I think I mentioned here previously that I’ve been having fun lately reading through Herodotus’ in the English translation of the Landmark series. And as I’ve been reading I’ve also been flagging short passages that I thought I might try translating later so I could see whether, armed with my Cambridge Lexicon and chapter 25 of my Cambridge Grammar, I might have reached the point where I’m able to read a bit of Ionic lit.
Anyways, below is my first attempt along with a few questions. Feedback is appreciated.
[1] τοιούτῳ μὲν τρόπῳ προσηγάγετο τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ὥστε δικαιοῦν δουλεύειν, ἐχρᾶτο δὲ καταστάσι πρηγμάτων τοιῇδε· τὸ μὲν ὄρθριον μέχρι ὅτευ πληθούσης ἀγορῆς προθύμως ἔπρησσε τὰ προσφερόμενα πρήγματα, τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ τούτου ἔπινέ τε καὶ κατέσκωπτε τοὺς συμπότας καὶ ἦν μάταιός τε καὶ παιγνιήμων.
In that way he [Amasis] won over the Egyptians so they thought it right to be his subjects. But he handled matters of state according to the following routine. During the early hours, until the marketplaces filled up, he enthusiastically dealt with whatever matters were brought before him. But after that he spent the rest of the day in carefree fashion, playing games and drinking and horsing around with his companions.
[2] ἀχθεσθέντες δὲ τούτοισι οἱ φίλοι αὐτοῦ ἐνουθέτεον αὐτὸν τοιάδε λέγοντες. ὦ βασιλεῦ, οὐκ ὀρθῶς, σεωυτοῦ προέστηκας, ἐς τὸ ἄγαν φαῦλον προάγων σεωυτόν. σὲ γὰρ ἐχρῆν ἐν θρόνῳ σεμνῷ σεμνὸν θωκέοντα διʼ ἡμέρης πρήσσειν τὰ πρήγματα, καὶ οὕτω Αἰγύπτιοί τʼ ἂν ἠπιστέατο ὡς ὑπʼ ἀνδρὸς μεγάλου ἄρχονται, καὶ ἄμεινον σὺ ἂν ἤκουες· νῦν δὲ ποιέεις οὐδαμῶς βασιλικά.
Upset with this kind of behavior, his friends began to admonish him, saying, “O King, it’s not appropriate that you conduct yourself with so much trivial behavior! It would be more fitting if you dealt with matters of state throughout the day, presiding over them from your august throne, as then the Egyptians would believe they are being ruled by a great man and would speak of you with greater respect. But in your present behavior you are not at all acting in a dignified fashion as a king should.”
[3] ὃ δʼ ἀμείβετο τοῖσιδε αὐτούς. τὰ τόξα οἱ ἐκτημένοι, ἐπεὰν μὲν δέωνται χρᾶσθαι, ἐντανύουσι· εἰ γὰρ δὴ τὸν πάντα χρόνον ἐντεταμένα εἴη, ἐκραγείη ἄν, ὥστε ἐς τὸ δέον οὐκ ἂν ἔχοιεν αὐτοῖσι χρᾶσθαι.
But he answered them like this: “If someone possesses a bow, and they need to use it, then at that point they string it. Because if a bow is always left strung, it will certainly snap asunder eventually and so won’t be available when the need for it suddenly arises.”
[4] οὕτω δὲ καὶ ἀνθρώπου κατάστασις· εἰ ἐθέλοι κατεσπουδάσθαι αἰεὶ μηδὲ ἐς παιγνίην τὸ μέρος ἑωυτὸν ἀνιέναι, λάθοι ἂν ἤτοι μανεὶς ἢ ὅ γε ἀπόπληκτος γενόμενος· τὰ ἐγὼ ἐπιστάμενος μέρος ἑκατέρῳ νέμω. ταῦτα μὲν τοὺς φίλους ἀμείψατο.
Such was the routine of this man. For he thought that if he was always seriously engaged in matters of state and didn’t give a portion of his time to simply relaxing and playing around, he would either go crazy or at least end up paralyzed. I myself also carefully allocate part of my time in a similar fashion. Anyways, that is how he answered his friends.
A couple of questions:
1. Those pronouns are tricky. Have I missed any nuances in how they’re used here?
2. I’m not sure in section 4 whether it’s Herodotus talking about himself (as I’ve translated here) or whether the ἐγὼ is Amasis being quoted. Which is correct? Also, what’s the τὰ for in τὰ ἐγὼ ἐπιστάμενος μέρος ἑκατέρῳ νέμω in section 4?
3. Anything else I’ve missed or gotten wrong here?
Thanks!