µακρῷ, ἐπεί γε ἀπεκρίθη ἐκ παλαιτέρου τοῦ βαρβάρου ἔθνεος τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν ἐὸν καὶ δεξιώτερον καὶ εὐηθείης ἠλιθίου ἀπηλλαγµένον µᾶλλον, εἰ καὶ τότε γε οὗτοι ἐν Ἀθηναίοισι τοῖσι πρώτοισι λεγοµένοισι εἶναι Ἑλλήνων σοφίην µηχανῶνται τοιάδε. And Megacles, driven around by the quarrel, sent by herald to Pisistratus if he might wish to have his daughter as a wife on the condition of tyranny. And Pisistratus having consented to his word and having agreed to these things, they indeed contrive for the return, the silliest deed, as I find it, by far, since from rather long ago the Greek race was separated from the barbarian race both being more clever and having been more removed from foolish silliness, if even then among the Athenians said to be the first of the Greeks in wisdom, these men contrive such things. περιελαυνόµενος - Pres. pass. part. m. nom. sg. ἐπεκηρυκεύετο - Syllab. aug. imperf. indic. 3rd sg. mid. βούλοιτό - 3rd sg. pres. opt. mid. ἐνδεξαµένου...ὁµολογήσαντος...πεισιστράτου - Gen. Abs., Aor. dep./act. part. m. gen. sg. εὐηθέστατον - Superlative adj. µακρῷ - Dat. degree of difference ἀπεκρίθη - Aor. indic. pass. 3rd sg. βαρβάρου - Gen. separation ἀπηλλαγµένον - Perf. pass. part. n. acc. sg. λεγοµένοισι - Pres. pass. part. m. dat. pl. Ἑλλήνων - Partitive gen. σοφίην - Acc. specification/respect µηχανῶνται - Contracted from µηχαναονται, 3rd pl. dep. indic. ἐν τῷ δήµῳ τῷ Παιανιέι ἦν γυνὴ τῇ οὔνοµα ἦν Φύη, µέγαθος ἀπὸ τεσσέρων πηχέων ἀπολείπουσα τρεῖς δακτύλους καὶ ἄλλως εὐειδής: ταύτην τὴν γυναῖκα σκευάσαντες πανοπλίῃ, ἐς ἅρµα ἐσβιβάσαντες καὶ προδέξαντες σχῆµα οἷόν τι ἔµελλε εὐπρεπέστατον φανέεσθαι ἔχουσα, ἤλαυνον ἐς τὸ ἄστυ, προδρόµους κήρυκας προπέµψαντες: οἳ τὰ ἐντεταλµένα ἠγόρευον ἀπικόµενοι ἐς τὸ ἄστυ, λέγοντες τοιάδε: In the Paeanian district there was a woman to whom was the name Phue, leaving behind three dactyls from four cubits and otherwise beautiful: Having made ready that woman in the full armor of hoplite, having caused her to enter a chariot, and having shown her an appearance such that she, having it, was going to appear most beautiful, they drove into the city, having sent forth advance-guards as messengers. They, having arrived to the city, announced the things ordered, saying such things: τῇ - Dat. possession ἀπολείπουσα - Pres. act. part. fem. nom. sg., refers to her height σκευάσαντες, ἐσβιβάσαντες, προδέξαντες - Aor. act. part. m. nom. pl. ἔχουσα - Pres. act. part. fem. nom. sg. προπέµψαντες - Aor. act. part. m. nom. pl. ἤλαυνον, ἠγόρευον - 3rd pl. indic. act. imperf. temp. aug. ἐντεταλµένα - Perf. pass. part. n. acc. pl. Available at dgdissemination.com 3
ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, δέκεσθε ἀγαθῷ νόῳ Πεισίστρατον, τὸν αὐτὴ ἡ Ἀηθναίη τιµήσασα ἀνθρώπων µάλιστα κατάγει ἐς τὴν ἑωυτῆς ἀκρόπολιν. οἳ µὲν δὴ ταῦτα διαφοιτέοντες ἔλεγον: αὐτίκα δὲ ἔς τε τοὺς δήµους φάτις ἀπίκετο ὡς Ἀθηναίη Πεισίστρατον κατάγει, καὶ οἱ ἐν τῷ ἄστεϊ πειθόµενοι τὴν γυναῖκα εἶναι αὐτὴν τὴν θεὸν προσεύχοντό τε τὴν ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἐδέκοντο Πεισίστρατον. "O Athenians, receive Pisistratus in your good mind, whom Athena herself, having esteemed especially of men, brings down into her own acropolis." Indeed going back and forth continually, they said these things: And at once the report