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100.
Such was the plight of the Persians for all the time until the coming of Xerxes himself ended it. Mardonius, however, seeing that Xerxes was greatly distressed because of the sea-fight, and suspecting that he planned flight from Athens, thought that he would be punished for persuading the king to march against Hellas and that it was better for him to risk the chance of either subduing Hellas or dying honorably while engaged in a noble cause; yet his hope rather inclined to the subduing of Hellas. Taking all this into account, he made this proposal:
[2]
“Sire, be not grieved nor greatly distressed because of what has befallen us. It is not on things of wood that the issue hangs for us, but on men and horses; furthermore, there is no one among these men, who thinks that he has now won a crowning victory and will disembark from his ship in an attempt to withstand you, no, nor anyone from this mainland. Those who have withstood us have paid the penalty.
[3]
If then you so desire, let us straightway attack the Peloponnese, or if it pleases you to wait, that also we can do. Do not be downcast, for the Greeks have no way of escaping guilt for their former and their later deeds and from becoming your slaves. It is best then that you should do as I have said, but if you have resolved to lead your army away, even then I have another plan.
[4]
Do not, O king, make the Persians the laughing-stock of the Greeks, for if you have suffered harm, it is by no fault of the Persians. Nor can you say that we have anywhere done less than brave men should, and if Phoenicians and Egyptians and Cyprians and Cilicians have so done, it is not the Persians who have any part in this disaster.
[5]
Therefore, since the Persians are in no way to blame, be guided by me; if you are resolved not to remain, march homewards with the greater part of your army. It is for me, however, to enslave and deliver Hellas to you with three hundred thousand of your host whom I will choose.”
Herodotus, with an English translation by A. D. Godley. Cambridge. Harvard University Press. 1920.
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References (28 total)
- Commentary references to this page
(2):
- Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Electra, 1390
- C.E. Graves, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 4, CHAPTER XI
- Cross-references to this page
(6):
- Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 1.3.2
- Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 1.pos=2.2
- Raphael Kühner, Bernhard Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der griechischen Sprache, KG 3.6.1
- Harper's, Mardonius
- William Watson Goodwin, Syntax of the Moods and Tenses of the Greek Verb, Chapter V
- Smith's Bio, Mardo'nius
- Cross-references in notes to this page
(1):
- Thomas R. Martin, An Overview of Classical Greek History from Mycenae to Alexander, Clash Between Greeks and Persians
- Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page
(19):
- LSJ, δηλ-έομαι
- LSJ, ἀνακινδυ_νεύω
- LSJ, αἰωρ-έω:
- LSJ, δοκέω
- LSJ, δυσθυ_μ-έω
- LSJ, ἔκδυ^σις
- LSJ, φέρω
- LSJ, φροντ-ίζω
- LSJ, γνώμ-η
- LSJ, καταγέλασ-τος
- LSJ, κατεργ-άζομαι
- LSJ, λόγος
- LSJ, λυ_π-έω
- LSJ, μὴ οὐ
- LSJ, πειράω
- LSJ, πλείων
- LSJ, πολύς
- LSJ, προσήκω
- LSJ, ὑποπτ-εύω
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