GCSE Greek Herodotus set text (lines 64-110): Megacles' Marriage

Κλεισθένει τῷ Σικυωνίῳ τυράννῳ γίγνεται θυγάτηρ ᾗ ὄνοµα ἦν Ἀγαρίστη.

To Cleisthenes, the tyrant of Sicyon, a daughter was born, named Agariste.

Ὀλυµπίων οὖν ὄντων ὁ Κλεισθένης, νικῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς τεθρίππῳ, κήρυγµα τοῦτο ἐποιήσατο,

Therefore, during the Olympics, Cleisthenes, when he was victorious in the chariot races in them, made this public announcement:

ταύτην ἠθέλησεν, Ἑλλήνων ἁπάντων ἐξευρὼν τὸν ἄριστον, τούτῳ γυναῖκα προσθεῖναι.

And he wished, having found the best man of all the Greeks, to give her as a wife to that man.

'ὅστις Ἑλλήνων ἑαυτὸν ἀξιοῖ Κλεισθένους γαµβρὸς γενέσθαι,

"Whoever of the Greeks would think himself worthy to become the son-in-law of Cleisthenes,

ἡκέτω εἰς Σικυῶνα, ὡς κυρώσοντος Κλεισθένους τὸν γάµον ἐν ἐνιαυτῷ.'

let him come to Sicyon, on the grounds that Cleisthenes will decide the marriage within a year."

ἐνταῦθα ὅσοι τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἦσαν ἑαυτοῖς τε καὶ πάτρᾳ ἐξωγκωµένοι ἐφοίτων µνηστῆρες·

From then on, all the Greeks who were swollen with pride in themselves and in their fatherland were flocking there as suitors.

ἐκ δὲ Ἀθηνῶν ἀφίκοντο Μεγακλῆς τε ὁ Ἀλκµαίωνος, τοῦ παρὰ Κροῖσον ἀφικοµένου,

From Athens came Megacles son of Alcmaeon, who had come to Croesus,

καὶ Ἱπποκλείδης Τισάνδρου πλούτῳ καὶ εἴδει τῶν ἄλλων Ἀθηναίων προφέρων.

and also Hippocleides son of Tisander, who surpassed the other Athenians in wealth and beauty.

ἀφικοµένων δὲ τούτων ὁ Κλεισθένης πρῶτον µὲν τὰς πάτρας τε αὐτῶν ἀνεπύθετο καὶ γένος ἑκάστου·

First, Cleisthenes made thorough inquiries of these who arrived, about their fatherlands and the family of each man;

µετὰ δὲ κατέχων ἐνιαυτὸν διεπειρᾶτο αὐτῶν τῆς τε ἀνδραγαθίας καὶ τῆς ὀργῆς καὶ παιδεύσεώς τε καὶ τρόπου·

and then, keeping them with him for a year, he made trial of their manhood, their temperament, their education,and their character;

καὶ ἅµα ἐξένιζεν αὐτοὺς µεγαλοπρεπῶς.

and at the same time, he hosted them magnificently.

καὶ δή που µάλιστα τῶν µνηστήρων ἠρέσκοντο οἱ ἀπ᾽ Ἀθηνῶν ἀφιγµένοι·

And indeed, I suppose, those who came from Athens were the most pleasing of the suitors;

καὶ τούτων µᾶλλον Ἱπποκλείδης ὁ Τισάνδρου.

and Hippocleides, son of Tisander, above the rest.

ὡς δὲ ἡ κυρία ἡµέρα ἐγίγνετο τῆς κατακλίσεως τοῦ γάµου,

And when the appointed day arrived for the wedding celebration,

θύσας βοῦς ἑκατὸν ὁ Κλεισθένης εὐώχει αὐτούς τε τοὺς µνηστῆρας καὶ Σικυωνίους πάντας.

Cleisthenes, after sacrificing 100 cows, entertained them well with a feast, both the suitors and all the Sicyonians.

