Κατὰ τάδε συνθήκας ἐποιήσαντο Ἡλιῶται καὶ οἱ σύμμαχοι πρὸς Σεληνίτας καὶ τοὺς συμμάχους, ἐπὶ τῷ καταλῦσαι μὲν Ἡλιώτας τὸ διατείχισμα καὶ μηκέτι ἐς τὴν σελήνην ἐσβάλλειν, ἀποδοῦναι δὲ καὶ τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους  ῥητοῦ ἕκαστον χρήματος, τοὺς δὲ Σεληνίτας ἀφεῖναι μὲν αὐτονόμους τούς γε ἄλλους ἀστέρας, ὅπλα δὲ μὴ ἐπιφέρειν τοῖς Ἡλιώταις, συμμαχεῖν δὲ τῇ ἀλλήλων, ἤν τις ἐπίῃ· φόρον δὲ ὑποτελεῖν ἑκάστου ἔτους τὸν βασιλέα τῶν Σεληνιτῶν τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν Ἡλιωτῶν δρόσου ἀμφορέας μυρίους, καὶ ὁμήρους δὲ σφῶν αὐτῶν δοῦναι μυρίους, τὴν δὲ ἀποικίαν τὴν ἐς τὸν Ἑωσφόρον κοινῇ ποιεῖσθαι, καὶ μετέχειν τῶν ἄλλων τὸν βουλόμενον· ἐγγράψαι δὲ τὰς συνθήκας στήλῃ ἠλεκτρίνῃ καὶ ἀναστῆσαι ἐν μέσῳ τῷ ἀέρι ἐπὶ τοῖς μεθορίοις. ὤμοσαν δὲ Ἡλιωτῶν μὲν Πυρωνίδης καὶ Θερείτης καὶ Φλόγιος, Σεληνιτῶν δὲ Νύκτωρ καὶ Μήνιος καὶ Πολυλάμπης.

    κατὰ τάδε: "according to the following terms"

    ἐπὶ τῷ + articular infin.: "on the condition that."

    ἐς τὴν σελήνην (sc. στρατίαν) ἐσβάλλειν: "throw (sc. an army) into the moon," i.e. "invade the moon."

    ἀποδοῦναι: aor. act. infin. of ἀποδίδωμι "that they hand over."

    ῥητοῦ ἕκαστον χρήματος: "at a fixed charge per head," (S. 1372, G. 513).

    τοὺς δὲ Σεληνίτας ἀφεῖναι...τούς γε ἄλλους ἀστέρας: "and that the Moonites allow (the other stars to...)," (ἀφεῖναι = aor. act. infin. of ἀφίημι).

    συμμαχεῖν τῇ (sc. γῇ) ἀλλήλων: "to aid each other" (lit. "to ally with each others' territory"), the language of a a formal defensive alliance; see Thucydides, Histories 1.44 and 5.27.2).

    συμμαχεῖν...ἤν τις ἐπίῃ: "to aid...if anyone attacks," general condition in indir. statement with an infin. in the apodosis (S. 2337 and 2350). 

    ἐπίῃ: pres. subj. 3. sg. of ἐπέρχομαι.

    ἑκάστου ἔτους: "each year," (S. 1445).

    δρόσου ἀμφορέας μυρίους: "10,000 jars of dew" (S. 1323). This specifies the tribute (φόρον) to be paid. 

    ὁμήρους δὲ σφῶν αὐτῶν δοῦναι μυρίους: "and give 10,000 of their own men as hostages."

    κοινῇ: "in common, together" (S. 1527c).

    τὸν βουλόμενον: "anyone who wishes" (G. 582b; S. 2052), accusative subject of μετέχειν.

    ἀναστῆσαι: aor. act. infin. of ἀνίστημι, "set up."

    ὤμοσαν: aor. act. 3 pl. of ὄμνυμι, "they swore."

    For the Sun: Firebrace, Parcher, and Burns.

    For the Moon: Darkling, Moony, and Allbright.

    VERB LIST

    συνθήκη, ἡ: an agreement; pl. treaty

    Ἡλιώτης, -ου, ὁ: Sunite

    Σεληνίτης, -ου, ὁ: Moonite

    καταλύω: put down, destroy

    διατείχισμα, -ατος, τό: a dividing wall

    μηκέτι: no more, no longer

    σελήνη, ἡ: the moon

    εἰσβάλλω (ἐσβάλλω): invade

    αἰχμάλωτος, -ον: taken prisoner, captive; pl. prisoners of war

    ῥητός, -ή, -όν: stated, specified

    ἀφίημι: leave, allow

    αὐτόνομος, -ον: independent

    ἀστήρ, -έρος, ὁ: a star

    ἐπιφέρω: bear (arms) against, make (war) on (+ dat.)

    συμμαχέω: ally with, help, assist (+ dat.)

    ἐπέρχομαι: attack

    φόρος, ὁ: a tribute

    ὑποτελέω: pay

    δρόσος, ἡ: dew

    ἀμφορεύς, -έως, ὁ: an amphora, jar

    ὅμηρος, ὁ: a hostage

    ἀποικία, ἡ: a settlement, colony

    Ἑωσφόρος, ὁ: Morning Star

    μετέχω: share in, participate in (+ gen.)

    ἐγγράφω: inscribe

    ἠλέκτρινος, -η, -ον: electrum (alloy of gold and silver)

    στήλη, ἡ: a block of stone

    ἀνίστημι: set up

    ἀήρ, ἀέρος, ὁ: air

    μεθόρια, τά: borders, boundaries 

    ὄμνυμι: swear to a thing, affirm or confirm by oath

    Article Nav
    Previous
    Next

    Suggested Citation

    Eric Casey, Evan Hayes, and Stephen Nimis, Lucian True History. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2023. ISBN: .
    https://dcc.dickinson.edu/lucian-true/book-1/1-20