Reginald Walter Macan, Herodotus, The Seventh, Eighth, & Ninth Books with Introduction and Commentary

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λέγεται ὑπὸ Χερσονησιτέων: the express notice of the source is perhaps a disclaimer of responsibility for the story of the τέρας (ter).

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ταρίχους (ι_): cp. 4. 53 etc. The neuter form of this word (cp. L. & S.) predominates in Attic: Hdt. uses it only as masculine.

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ἐπάλλοντό τε καὶ ἤσπαιρον: for πάλλεσθαι cp. 7. 140 supra; άσπαίρειν, cp. 8. 5 supra (an Ionic word).

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ὅκως, ‘as’—comparative. Contr. the uses of ὅκως above, c. 116 ὅκως ἀπίκοιτο, c. 117 ὅκως ἀπάγοιεν (ἐδέοντο).

νεοάλωτοι appears to be an hapaxlegomenon. Everything turns on this. That kippers should dance when laid on the fire is not in itself miraculous.

περιχυθέντες: probably guards or soldiers lying round the fire; cp. 3. 12.

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σοί, ‘for thy benefit’; dat. eth.

ὁ ἐν Ἐλαιοῦντι: it was indeed wonderful that Protesilaos in Elaiûs should reveal a sign in Sestos. He here appears as not a god himself, but a hero, dead and kippered, but with power, by help of the gods, to avenge his wrongs! (δύναμιν πρὸς θεῶν ἔχει, but cp. τῷ θεῷ just below). τίνεσθαι, a τίσις clearly in order. The speech of Artayktes so far might read as a fresh evidence of his δεινότης and ἀτασθαλίη— even though the verb ταριχεύειν is used by Hdt. himself (2. 86 ff.), apparently without the least comic reference, for mummification. It will hardly follow from this passage that the τάφος at Elaiûs actually contained a mummy: Artayktes speaks metaphorically.

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ἄποινα: cp. 6. 79. ἐπιθεῖναι: Artayktes acts as judge and jury in his own case (cp. δίκην ταύτην ἐπέθηκε 1. 120, ταύτην τὴν ζημίην ἐπέθηκαν 1. 145). He offers a fine, 100 talents, instead of the objects of value robbed from the temple (what of them? had they been recovered and restored?), and 200 talents to be paid (ἀποδώσω) to the Athenians as ransom for son and self.

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τὸν στρατηγὸν Ξάνθιππον: the offer must have been conveyed to Xanthippos by the guard. Artayktes apparently could speak Greek. The men of Elaiûs, τῷ Π. τιμωρέοντες, cp. 8. 144. 11, demanded his execution (καταχρησθῆναι pass., cp. καταχρήσασθαι mid. 1. 82 etc.), and the general himself inclined to the same view (νόος ἔφερε, cp. 8. 100 ἔφερέ οἱ ἡ γνώμη).

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οἳ δὲ λέγουσι: no variant is recognized in 7. 33 supra. The absence of a cross reference is significant. It is remarkable that the exact scene of the crucifixion was in dispute; but that doubt did not extend to the crucifixion itself. On the ἀκτή cp. l.c. Artayktes was crucified, 7. 33 adds ζῶντα, which is plainly the sense of this passage. The fate of his son (cp. c. 4 supra) is comparatively merciful; but these executions do not exhibit the εἰωθυῖα πραότης of the Demos. The victitus were perhaps handed over to the Ἐλαιούσιοι, or the Χερσονησῖται, though Hdt. writes as though the Athenians present were the executioners.