ὡς δὲ ἐδείπνησαν, οἱ µνηστῆρες ἔριν εἶχον ἀµφὶ µουσικῇ·

And when they had dined, the suitors held a contest of song and dance;

προιούσης δὲ τῆς πόσεως ὁ Ἱπποκλείδης, πολὺ κατέχων τοὺς ἄλλους

and with the drink running free, Hippocleides, much outdoing the others,

ἐκέλευσε τὸν αὐλητὴν αὐλῆσαι αὐτῷ ἐµµέλειαν, πειθοµένου δὲ τοῦ αὐλητοῦ ὠρχήσατο.

ordered the piper to play a dancing-song for him, and when the piper obeyed, he danced.

καί πως ἑαυτῷ µὲν ἀρεστῶς ὠρχεῖτο· ὁ δὲ Κλεισθένης ὁρῶν ὅλον τὸ πρᾶγµα ὑπώπτευε.

And he danced in a way pleasing to himself. But Cleisthenes, watching the whole thing, looked on with suspicion.

µετὰ δὲ ὁ Ἱπποκλείδης ἐκέλευσέ τινα τράπεζαν εἰσενεγκεῖν,

And afterward, Hippocleides ordered someone to bring in a table,

εἰσελθούσης δὲ τῆς τραπέζης πρῶτον µὲν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς ὠρχήσατο Λακωνικὰ καὶ Ἀττικὰ σχηµάτια,

and when the table came in, first he danced the Spartan and Attic dances on it,

ἔπειτα δὲ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐρείσας ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν τοῖς σκέλεσιν ἐχειρονόµησε.

and then, having planted his head upon the table, he gesticulated with his legs.

Κλεισθένης δέ, τὸ µὲν πρῶτον ὀρχουµένου αὐτοῦ,

And when he first started dancing, although Cleisthenes,

ἀποστυγῶν γαµβρὸν ἂν γενέσθαι ἑαυτῷ Ἱπποκλείδη διὰ τήν τε ὄρχησιν καὶ τὴν ἀναίδειαν,

hating the thought that Hippocleides would become his son-in-law because of the dancing and shameless behavior,

κατεῖχεν ἑαυτόν, οὐ βουλόµενος ἐκραγῆναι εἰς αὐτόν·

restrained himself, not wanting to burst out in anger against him.

ὡς δὲ εἶδε τοῖς σκέλεσι χειρονοµήσαντα,

But when he saw that he had gesticulated with his legs,

οὐκέτι κατέχειν δυνάµενος εἶπεν, 'ὦ παῖ Τισάνδρου, ἀπωρχήσω γε µὴν τὸν γάµον.'

no longer able to restrain himself, he said, "Son of Tisander, you have certainly danced away your marriage."

ὁ δὲ Ἱπποκλείδης ὑπολαβὼν εἶπεν 'οὐ φροντὶς Ἱπποκλείδῃ.'

And Hippocleides said in response, "This is of no concern to Hippocleides."

ὁ δὲ Κλεισθένης σιγὴν ποιησάµενος ἔλεξεν εἰς µέσον τάδε,

and Cleisthenes, having demanded silence, said this in the middle of the suitors:

'ἄνδρες παιδὸς τῆς ἐµῆς µνηστῆρες, ἐγὼ καὶ πάντας ὑµᾶς ἐπαινῶ, καὶ πᾶσιν ὑµῖν, εἰ οἷόν τε εἴη, χαριζοίµην ἄν,

Men, suitors of my daughter, I praise you all, and I would please you all, if it were possible,

µήτε ἕνα ὑµῶν ἐξαίρετον ἀποκρίνων, µήτε τοὺς λοιποὺς ἀποδοκιµάζων.

neither selecting a chosen one of you nor rejecting the rest.

ἀλλ᾽, οὐ γὰρ οἷός τ᾽ εἰµὶ µιᾶς περὶ παρθένου βουλεύων πᾶσι κατὰ νοῦν ποιεῖν,

But I am not able, having to plan for a single maiden, to act on behalf of the wishes of everyone,

τοῖς µὲν ὑµῶν ἀπελαυνοµένοις τοῦδε τοῦ γάµου τάλαντον ἀργυρίου ἑκάστῳ δωρεὰν δίδωµι,

and so to those of you excluded from this wedding, I give you each a talent of silver as a gift.

τῷ δὲ Μεγακλεῖ τῷ Ἀλκµαίωνος ἐγγυῶ παῖδα τὴν ἐµὴν Ἀγαρίστην.'

But to Megacles, son of Alcmaeon, I betroth my child, Agariste."