Q:Hdt. 9.6.1

[chibibaiyun]

Q:Hdt. 9.6.1
ἅμα δὲ ὑπομνήσοντας ὅσα σφι ὑπέσχετο ὁ Πέρσης μεταβαλοῦσι δώσειν, προεῖπαί τε ὅτι εἰ μὴ ἀμυνεῦσι Ἀθηναίοισι, ὡς καὶ αὐτοί τινα ἀλεωρὴν εὑρήσονται.

My question is about "---δώσειν","προεῖπαί",and "ὅτι ---ὡς";a close translation of this sentence would be appreciated greatly!

Thanks a lot!

[modus.irrealis]

δώσειν is the future infinitive here with ὑπέσχετο since verbs meaning "promise" can take a future infinitive. προεῖπαι must go with the earlier ἔπεμπον (sent messengers to tell beforehand/warn) and ὅτι goes with προεῖπαι.

But it's the ὡς that I can't really explain, and I find it a really tricky word at times. The meaning seems clear, but one possibility is that this is case where a verb has been ellipted and usually that verb is taken to be ἴσθι so it's "know that they..." to make the statement stronger. That's how I read it here in context, as strengthening that they will find a way to escape.

So overall I read it as

[sent messengers to blame..] and at the same time to remind [them] of however many [=what] the Persian had promised to give them if they change sides [< participle μεταβαλοῦσι], and to tell them that if they didn't aid the Athenians, they themselves would find some escape.

[chibibaiyun]

προεῖπαι must go with the earlier ἔπεμπον (sent messengers to tell beforehand/warn) and ὅτι goes with προεῖπαι.

you are definitely right! yet, I'm still a little puzzled that is προεῖπαι an infinitive? the infinitive is not προειπεῖν?

by the way, you Greek is terrific! I admire you so much!!!

[modus.irrealis]

The verb εἶπον is usually a second aorist, but you do come across first aorist forms based on εἶπα.