arrived to the people that Athena leads back Pisistratus, and those in the city, being persuaded that the woman is the god herself, both prayed for the human being and received Pisistratus. δέκεσθε - Pres. dep. imperative 2nd pl. τιµήσασα - Aor. act. part. fem. nom. sg. ἀνθρώπων - Partitive gen. κατάγει - Pres. indic. act. 3rd sg. ἀπίκετο - Aor. indic. dep. 3rd sg. πειθόµενοι - Pres. pass. part. m. nom. pl. προσεύχοντό - 3rd pl. imperf. indic. act. ἀπολαβὼν δὲ τὴν τυραννίδα τρόπῳ τῷ εἰρηµένῳ ὁ Πεισίστρατος κατὰ τὴν ὁµολογίην τὴν πρὸς Μεγακλέα γενοµένην γαµέει τοῦ Μεγακλέος τὴν θυγατέρα. οἷα δὲ παίδων τέ οἱ ὑπαρχόντων νεηνιέων καὶ λεγοµένων ἐναγέων εἶναι τῶν Ἀλκµεωνιδέων, οὐ βουλόµενός οἱ γενέσθαι ἐκ τῆς νεογάµου γυναικὸς τέκνα ἐµίσγετό οἱ οὐ κατὰ νόµον. τὰ µέν νυν πρῶτα ἔκρυπτε ταῦτα ἡ γυνή, µετὰ δὲ εἴτε ἱστορεύσῃ εἴτε καὶ οὒ φράζει τῇ ἑωυτῆς µητρί, ἣ δὲ τῷ ἀνδρί. τον δε δεινον τι ἐσχε ἀτιµαζεσθαι προς Πεισιστρατου. ὀργῇ δὲ ὡς εἶχε καταλλάσσετο τὴν ἔχθρην τοῖσι στασιώτῃσι. µαθὼν δὲ ὁ Πεισίστρατος τὰ ποιεύµενα ἐπ ἑωυτῷ ἀπαλλάσσετο ἐκ τῆς χώρης τὸ παράπαν, ἀπικόµενος δὲ ἐς Ἐρέτριαν ἐβουλεύετο ἅµα τοῖσι παισί. And having received the tyranny in the way mentioned, Pisistratus, according to the agreement having come about with Megacles, marries the daughter of Megacles. And since for him the children being young men and the Alcmeonids being said to be under a curse, not wishing that for him a child of a newly married wife come, he had intercourse with her, not according to custom. At first now his wife concealed these things, but afterwards either to her inquiring or even not she indicates them to her mother, and she to her husband. To be dishonored by Pisistratus seized this one something terrible. And in anger as he was, he reconciled the enmity with the partisans. And having learned the things being done to him, Pisistratus departed from the land entirely, and having arrived to Eretria, he contrived with his children. ἀπολαβὼν - Aor. act. part. m. nom. sg. γενοµένην - Aor. dep. part. fem. acc. sg. παίδων ὑπαρχόντων - Gen. abs., pres. act. part. m. gen. pl. λεγοµένων...ἀλκµεωνιδέων - Gen. abs., pres. pass. part. m. gen. pl. οἱ - Dat. possession γενέσθαι - Aor. dep. inf. ἔκρυπτε - Imperf. 3rd sg. indic. act. ἱστορεύσῃ - Pres. act. part. fem. dat. sg. Available at dgdissemination.com 4
Ἱππίεω δὲ γνώµῃ νικήσαντος ἀνακτᾶσθαι ὀπίσω τὴν τυραννίδα, ἐνθαῦτα ἤγειρον δωτίνας ἐκ τῶν πολίων αἵτινές σφι προαιδέοντό κού τι. πολλῶν δὲ µεγάλα παρασχόντων χρήµατα, Θηβαῖοι ὑπερεβάλοντο τῇ δόσι τῶν χρηµάτων. µετὰ δέ, οὐ πολλῷ λόγῳ εἰπεῖν, χρόνος διέφυ καὶ πάντα σφι ἐξήρτυτο ἐς τὴν κάτοδον: καὶ γὰρ Ἀργεῖοι µισθωτοὶ ἀπίκοντο ἐκ Πελοποννήσου, καὶ Νάξιός σφι ἀνὴρ ἀπιγµένος ἐθελοντής, τῷ οὔνοµα ἦν Λύγδαµις, προθυµίην πλείστην παρείχετο, κοµίσας καὶ χρήµατα καὶ ἄνδρας. With Hippias having conquered him with his opinion, he won over the tyranny behind, then they gathered gifts from the cities, whichever ones had been obligated to them. And having furnished great riches of many things, the Thebans surpassed in the giving of things. And afterwards, to speak in not much a word, time passed, and they fitted out for themselves all things to the return: And for the hired Argives arrived from the Peloponnesus, and the Naxian man, having arrived as a volunteer, to whom was the name Lygdamis, provided the most zeal, having brought both things and men. Ἱππίεω...