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ἀεικές: poetical = οὐκ εἰκός, ‘wonderful, extraordinary’; cf. iii. 33. The un-Herodotean phrase ἐν χρησμῷ ἦν γεγραμμένον betrays the interpolation of the quotation.

δύναται ... καλέοιεν. These words have but a slight connexion with the context, and look like a footnote appended either by the historian or by a commentator. The ignorance of Persian is similar to that shown elsewhere (cf. i. 131, 139 nn.).

The author evidently believes that Artaxerxes is a compound of Xerxes, whereas the Persian forms Khshayârshâ and Artakhshathra are plainly distinct. Nor are the translations in any sense accurate. Dârayavau probably means ‘he who holds goods’, bonorum possessor, though it might perhaps mean ‘he who holds back’, Greek ἕκτωρ, Lat. coercitor. Khshayârshâ =‘the mighty prince’. If Khshaya can = Shah, or prince, since arsha is clearly ἄρσην (cf. Arsames, Arsakes), ‘strong, mighty,’ Artakhshathra (later Ardashir) = ‘he whose kingdom or rule is perfect.’ Arta = perfect, excelsum; shathra = regnum. See further Darmesteter in Abbott, p. 330, and Meyer, Forsch. i. 194-5. A. B. Cook (Cl. R. xxi. 169) would rewrite the passage Δαρεῖος ἀρηίος, Ξέρξης ἐρξίης, Ἀρταξέρξης κάρτα ἐρξίης, so as to connect the Persian names with the Greek words similar to them.

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