Herodotus I, 107-122 The youth of Cyrus · 3705 dagen geleden by Ad van den Ende
CVII. [1] ἐκδέκεται δὲ Ἀστυάγης Κυαξάρεω παῖς
Astyages, son of Cyaxares, inherited
τὴν βασιληίην.
the kingship.
καὶ οἱ ἐγένετο θυγάτηρ
And to him was born a daughter,
τῇ οὔνομα ἔθετο Μανδάνην·
to whom he gave the name Mandane;
τὴν ἐδόκεε Ἀστυάγης ἐν τῷ ὕπνῳ
Astyages imagined in his sleep that she
οὐρῆσαι τοσοῦτον ὥστε πλῆσαι μὲν τὴν ἑωυτοῦ πόλιν,
urinated so much that she filled his town
ἐπικατακλύσαι δὲ καὶ τὴν Ἀσίην πᾶσαν.
and flooded all of Asia.
ὑπερθέμενος δὲ
Having communicated
τῶν Μάγων τοῖσι ὀνειροπόλοισι
to the dream-interpreters of the Magi
τὸ ἐνύπνιον, ἐφοβήθη
the vision, he was terrified
παρ᾽ αὐτῶν αὐτὰ ἕκαστα μαθών.
from them all things having heard.
[2] μετὰ δὲ τὴν Μανδάνην
Next he gave Mandane,
ταύτην ἐοῦσαν ἤδη ἀνδρὸς ὡραίην
she being allready mature for a man,
Μήδων μὲν τῶν ἑωυτοῦ ἀξίων οὐδενὶ
to nobody of the Medes worthy to his family
διδοῖ γυναῖκα,
as wife,
δεδοικὼς τὴν ὄψιν·
fearing the vision.
ὁ δὲ Πέρσῃ διδοῖ
He gave (her) to a Persian
τῷ οὔνομα ἦν Καμβύσης,
to whom was the name Cambyses,
τὸν εὕρισκε οἰκίης μὲν ἐόντα ἀγαθῆς
whom he found being of a good house
τρόπου δὲ ἡσυχίου,
and of a quiet temper,
πολλῷ ἔνερθε ἄγων αὐτὸν μέσου ἀνδρὸς Μήδου.
much lower estimating him than a middle Mede man.
CVIII. [1] συνοικεούσης δὲ τῷ Καμβύσῃ τῆς Μανδάνης,
While Mandane was living together with Cambyses,
ὁ Ἀστυάγης τῷ πρώτῳ ἔτεϊ εἶδε ἄλλην ὄψιν,
in the first year, Astyages saw an other vision;
ἐδόκεε δέ οἱ ἐκ τῶν αἰδοίων τῆς θυγατρὸς ταύτης
it seemed to him that out of the genitals of this daughter,
φῦναι ἄμπελον,
a vine grew,
τὴν δὲ ἄμπελον ἐπισχεῖν τὴν Ἀσίην πᾶσαν.
and that the vine covered the whole of Asia.
[2] ἰδὼν δὲ τοῦτο
Having seen that
καὶ ὑπερθέμενος τοῖσι ὀνειροπόλοισι,
and communicated to the interpreters of dreams,
μετεπέμψατο ἐκ τῶν Περσέων τὴν θυγατέρα
he summoned from the Persians the daughter,
ἐπίτεκα ἐοῦσαν,
who was about to give birth,
ἀπικομένην δὲ ἐφύλασσε
and having arrived he kept her guarded,
βουλόμενος τὸ γενόμενον ἐξ αὐτῆς διαφθεῖραι·
meaning to kill what was born out of her,
ἐκ γάρ οἱ τῆς ὄψιος
for out of the dream
οἱ τῶν Μάγων ὀνειροπόλοι ἐσήμαινον
the interpreters of the Magi declared
ὅτι μέλλοι ὁ τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτοῦ γόνος
that his daughter’s offspring would
βασιλεύσειν ἀντὶ ἐκείνου.
be king in his place.
[3] ταῦτα δὴ ὦν φυλασσόμενος ὁ Ἀστυάγης,
So, bearing that in memory, Astyages,
ὡς ἐγένετο ὁ Κῦρος,
when Cyrus was born,
καλέσας Ἅρπαγον ἄνδρα οἰκήιον
having summoned Harpagus, a man of his household,
καὶ πιστότατόν τε Μήδων
and the most faithful of the Medes
καὶ πάντων ἐπίτροπον τῶν ἑωυτοῦ,
and administrator of all that was his,
ἔλεγὲ οἱ τοιάδε.
he said this to him:
[4] «Ἅρπαγε, πρῆγμα τὸ ἄν τοι προσθέω,
“Harpagus, the action that I command you,
μηδαμῶς παραχρήσῃ,
nowhere disregard it,
μηδὲ ἐμέ τε παραβάλῃ
and do not throw beside me,
καὶ ἄλλους ἑλόμενος
and (do not), giving others preference,
ἐξ ὑστέρης σοὶ αὐτῷ περιπέσῃς·
trip over your own feet afterwards.