νικήσαντος - Gen. abs, aor. act. part. m. gen. sg. παρασχόντων - Aor. act. part. m. nom. sg. ὑπερεβάλοντο - Aor. indic. mid. 3rd pl. ἀπίκοντο - Aor. indic. dep. 3rd pl. ἀπιγµένος - Perf. mid. part. m. nom. sg. τῷ - Dat. possession κοµίσας - Aor. act. part. m. nom. sg. ἐξ Ἐρετρίης δὲ ὁρµηθέντες διὰ ἑνδεκάτου ἔτεος ἀπίκοντο ὀπίσω, καὶ πρῶτον τῆς Ἀττικῆς ἴσχουσι Μαραθῶνα. ἐν δὲ τούτῳ τῷ χώρῳ σφι στρατοπεδευοµένοισι οἵ τε ἐκ τοῦ ἄστεος στασιῶται ἀπίκοντο ἄλλοι τε ἐκ τῶν δήµων προσέρρεον, τοῖσι ἡ τυραννὶς πρὸ ἐλευθερίης ἦν ἀσπαστότερον. οὗτοι µὲν δὴ συνηλίζοντο, Ἀθηναίων δὲ οἱ ἐκ τοῦ ἄστεος, ἕως µὲν Πεισίστρατος τὰ χρήµατα ἤγειρε, καὶ µεταῦτις ὡς ἔσχε Μαραθῶνα, λόγον οὐδένα εἶχον: ἐπείτε δὲ ἐπύθοντο ἐκ τοῦ Μαραθῶνος αὐτὸν πορεύεσθαι ἐπὶ τὸ ἄστυ, οὕτω δὴ βοηθέουσι ἐπ αὐτόν. From Eretria having set out during the eleventh year, they arrived back again, and first they restrain Marathon of Attica. In this time to them encamping arrived the partisans from the city and other men from the district streamed in, in place of liberty the sovereignty was welcome for them. Indeed these men were collected, and those men from the city of Athens, as long as Pisistratus controlled things, and afterwards when he held Marathon, held him of no account: And since they learned from Marathon that he himself traveled to the city, thus they indeed assist him. ὁρµηθέντες - Aor. pass. (dep.) part. m. nom. pl. ἴσχουσι - Pres. indic. act. 3rd pl. τούτῳ τῷ χώρῳ - Dat. time when στρατοπεδευοµένοισι - Pres. mid. part. m. pl. dat. προσέρρεον - Syllab. aug. imperf. 3rd pl. indic. act. συνηλίζοντο - Temp. aug. imperf. pass. 3rd pl. indic. ἤγειρε - Temp. aug. imperf. 3rd sg. indic. act. εἶχον - Temp. aug. imperf. 3rd pl. indic. act. πορεύεσθαι - Pres. dep. inf. βοηθέουσι - 3rd pl. pres. indic. act. Available at dgdissemination.com 5
καὶ οὗτοί τε πανστρατιῇ ἤισαν ἐπὶ τοὺς κατιόντας καὶ οἱ ἀµφὶ Πεισίστρατον, ὡς ὁρµηθέντες ἐκ Μαραθῶνος ἤισαν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄστυ, ἐς τὠυτὸ συνιόντες ἀπικνέονται ἐπὶ Παλληνίδος Ἀθηναίης ἱρόν, καὶ ἀντία ἔθεντο τὰ ὅπλα. ἐνθαῦτα θείῃ ποµπῇ χρεώµενος παρίσταται Πεισιστράτῳ Ἀµφίλυτος ὁ Ἀκαρνὰν χρησµολόγος ἀνήρ, ὅς οἱ προσιὼν χρᾷ ἐν ἑξαµέτρῳ τόνῳ τάδε λέγων: ἔρριπται δ ὁ βόλος, τὸ δὲ δίκτυον ἐκπεπέτασται, θύννοι δ οἰµήσουσι σεληναίης διὰ νυκτός. And these men went in full force to the men descending, and those men on both sides of Pisistratus when, having set out from Marathon, they went to the town, agreeing to the same thing, arrive to the temple of Pallas Athena, and they set arms opposite. Then employing divine guidance, Amphylitus, an Acarnian, the man speaking oracles, is standing near Pisistratus, who approaching him, prophesies these things, saying them in hexameter meter: The cast has been thrown, and the snare has been spread out. The tuna fish will dart along through the moonlit night. ἤισαν - 3rd pl. imperf. indic. act. of εἶµι τὠυτὸ - Crasis for το αὐτο συνιόντες - Pres. act. part. m. nom. pl. ἀπικνέονται - Pres. indic. dep. 3rd pl. χρεώµενος - Contracted from χρεαοµενος, Pres. dep. part. m. nom. sg. χρᾷ - Pres. indic. act. 3rd sg., contracted from χραει λέγων - Pres. act. part. m. nom. sg. ἔρριπται, ἐκπεπέτασται,- 3rd sg. perf. pass. indic. οἰµήσουσι - 3rd pl. fut. indic. act. Available at dgdissemination.com 6