Euenius · lines 58–64
The Apollonians keep the oracle secret and send men to draw Euenius into naming his price · Tales from Herodotus · GCSE Greek · OCR J292/02
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SubjectObjectVerbGenitiveDativePrepositionConjunctionAdverb
Greek
English
58οἱ δὲ Ἀπολλωνιᾶται ἀπόρρητα ποιησάμενοι τὰ χρηστήρια
59ταῦτα, προύθεσαν ἀστοῖς τισι διαπρᾶξαι·
The Apollonians kept these oracles secret and gave some of the citizens the task of carrying them out.
59οἱ δὲ
60αὐτοῖς διέπραξαν ὧδε·
They managed it like this:
60καθημένου Εὐηνίου ἐν θάκῳ,
61ἐλθόντες παρίζοντο αὐτῷ, καὶ λόγους ἄλλους ἐποιοῦντο
62εἰς ὃ κατέβαινον συλλυπούμενοι τῷ πάθει.
while Euenius was sitting on a bench, they came and sat down beside him and talked about other things, until they came round to sympathising with his misfortune.
62ταύτῃ δὲ
63ὑπάγοντες ἠρώτων τίνα δίκην ἂν ἕλοιτο, εἰ ἐθέλοιεν
64Ἀπολλωνιᾶται δίκας ὑποστῆναι δώσειν τῶν ποιηθέντων.
Leading him on in this way, they asked what amends he would pick, supposing the Apollonians were prepared to promise him satisfaction for what had been done.
Style notes this section · 13Word order · 2Repetition and structure · 3Word choice · 3Imagery and tone · 3Grammar · 2
58
Ἀπολλωνιᾶται ἀπόρρηταJuxtaposition
the Apollonians … secret
The city's name sits right next to "secret", so the reader sees at once that they mean to hide the truth.
58
ἀπόρρητα ποιησάμενοιIrony
keeping it secret
Euenius once hid the loss of the sheep; now the city hides the oracle from him, so they behave just as he did.
59
ἀστοῖς τισιCharacterisation
some citizens
The men chosen for the job are not named, which makes them seem like tools of the city's plan.
59–60
διαπρᾶξαι … διέπραξανPolyptoton
to carry out … they carried out
The same verb in two forms shows the plan being put into action exactly as arranged.
60
ὧδεEmphatic position
like this
"Like this" ends the clause and points forward, so the reader expects a carefully planned scheme.
60
καθημένου Εὐηνίου ἐν θάκῳVivid detail
while Euenius was sitting on a bench
The blind man sitting quietly on a bench makes a pitiful picture, so the reader feels for him as the trap closes.
61–62
παρίζοντο … ἐποιοῦντο … κατέβαινονImperfect tense
they sat down … made conversation … came round
A run of imperfects shows the conversation unfolding step by step, so the reader sees how patiently the trap is set.
61
λόγους ἄλλουςCharacterisation
other things
They talk about other things first, which shows how cunningly they avoid the real subject.
62
συλλυπούμενοι τῷ πάθειIrony
sympathising with his misfortune
Their sympathy is only a step in the plan, so the reader knows it is not sincere.
63
ὑπάγοντεςRepetition
leading him on
The same verb was used in line 46 when they took him to court, so the men who once led him to trial now lead him into a trap.
63
τίνα δίκην ἂν ἕλοιτοHypothetical question
what compensation he would choose
The optative with ἄν makes it sound like a casual "what if", so Euenius does not realise he is being offered a real deal.
63–64
δίκην … δίκαςPolyptoton
compensation … recompense
The word for compensation appears twice in different forms, which keeps the reader focused on the payment the city is trying to keep small.
63–64
εἰ ἐθέλοιεν ἈπολλωνιᾶταιDramatic irony
if the Apollonians were willing
The citizens pretend the payment depends on the city's goodwill, but the reader knows the gods have ordered it.
Questions to think about · 3
- Why do you think the Apollonians keep the oracle secret from Euenius?
- How does Herodotus show that the conversation with Euenius is carefully planned?
- Compare the Apollonians' behaviour here with Euenius' own behaviour in lines 43–44.
Vocabulary in this section · 37 wordsVocabulary tester
ὁ, ἡ, τό the
δέ and, but
Ἀπολλωνιᾶται, -ῶν, οἱ the Apollonians
ἀπόρρητος, -ον secret, not to be spoken of
ποιέω do, make
χρηστήριον, -ου, τό oracle, oracular response
οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο this
προτίθημι put before, assign
ἀστός, -οῦ, ὁ citizen, townsman
τις, τι a certain, some
διαπράττω carry out, accomplish
αὐτός, -ή, -ό him, her, it; (pl.) them
ὧδε thus, as follows
κάθημαι sit, be seated
Εὐήνιος, -ου, ὁ Euenius
ἐν (+ dat.) in, on
θᾶκος, -ου, ὁ seat, bench
ἔρχομαι come, go
παρίζομαι sit down beside
καί and
λόγος, -ου, ὁ word, talk
ἄλλος, -η, -ο other, another
εἰς (+ acc.) into, to; εἰς ὅ = until
ὅς, ἥ, ὅ who, which
καταβαίνω come down; end up
συλλυπέομαι (+ dat.) sympathise with
πάθος, -ους, τό suffering, misfortune
ὑπάγω lead on gradually; bring before a judge
ἐρωτάω ask, enquire
τίς, τί who? what?
δίκη, -ης, ἡ justice; penalty, compensation
ἄν would
αἱρέω take; (middle) choose
εἰ if
ἐθέλω wish, be willing
ὑφίστημι undertake, promise
δίδωμι give