λάβε τὸν Μανδάνη ἔτεκε παῖδα,
Take the child that Mandane bore,
φέρων δὲ ἐς σεωυτοῦ ἀπόκτεινον,
and, carrying him to your house, kill him;
μετὰ δὲ θάψον τρόπῳ ὅτεῳ αὐτὸς βούλεαι.»
and then bury him however you yourself want.”
[5] ὁ δὲ ἀμείβεται «ὦ βασιλεῦ,
And he answers “O King,” ,
οὔτε ἄλλοτε κω παρεῖδες
“not at another time have you ever noticed
ἀνδρὶ τῷδε ἄχαρι οὐδέν,
in your man anything displeasing;
φυλασσόμεθα δὲ ἐς σὲ
and we shall be careful in what concerns you
καὶ ἐς τὸν μετέπειτα χρόνον μηδὲν ἐξαμαρτεῖν.
also in the time afterwards in nothing to err,
ἀλλ᾽ εἲ τοι φίλον τοῦτο οὕτω γίνεσθαι,
but if it is your will that this so happens,
χρὴ δὴ τό γε ἐμὸν
then it is necessary, as to me,
ὑπηρετέεσθαι ἐπιτηδέως.»
to attend to it scrupulously.”
CIX. [1] τούτοισι ἀμειψάμενος ὁ Ἅρπαγος,
Harpagus, having answered thus,
ὥς οἱ παρεδόθη τὸ παιδίον
when the little boy was given to him,
κεκοσμημένον τὴν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ
adorned for its death,
ἤιε κλαίων ἐς τὰ οἰκία·
he went weeping to the house;
παρελθὼν δὲ ἔφραζε τῇ ἑωυτοῦ γυναικὶ
when he came in, he told his wife
τὸν πάντα Ἀστυάγεος ῥηθέντα λόγον.
the entire speech uttered by Astyages.
[2] ἣ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγει
She sais to him:
«νῦν ὦν τί σοὶ ἐν νόῳ ἐστὶ ποιέειν;»
“Now, then, what is in your mind to do?”
ὁ δὲ ἀμείβεται
And he answers:
«οὐ τῇ ἐνετέλλετο Ἀστυάγης,
“Not such as Astyages commanded,
οὐδ᾽ εἰ παραφρονήσει
not even if he should lose his mind
τε καὶ μανέεται κάκιον ἢ νῦν μαίνεται,
and be more frantic than he is frantic now;
οὔ οἱ ἔγωγε προσθήσομαι τῇ γνώμῃ
I will not agree to his plan
οὐδὲ ἐς φόνον τοιοῦτον ὑπηρετήσω.
nor will I aid with such a murder.
[3] πολλῶν δὲ εἵνεκα οὐ φονεύσω μιν,
For many reasons I will not kill him:
καὶ ὅτι αὐτῷ μοι συγγενής ἐστὶ ὁ παῖς,
and because the boy is related to me,
καὶ ὅτι Ἀστυάγης μὲν ἐστὶ γέρων
and because Astyages is old
καὶ ἅπαις ἔρσενος γόνου·
and has no child of male gender.
[4] εἰ δ᾽ ἐθελήσει τούτου τελευτήσαντος
If he shall will, when he has died,
ἐς τὴν θυγατέρα ταύτην ἀναβῆναι ἡ τυραννίς,
that the monarchy passes to this daughter
τῆς νῦν τὸν υἱὸν κτείνει δι᾽ ἐμεῦ,
from whom now the son he kills by means of me,
ἄλλο τι ἢ λείπεται τὸ ἐνθεῦτεν ἐμοὶ
something other will be left for me thence
κινδύνων ὁ μέγιστος;
but the greatest of dangers?
ἀλλὰ τοῦ μὲν ἀσφαλέος εἵνεκα ἐμοὶ
But for the sake of my safety
δεῖ τοῦτον τελευτᾶν τὸν παῖδα,
this child has to die;
δεῖ μέντοι τῶν τινα Ἀστυάγεος αὐτοῦ
but one of Astyages’ own people must
φονέα γενέσθαι καὶ μὴ τῶν ἐμῶν.»
be the murderer and not one of mine.”
CX. [1] ταῦτα εἶπε
So he said,
καὶ αὐτίκα ἄγγελον ἔπεμπε
and at once he sent a messenger
ἐπὶ τῶν βουκόλων τῶν Ἀστυάγεος
to one of Astyages’ cowherds,
τὸν ἠπίστατο
who he knew
νομάς τε ἐπιτηδεοτάτας νέμοντα
was pasturing on (for him) most convenient fields
καὶ ὄρεα θηριωδέστατα·
and on mountains most infested with wild beasts.
