Hdt. 8.76.2

Greek Learning Greek
1

I have just come across this quotation from Herodotus in my reading of the CGCG. Here is the sentence in full;

τῶνδε δὲ εἵνεκα ἀνῆγον τὰς νέας, ἵνα δὴ τοῖσι Ἕλλησι μηδὲ φυγεῖν ἐξῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπολαμφθέντες ἐν τῇ Σαλαμῖνι δοῖεν τίσιν τῶν ἐπ᾽ Ἀρτεμισίῳ ἀγωνισμάτων.

The latter part is translated as “…but that they (the Hellenes) would be punished for their achievements off Artemisium.” I could not understand “punished for” until I found the meaning “pay” 8 in the CGL. But then I don’t know what to make of τίσιν unless it is just a dative of cause “pay because of (for) some of the achievements.” I know that δίκην διδόναι means “to suffer punishment, make amends” according to the LSJ. Has the δίκην been left out? I would be thankful for any light you can shed on this.

2

Notice that they are quoting this with an ellipse: “ἀλλ’…δοῖεν τίσιν” which explains the dropped participle in translation.

I don’t know about τίσιν. My immediate feel for the meaning was “that they might pay out to someone out of their victories ἐπ Ἀρτεμισίῳ.” So emphasis? That’s just a guess.

I’m not sure that I like the explanation of the subjunctive/optative here as “purpose more immediately relevant for the subject of the verb.” I would have said he’s presenting their plan followed by their hope.

3

Hi Charlie,
It’s a slightly different idiom - “τίσιν δοῦναι” , where τίσιν is the acc. sg. of τίσις. Here’s the LSJ entry:
https://logeion.uchicago.edu/τίσις

4

Ah, that makes sense. I’ve seen τίσις before and should have realized.

5

Thank you both. I am so glad I asked, but I am feeling a little sheepish for not looking a bit harder. I did not know this word τίσις. All is clear to me now.

6

The accent is a tip-off, τίσιν not τισὶν. It’s cognate with the verb τίνω. διδόναι τίσιν is like διδόναι δίκην.

7

I should have known that, mwh. Thank you. I often get tripped up in the most elementary things. It just goes to show the importance of mastering the basics.