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τοῖσι δὲ ὦν Λ. For the force of the particles cp. Madvig, § 266.
μῆνις κατέσκηψε Ταλθυβίου: the manifestation of ‘the wrath’ appears to have been that all sacrifices proved unfavourable; but Hdt. does not say how it was known to he the wrath of Talthybios. If the existence of the wrath, and the occurrence of prior manifestations, are anything more than inferences from the fate of the Spartans in 430 B.C. (c. 137 infra), it may be that something untoward occurred in the temple of Talthybios in Sparta, or, as Stein suggests, that Delphi interpreted a sign. Hdt. indeed seems to discriminate the first manifestation from the unfavourable sacrifices (μεπὰ δὲ ταῦτα); but this may be simply stylistic inconsequence. It is, however, remarkable that a long while elapses (χρόνον σύχνόν) between the unfavourable sign and the first attempt at reparation. What the exact date of the latter, and what the interval between the outrage and the first sign of wrath, are points left uncertain.
Ταλθυβίου ἱρόν: Pausan. 3. 12. 6 apparently mentions this temple (Ταλθυβίου μνῆμα) near the ‘Hellenion’ (ep. p. 196a infra). It affords a clear instance of heio<*> and ancestor-worship, and of the adoption, or tolerance, by ‘Dorian’ Sparta, of the prae-Dorian and traditions; cp. c. 159 infra. <*> may or may not have seen this Heroon; but the end of the menis must date after his visit to Sparta.
Ταλθυβιάδαι ... τοῖσι αἱ κηρυκηίαι κτλ. Doubtless in Sparta there were many families of prae-Dorian extraction enjoying full privileges (so too the Αἰγεῖδαι, 4. 149), the Royal Houses themselves, or the elder one (cp. 5. 72). It is curious that Hdt. when describing the hereditary heraldry of Sparta (6. 60) has not given the name of the clan. (6. 59 f. looks like an addition, but perhaps when Hdt. made it he was not acquainted with the clan names.)
δέδονται: from δέδομαι an anomalous perf. pass. in general use. For the use of the tense in this connexion cp. 6. 56 γέρεα ... δεδώκασι.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα: the ταῦτα is vague, and hardly requires us to distinguish the dies irae (μῆνις κατέσκηψε) from the unfavourable sign (καλλιερῆσαι ούκ έδυνατο), yet the stylistic inconsequence, like the inarticulate chronology, marks the desperate straits of the story-teller. It may be that we have here some dim adumbration of the troubles in Sparta after the battle of Marathon (cp. 6. 74, 75, and Appendix III. § 3), which Hdt. there records, without reference to ‘the wrath of Talthybios.’ The construction καλλιερῆσαι θυομένοισι οὐκ ἐδύνατο is observable; καλλιρέειν is used (a) of the person sacrificing: Xenoph. Kyrop. 6. 4. 12 ὡς δ᾽ ἐκεκαλλιερήκει μὲν ὁ Κῦρος κτλ. Also in the middle voice, cp. c. 113 supra; and though Hdt. does not use the active with a personal subject, he uses the passive with neuter subject 9. 19 infra. (b) Hdt., however, uses the active with the neuter subject, expressed or understood, as in 9. 19 καλλιερησάντων τῶν ἱρῶν, 9. 38 οὐκ ἐκαλλιέρεε τοῖσι Πέρσῃσι ὥστε μάχεσθαι (cp. 6. 76). It will, therefore, be best to take καλλιερῆσαι here as in neuter construction, and supply τὰ ἵρα with οὐκ ἐδύνατο. Cp. also 9. 61 τῶν σφαγίων οὐ γινομένων (sc. καλῶν).
συμφορῇ χρεωμένων: cp. συμφορὴν ποιέεσθαι cc. 117, 118 supra (calamitatis loco aliquid habere, Baehr). Λακεδαιμονίων: Hdt. does not in this passage appear to intend any marked distinction between A. and Σπαρτιῆται, yet perhaps Σπ. above might refer to Spartan citizens, even in their individual capacity, while A. as usual may connote official or corporate action. Cp. ἄνδρες Σπαρτιῆται just below, but Σπαρτιῆται lower again=Λακεδαιμόνιοι. α<*>λίης: an official word for the Assembly in some Dorian states, e.g. Korkyra (cp. C.I.G. 1841 ff.), but not at Sparta As Hdt. has not used the Ionic term (ἀγορά) nor the Attic term (ἐκκλησία), it is curions that he has not used the technical Spartan term άπέλλα (cp. Plutarch, Lyk. 6, Hesych sub v.). But Hdt. uses this word (ἁλίη, ἁλία） elsewhere of meetings in Miletos (5. 29), in Thebes (5. 79), and even in Persia (1. 125).
The κήρυγμα will presumably have been cried by a Talthybiad. It implies that the cause of the wrath has been ascertained, and invites a devotio.
πρό, ‘on behalf of’; cp. 9. 72, and also, not perhaps without some local force, 8. 74, 9. 48.
Σπερθίης τε ὁ Ἀν. καὶ Βου_λις ὁ Ν.: names alternate in houses from father to son at Sparta as at Athens to a certain extent; cp. 3. 55; not, however, in the Royal Houses, for obvious reasons. These men were Talthybiads, as the story shows. Whether there were two chief heralds (corresponding to the two kings) we cannot say, but it looks not improbable. The description of these men (φύσι τε γεγονότες εὖ καὶ χρήμασι ἀνήκοντες ἐς τὰ πρῶτα) points to recognized distiuctions of birth and wealth even at Sparta. As the twain are sent to ‘Xerxes,’ this first act of reparation falls ex hypothesi at the earliest into the year 485 B.C., and may well fall a year or two later, even if the heralds went to Susa, as alleged in the next c. (If the story is but a duplicate of the mission of the ὲπίσκοποι, cc. 146 f. infra, the date would be the winter of 481-80 B.C. Cp. notes ad l.）
ἐς Μήδους: an unusual expression for Hdt., who is generally more precise in his Asiatic termini; perhaps significant here of his source. Hdt. knows well that Susa is not in Media, but the phrase here has a political rather than a strict geographical significance.
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