τῷ οὔνομα ἦν Μιτραδάτης,
of whom the name was Mitradates,
συνοίκεε δὲ ἑωυτοῦ συνδούλῃ,
and he lived together with a slave like him;
οὔνομα δὲ τῇ γυναικὶ ἦν τῇ συνοίκεε
the name of the wife with whom he lived together was
Κυνὼ κατὰ τὴν Ἑλλήνων γλῶσσαν,
Cyno in the Greek language,
κατὰ δὲ τὴν Μηδικὴν Σπακώ·
in the Median Spako;
τὴν γὰρ κύνα καλέουσι σπάκα Μῆδοι.
for the bitch the Medes call “spaka”.
[2] αἱ δὲ ὑπώρεαί εἰσὶ τῶν ὀρέων,
The foothills of the mountains
ἔνθα τὰς νομὰς τῶν βοῶν εἶχε οὗτος δὴ ὁ βουκόλος,
where this cowherd had the pastures of his cattle
πρὸς βορέω τε ἀνέμου τῶν Ἀγβατάνων
are north of Ecbatana,
καὶ πρὸς τοῦ πόντου τοῦ Εὐξείνου·
and towards the Euxine sea;
ταύτῃ μὲν γὰρ ἡ Μηδικὴ χωρῇ
for there the Median land,
πρὸς Σασπείρων
on the side of the Saspires,
ὀρεινή ἐστι κάρτα
is very mountainous
καὶ ὑψηλή τε καὶ ἴδῃσι συνηρεφής,
and high and covered with woods.
ἡ δὲ ἄλλη Μηδικὴ χωρῇ
but the other Median land
ἐστὶ πᾶσα ἄπεδος.
is everywhere plain,
[3] ἐπεὶ ὦν ὁ βουκόλος
So when the cowherd
σπουδῇ πολλῇ καλεόμενος ἀπίκετο,
in great haste, being called, had come,
ἔλεγε ὁ Ἅρπαγος τάδε.
Harpagus said this:
«κελεύει σε Ἀστυάγης
“Astyages commands you,
τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο λαβόντα
this child, having taken it,
θεῖναι ἐς τὸ ἐρημότατον τῶν ὀρέων,
to lay in the most desolate of the mountains,
ὅκως ἂν τάχιστα διαφθαρείη·
so that it, as quickly as possible, will perish;
καὶ τάδε τοὶ ἐκέλευσε εἰπεῖν,
and he wanted me this to tell you,
ἢν μὴ ἀποκτείνῃς αὐτὸ
if you do not kill it,
ἀλλὰ τεῷ τρόπῳ περιποιήσῃς,
but somehow preserve it,
ὀλέθρῳ τῷ κακίστῳ σε διαχρήσεσθαι.
you will undergo the most miserable death;
ἐπορᾶν δὲ ἐκκείμενον τέταγμαι ἐγώ.»
and I am ordered to see it abandonned.”
CXI. [1] ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ βουκόλος
Having heard that, the cowherd,
καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὸ παιδίον
having taken the child,
ἤιε τὴν αὐτὴν ὀπίσω ὁδὸν
went back the same way
καὶ ἀπικνέεται ἐς τὴν ἔπαυλιν.
and came to his farm.
τῷ δ᾽ ἄρα καὶ αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή,
While he was coming the wife,
ἐπίτεξ ἐοῦσα πᾶσαν ἡμέρην,
being on the verge of delivering every day,
τότε κως
then, as it seems,
κατὰ δαίμονα τίκτει
because of a divinity gives birth
οἰχομένου τοῦ βουκόλου ἐς πόλιν.
while the cowherd had gone to the town.
ἦσαν δὲ ἐν φροντίδι ἀμφότεροι ἀλλήλων πέρι,
They were in anxiety, both, for each other,
ὃ μὲν τοῦ τόκου τῆς γυναικὸς ἀρρωδέων,
he being afraid about the labor of the wife,
ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ὅ τι οὐκ ἐωθὼς
and the wife because it was not normal
ὁ Ἅρπαγος μεταπέμψαιτο αὐτῆς τὸν ἄνδρα.
that Harpagus had sent for her husband.
[2] ἐπείτε δὲ ἀπονοστήσας ἐπέστη,
As soon as he, returned, stood before her,
οἷα ἐξ ἀέλπτου ἰδοῦσα
seeing (him) beyond her hopes,
ἡ γυνὴ εἴρετο προτέρη
the woman spoke the first,
ὅ τι μιν οὕτω προθύμως
(asking) why so urgently
Ἅρπαγος μετεπέμψατο.
Harpagos had sent for him.
ὁ δὲ εἶπε «ὤ γύναι,
And he said: “Wife,
εἶδόν τε ἐς πόλιν ἐλθὼν
I saw, having come to the town,
καὶ ἤκουσα τὸ μήτε ἰδεῖν ὄφελον
and heard what I neither ought to have seen,
μήτε κοτὲ γενέσθαι
nor what ever (ought to) have happened
ἐς δεσπότας τοὺς ἡμετέρους.
to our masters.
οἶκος μὲν πᾶς Ἁρπάγου
The house of Harpagos
κλαυθμῷ κατείχετο,
was occupied by weeping;
ἐγὼ δὲ ἐκπλαγεὶς ἤια ἔσω.
and I, being astonished, went within:
[3] ὡς δὲ τάχιστα ἐσῆλθον,
As soon as I entered
ὁρέω παιδίον προκείμενον ἀσπαῖρόν
I see a little child, laid out, struggling
τε καὶ κραυγανόμενον,
and crying,
κεκοσμημένον χρυσῷ τε καὶ ἐσθῆτι ποικίλῃ.
adorned in gold and embroidered clothing.
Ἅρπαγος δὲ ὡς εἶδέ με,
When Harpagos saw me
ἐκέλευε τὴν ταχίστην
he commanded me, in haste,
ἀναλαβόντα τὸ παιδίον
having taken the little child,
οἴχεσθαι φέροντα καὶ θεῖναι
to go, it bearing, and lay it
ἔνθα θηριωδέστατον εἴη
where it is the most full of wild beasts
τῶν ὀρέων,
of the mountains,
φὰς Ἀστυάγεα εἶναι
saying that it was Astyages
τὸν ταῦτα ἐπιθέμενόν μοι,
who laid that upon me,
πόλλ᾽ ἀπειλήσας
grievously threatening me
εἰ μή σφεα ποιήσαιμι.
if I did not do that.
[4] καὶ ἐγὼ ἀναλαβὼν ἔφερον,
And I, having taken it up, bore it away,
δοκέων τῶν τινος οἰκετέων εἶναι·
supposing him to be (the child) of one of the servants;
οὐ γὰρ ἂν κοτὲ κατέδοξα ἔνθεν γε ἦν.
for I could never have guessed whose he was.
ἐθάμβεον δὲ ὁρέων χρυσῷ
But I was amazed at seeing (him) with gold
τε καὶ εἵμασι κεκοσμημένον,
and clothing adorned,
πρὸς δὲ καὶ κλαυθμὸν κατεστεῶτα ἐμφανέα
and also because mourning was made openly
ἐν Ἁρπάγου.
in the house of Harpagos.
[5] καὶ πρόκατε δὴ κατ᾽ ὁδὸν
And very soon on the way
πυνθάνομαι τὸν πάντα λόγον θεράποντος,
I learn the whole story from the servant
ὃς ἐμὲ προπέμπων ἔξω πόλιος
who, conducting me out of the town,
ἐνεχείρισε τὸ βρέφος,
placed in my hands the babe,
ὡς ἄρα Μανδάνης τε εἴη παῖς
that it was the son of Mandane,
τῆς Ἀστυάγεος θυγατρὸς
the daughter of Astyages
καὶ Καμβύσεω τοῦ Κύρου,
and of Cambyses, the son of Cyrus,
καί μιν Ἀστυάγης ἐντέλλεται ἀποκτεῖναι.
and that Astyages gives the command to kill him.
CXII. [1] νῦν τε ὅδε ἐστί.»
And now, this he is.”
ἅμα δὲ ταῦτα ἔλεγε ὁ βουκόλος
And as he said this, the cowherd,
καὶ ἐκκαλύψας ἀπεδείκνυε.
and having uncovered it, showed it,
ἣ δὲ ὡς εἶδε τὸ παιδίον
But she, when she saw the little child,
μέγα τε καὶ εὐειδὲς ἐόν,
being great and well-shaped,
δακρύσασα καὶ λαβομένη τῶν γουνάτων τοῦ ἀνδρὸς
having wept and seized the knees of the man,
ἐχρήιζε μηδεμιῇ τέχνῃ ἐκθεῖναί μιν.
begged him by no means to lay it forth.
[2] ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἔφη οἷός τ᾽ εἶναι
But he said not to be able
ἄλλως αὐτὰ ποιέειν·
that to do otherwise;
ἐπιφοιτήσειν γὰρ κατασκόπους
for that would come backwards spies,
ἐξ Ἁρπάγου ἐποψομένους ,
from Harpagos, being witnesses,
ἀπολέεσθαί τε κάκιστα
and that he would die a most terrible death
ἢν μὴ σφεα ποιήσῃ.
if he did not do that.
ὡς δὲ οὐκ ἔπειθε ἄρα τὸν ἄνδρα,
And when she then did not persuade the man,
δευτέρα λέγει ἡ γυνὴ τάδε.
the wife next sais this:
«ἐπεὶ τοίνυν οὐ δύναμαί
“So then, since I cannot
σε πείθειν μὴ ἐκθεῖναι,
convince you not to expose it,
σὺ δὲ ὧδε ποίησον,
do you as follows,
εἰ δὴ πᾶσα ἀνάγκη
if indeed (there is) great necessity
ὀφθῆναι ἐκκείμενον.
that it is seen laid forth.
τέτοκα γὰρ καὶ ἐγώ,
I too have borne a child,
τέτοκα δὲ τεθνεός.
but I bore it dead.
[3] τοῦτο μὲν φέρων πρόθες,
This one taking put it out,
τὸν δὲ τῆς Ἀστυάγεος θυγατρὸς παῖδα
but the child of the daughter of Astyages
ὡς ἐξ ἡμέων ἐόντα τρέφωμεν.
let us raise it as if being out of us;
καὶ οὕτω οὔτε σὺ ἁλώσεαι
and this way, you won’t be caught
ἀδικέων τοὺς δεσπότας
doing a wrong to the masters,
οὔτε ἡμῖν κακῶς βεβουλευμένα ἔσται·
nor for ourselves there will have been taken bad counsel;
ὅ τε γὰρ τεθνεὼς βασιληίης ταφῆς κυρήσει
for the dead one will obtain a royal burial
καὶ ὁ περιεὼν οὐκ ἀπολέει τὴν ψυχήν.»
and the living one will not lose his life.”
CXIII. [1] κάρτα τε ἔδοξε τῷ βουκόλῳ,
To the cowherd it seemed very much that,
πρὸς τὰ παρεόντα
in regard to the present strait,
εὖ λέγειν ἡ γυνή,
his wife spoke very well,
καὶ αὐτίκα ἐποίεε ταῦτα·
and immediately he did that.
τὸν μὲν ἔφερε θανατώσων παῖδα,
The child which he was bearing to put to death,
τοῦτον μὲν παραδιδοῖ τῇ ἑωυτοῦ γυναικί,
this he delivered to his wife,
τὸν δὲ ἑωυτοῦ ἐόντα νεκρὸν
and his own, being dead,
λαβὼν ἔθηκε ἐς τὸ ἄγγος
it having taken, put it into the chest
ἐν τῷ ἔφερε τὸν ἕτερον·
in which he carried the other,
[2] κοσμήσας δὲ τῷ κόσμῳ παντὶ
and having adorned it with all the adornment
τοῦ ἑτέρου παιδός,
of the other child,
φέρων ἐς τὸ ἐρημότατον
bearing it to the most desolate part
τῶν ὀρέων τίθει.
of the mountains he placed it (there).
ὡς δὲ τρίτη ἡμέρη
And when the third day
τῷ παιδίῳ ἐκκειμένῳ ἐγένετο,
for the child that had been laid forth, had come,
ἤιε ἐς πόλιν ὁ βουκόλος,
he went to the town, the cowherd,
τῶν τινα προβοσκῶν
one of his herdsmen
φύλακον αὐτοῦ καταλιπών,
having left as his watcher.
ἐλθὼν δὲ ἐς τοῦ Ἁρπάγου
And having come to (the house) of Harpagos
ἀποδεικνύναι ἔφη ἕτοιμος εἶναι
he said to be ready to show
τοῦ παιδίου τὸν νέκυν.
of the child the dead body;
[3] πέμψας δὲ ὅ Ἅρπαγος
and Harpagos, having sent
τῶν ἑωυτοῦ δορυφόρων τοὺς πιστοτάτους
of his spearmen the most trusted,
εἶδέ τε διὰ τούτων
through them he saw
καὶ ἔθαψε τοῦ βουκόλου τὸ παιδίον,
and buried the child of the cowherd.
καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐτέθαπτο,
So it was buried;
τὸν δὲ ὕστερον τούτων Κῦρον ὀνομασθέντα
but him, who was after that called Cyrus
παραλαβοῦσα ἔτρεφε ἡ γυνὴ τοῦ βουκόλου,
having received, the wife of the cowherd raised,
οὔνομα ἄλλο κού τι καὶ οὐ Κῦρον θεμένη.
no doubt some other name giving, not Cyrus.
CXIV. [1] καὶ ὅτε ἦν δεκαέτης ὁ παῖς,
And when the boy was ten years,
πρῆγμα ἐς αὑτὸν τοιόνδε γενόμενον
this affair happening with regard to him
ἐξέφηνέ μιν.
revealed him.
ἔπαιζε ἐν τῇ κώμῃ ταύτῃ
He was playing in that village
ἐν τῇ ἦσαν καὶ αἱ βουκολίαι αὗται,
in which were also the herds,
ἔπαιζε δὲ μετ᾽ ἄλλων ἡλίκων ἐν ὁδῷ.
he played with others of his age in the road.
καὶ οἱ παῖδες παίζοντες
And the boys, playing
εἵλοντο ἑωυτῶν βασιλέα εἶναι
chose to be the king of them
τοῦτον δὴ τὸν τοῦ βουκόλου ἐπίκλησιν παῖδα.
this one, the so called son of the cowherd.
[2] ὁ δὲ αὐτῶν διέταξε
Then he commanded of them
τοὺς μὲν οἰκίας οἰκοδομέειν,
some to build houses,
τοὺς δὲ δορυφόρους εἶναι,
and others to be spearmen,
τὸν δέ κου τινὰ αὐτῶν
one of them perhaps
ὀφθαλμὸν βασιλέος εἶναι,
to be the eye of the king;
τῷ δὲ τινὶ τὰς ἀγγελίας φέρειν
and to one to bear the messages
ἐδίδου γέρας,
he gave the honour,
ὡς ἑκάστῳ ἔργον προστάσσων.
in this way to each assaigning work.
[3] εἷς δὴ τούτων τῶν παίδων συμπαίζων,
Now one of these boys, playing with them,
ἐὼν Ἀρτεμβάρεος παῖς
being a son of Artembares,
ἀνδρὸς δοκίμου ἐν Μήδοισι,
a man, notable among the Medes,
οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἐποίησε
because he did not do that
τὸ προσταχθὲν ἐκ τοῦ Κύρου,
which was appointed by Cyrus;
ἐκέλευε αὐτὸν τοὺς ἄλλους παῖδας διαλαβεῖν,
he commanded the other boys to seize him;
πειθομένων δὲ τῶν παίδων
and when the boys obeyed
ὁ Κῦρος τὸν παῖδα τρηχέως κάρτα περιέσπε
Cyrus handled the boy very roughly,
μαστιγέων.
scourging (him).
[4] ὁ δὲ ἐπείτε μετείθη τάχιστα,
But he, so soon as he was let go,
ὡς γε δὴ ἀνάξια
because unworthy things
ἑωυτοῦ παθών,
having suffered from him,
μᾶλλόν τι περιημέκτεε,
was made much more angry,
κατελθὼν δὲ ἐς πόλιν
having gone down to the town
πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἀποικτίζετο
complained to his father
τῶν ὑπὸ Κύρου ἤντησε,
about what he from Cyros underwent,
λέγων δὲ οὐ Κύρου
speaking not of Cyrus,
(οὐ γάρ κω ἦν τοῦτο τοὔνομα),
(for this was not yet the name),
ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοῦ βουκόλου τοῦ Ἀστυάγεος παιδός.
but of the son of the cowherd of Astyages.
[5] ὁ δὲ Ἀρτεμβάρης ὀργῇ ὡς εἶχε
And Artembares, just as angry as he was
ἐλθὼν παρὰ τὸν Ἀστυάγεα
having gone to Astyages
καὶ ἅμα ἀγόμενος τὸν παῖδα
and bringing the son along,
ἀνάρσια πρήγματα ἔφη πεπονθέναι,
said to have suffered reluctant things,
λέγων «ὦ βασιλεῦ, ὑπὸ τοῦ σοῦ δούλου,
saying: “O King, by your slave,
βουκόλου δὲ παιδὸς
the son of a cowherd,
ὧδε περιυβρίσμεθα,»
we have been so ill-treated.”
δεικνὺς τοῦ παιδὸς τοὺς ὤμους.
showing the shoulders of his son.
CXV. [1] ἀκούσας δὲ καὶ ἰδὼν Ἀστυάγης,
And Astyages, having heard and seen (this),
θέλων τιμωρῆσαι τῷ παιδὶ
wishing to revenge the boy
τιμῆς τῆς Ἀρτεμβάρεος εἵνεκα,
for sake of the honour of Artembares,
μετεπέμπετο τόν τε βουκόλον
sent for the cowherd
καὶ τὸν παῖδα.
and the son.
ἐπείτε δὲ παρῆσαν ἀμφότεροι,
And when both were present,
βλέψας πρὸς τὸν Κῦρον ὁ Ἀστυάγης ἔφη
Astyages. having looked at Cyrus, said:
[2] «σὺ δὴ ἐὼν τοῦδε τοιούτου ἐόντος παῖς
“You, being child of one being such as this,
ἐτόλμησας τὸν τοῦδε παῖδα
have dared the son of this
ἐόντος πρώτου παρ᾽ ἐμοὶ
being first for me
ἀεικείῃ τοιῇδε περισπεῖν;»
to treat which such insult?”
ὁ δὲ ἀμείβετο ὧδε.
And he answered thus:
«ὦ δέσποτα, ἐγὼ ταῦτα τοῦτον ἐποίησα σὺν δίκῃ.
“Master, I did that to him with justice.
οἱ γάρ με ἐκ τῆς κώμης παῖδες,
For the boys of the village,
τῶν καὶ ὅδε ἦν,
of whom also he was one,
παίζοντες σφέων αὐτῶν ἐστήσαντο βασιλέα·
while playing set me up as their king,
ἐδόκεον γὰρ σφι εἶναι
for I appeared to them to be
ἐς τοῦτο ἐπιτηδεότατος.
for this most fit.
[3] οἱ μέν νυν ἄλλοι παῖδες
The other boys then
τὰ ἐπιτασσόμενα ἐπετέλεον,
performed what was commanded,
οὗτος δὲ ἀνηκούστεέ
but this one was disobedient
τε καὶ λόγον εἶχε οὐδένα,
and had no reason at all,
ἐς ὃ ἔλαβὲ τὴν δίκην.
for which he got punishment.
εἰ ὦν δὴ τοῦδε εἵνεκα ἄξιός τευ κακοῦ εἰμί,
So, if for this I am worthy any evil,
ὅδε τοὶ πάρειμι.»
here I am.”
CXVI. [1] ταῦτα λέγοντος τοῦ παιδὸς
While the boy said that,
τὸν Ἀστυάγεα ἐσήιε ἀνάγνωσις αὐτοῦ,
there came upon Astyages recognition of him,
καὶ οἱ ὅ τε χαρακτὴρ τοῦ προσώπου
and the lineaments of his face
προσφέρεσθαι ἐδόκεε ἐς ἑωυτὸν
seemed to resemble his own,
καὶ ἡ ὑπόκρισις ἐλευθερωτέρη εἶναι,
and his answering (seemed) to be freer (than customary),
ὅ τε χρόνος τῆς ἐκθέσιος
and the time of the laying forth
τῇ ἡλικίῃ τοῦ παιδὸς ἐδόκεε συμβαίνειν.
seemed to agree with the age of the boy.
[2] ἐκπλαγεὶς δὲ τούτοισι
Astonished at this,
ἐπὶ χρόνον ἄφθογγος ἦν·
he was a while speechless;
μόγις δὲ δή κοτε ἀνενειχθεὶς
and with difficulty having at length recovered himself,
εἶπε, θέλων ἐκπέμψαι τὸν Ἀρτεμβάρεα,
he said, desiring to dismiss Artembares,
ἵνα τὸν βουκόλον μοῦνον λαβὼν
in order that he, having got the cowherd alone
βασανίσῃ,
examined him:
«Ἀρτέμβαρες, ἐγὼ ταῦτα ποιήσω
“Artembares, I shall do that
ὥστε σὲ καὶ τὸν παῖδα τὸν σὸν
that you and your son
μηδὲν ἐπιμέμφεσθαι.»
in nothing complain.”
[3] τὸν μὲν δὴ Ἀρτεμβάρεα πέμπει,
So he sent Artembares away,
τὸν δὲ Κῦρον ἦγον ἔσω οἱ θεράποντες
and the servants led Cyrus inside,
κελεύσαντος τοῦ Ἀστυάγεος,
by order of Astyages.
ἐπεὶ δὲ ὑπελέλειπτο ὁ βουκόλος μοῦνος μουνόθεν,
When the cowherd was left quite alone,
τάδε αὐτὸν εἴρετο ὁ Ἀστυάγεος,
this asked him Astyages,
κόθεν λάβοι τὸν παῖδα
from where he had got the boy
καὶ τίς εἴη ὁ παραδούς.
and who it was, the delivering (man).
[4] ὁ δὲ ἐξ ἑωυτοῦ τε ἔφη γεγονέναι
And he said that he out of him was born,
καὶ τὴν τεκοῦσαν αὐτὸν
and that the bearing him
εἶναι ἔτι παρ᾽ ἑωυτῷ.
was still with him.
Ἀστυάγης δὲ μιν οὐκ εὖ βουλεύεσθαι ἔφη
But Astyages said that he did not well resolve
ἐπιθυμέοντα ἐς ἀνάγκας μεγάλας ἀπικνέεσθαι,
if he wished to come to big tortures,
ἅμα τε λέγων ταῦτα
and as he said that
ἐσήμαινε τοῖσι δορυφόροισι
he made a sign to the spearbearers
λαμβάνειν αὐτόν.
to seize him.
[5] ὁ δὲ ἀγόμενος ἐς τὰς ἀνάγκας
So he, as he was being led to the tortures,
οὕτω δὴ ἔφαινε τὸν ἐόντα λόγον·
then declared the story as it really was;
ἀρχόμενος δὲ ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς
and beginning from the beginning
διεξήιε τῇ ἀληθείῃ χρεώμενος,
explained (all), dealing with the truth,
καὶ κατέβαινε ἐς λιτάς
and ended with entreaties,
τε καὶ συγγνώμην ἑωυτῷ κελεύων ἔχειν αὐτόν.
and bidding him to have forgiveness for him.
CXVII.
[1] Ἀστυάγης δὲ,
And Astyages,
τοῦ μὲν βουκόλου τὴν ἀληθείην ἐκφήναντος
when the cowherd had made known the truth,
λόγον ἤδη καὶ ἐλάσσω ἐποιέετο,
now took less interest (in him),
Ἁρπάγῳ δὲ καὶ μεγάλως μεμφόμενος
but with Harpagus being very angry
καλέειν αὐτὸν τοὺς δορυφόρους ἐκέλευε.
he commanded the spearmen to call him.
[2] ὡς δέ οἱ παρῆν ὁ Ἅρπαγος,
And when Harpagos had come to him,
εἴρετό μιν ὁ Ἀστυάγης
Astyages asked him:
«Ἅρπαγε, τέῳ δὴ μόρῳ τὸν παῖδα κατεχρήσαο
“Harpagos, by what death did you kill the child
τόν τοι παρέδωκα
whom I gave you,
ἐκ θυγατρὸς γεγονότα τῆς ἐμῆς;»
born out of my daughter?”
ὁ δὲ Ἅρπαγος,
And Harpagus,
ὡς εἶδε τὸν βουκόλον ἔνδον ἐόντα,
when he saw the cowherd being within,
οὐ τρέπεται ἐπὶ ψευδέα ὁδόν,
does not take the way of untruth,
ἵνα μὴ ἐλεγχόμενος ἁλίσκηται,
so that he not, being examined, would be captured,
ἀλλὰ λέγει τάδε.
but he sais this.
[3] «ὦ βασιλεῦ, ἐπείτε παρέλαβον τὸ παιδίον,
“O King, when I took the boy,
ἐβούλευον σκοπέων
I thought, considering
ὅκως σοί τε ποιήσω κατὰ νόον,
how I would do for you according to (your) mind,
καὶ ἐγὼ πρὸς σὲ γινόμενος ἀναμάρτητος
and I for you being faultless,
μήτε θυγατρὶ τῇ σῇ
neither for your daughter
μήτε αὐτῷ σοὶ εἴην αὐθέντης.
nor for yourself would be a murderer.
[4] ποιέω δὴ ὧδε·
I did therefore thus:
καλέσας τὸν βουκόλον τόνδε
having called this cowherd
παραδίδωμι τὸ παιδίον,
I deliver the child,
φὰς σέ τε εἶναι τὸν κελεύοντα
telling that it was you who gave the command
ἀποκτεῖναι αὐτό.
to kill it.
καὶ λέγων τοῦτό γε οὐκ ἐψευδόμην·
And saying this I did not lie,
σὺ γὰρ ἐνετέλλεο οὕτω.
for you did so command.
παραδίδωμι μέντοι τῷδε
But I give the child to him,
κατὰ τάδε ἐντειλάμενος,
about that having commanded
θεῖναὶ μιν ἐς ἔρημον ὄρος
to lay it on a desolate mountain,
καὶ παραμένοντα φυλάσσειν ἄχρι οὗ τελευτήσῃ,
and having waited to watch until it was dead,
ἀπειλήσας παντοῖα τῷδε
having threatened all sorts of things to him
ἢν μὴ τάδε ἐπιτελέα ποιήσῃ.
if he did not accomplish this.
[5] ἐπείτε δὲ ποιήσαντος τούτου τὰ κελευόμενα
Then, when he had done that which was ordered.
ἐτελεύτησε τὸ παιδίον,
the child died.
πέμψας τῶν εὐνούχων τοὺς πιστοτάτους
Having sent the most trusted of my eunuchs
καὶ εἶδον δι᾽ ἐκείνων καὶ ἔθαψά μιν.
through them I saw and buried him.
οὕτω ἔσχε ὦ βασιλεῦ
Thus, O king, it happened
περὶ τοῦ πρήγματος τούτου,
about this matter,
καὶ τοιούτῳ μόρῳ ἐχρήσατο ὁ παῖς.»
and this death died the child.”
CXVIII. [1] Ἅρπαγος μὲν δὴ τὸν ἰθὺν ἔφαινε λόγον·
So Harpagus told the true story;
Ἀστυάγης δὲ κρύπτων τὸν οἱ ἐνεῖχε χόλον
Astyages, hiding the anger that he felt against him
διὰ τὸ γεγονός, πρῶτα μέν,
for which had passed, first,
κατά περ ἤκουσε αὐτὸς πρὸς τοῦ βουκόλου,
according to what he had heard himself from the cowherd,
τὸ πρῆγμα πάλιν ἀπηγέετο τῷ Ἁρπάγῳ,
repeated the affair again to Harpagus,
μετὰ δὲ ὣς οἱ ἐπαλιλλόγητο,
then, when he had repeated it for him,
κατέβαινε λέγων ὡς περίεστί τε ὁ παῖς
he ended by saying that the boy was alive
καὶ τὸ γεγονὸς ἔχει καλῶς·
and that that which had happened was well.
[2] «τῷ τε γὰρ πεποιημένῳ» ἔφη λέγων
“For, by what has been done“, he said,
«ἐς τὸν παῖδα τοῦτον ἔκαμνον μεγάλως,
“to this boy, I was greatly afflicted
καὶ θυγατρὶ τῇ ἐμῇ διαβεβλημένος
and that I was estranged from my daughter.
οὐκ ἐν ἐλαφρῷ ἐποιεύμην.
I thought no light thing.
ὡς ὦν τῆς τύχης εὖ μετεστεώσης,
So, because the fortune has turned well,
τοῦτο μὲν τὸν σεωυτοῦ παῖδα ἀπόπεμψον
send your own son
παρὰ τὸν παῖδα τὸν νεήλυδα,
to this boy, the newly come,
τοῦτο δὲ (σῶστρα γὰρ τοῦ παιδὸς μέλλω θύειν
and then, (for I intend to make a sacrifice for the boy
τοῖσι θεῶν τιμὴ αὕτη προσκέεται)
to those of the gods (to whom) that honour belongs),
πάρισθί μοι ἐπὶ δεῖπνον.»
come here to dine with me.”
