120 Cp. ch. 72.
121 τεν κατυπερθε οδον, i.e. further away from the Euxine eastwards.
122 ο θεοσ.
123 κηορισ μεν γαρ φορον: many Editors substitute φορον for φορον, but φορον may stand if taken not with κηορισ but with το εκαστοισι επεβαλλον.
124 Cp. ch. 184, “the Assyrian history.”
125 υπερθεμενοσ, a conjectural emendation of υποθεμενοσ, cp. ch. 108 where the MSS. give υπερθεμενοσ, (the Medicean with υπο written above as a correction).
126 Or “expose me to risk,” “stake my safety.”
127 Or “thou wilt suffer the most evil kind of death”: cp. ch. 167.
128 τασ αγγελιασ φερειν, i.e. to have the office of αγγελιεφοροσ (ch. 120) or εσαγγελευσ (iii. 84), the chamberlain through whom communications passed.
129 διαλαβειν. So translated by Mr. Woods.
130 εσ τασ αναγκασ, “to the necessity,” mentioned above.
131 Or “to celebrate good fortune.”
132 ακρεον κηειρον τε και ποδον: cp. ii. 121 (e), αποταμοντα εν το ομο τεν κηειρα.
133 εστι τε ο παισ και περιεστι. So translated by Mr. Woods.
134 ερκηε: a few inferior MSS. have εικηε, which is adopted by several Editors.
135 παρα σμικρα . . . κεκηορεκε, “have come out equal to trifles.”
136 κυον: cp. ch. 110.
137 συ νυν, answering to σε γαρ θεοι επορεουσι: the MSS. and some Editors read συ νυν.
138 i.e. of the race of Perses: see vii. 61.
139 “how his change from a throne to slavery was as compared with that feast, etc.,” i.e. what did he think of it as a retribution.
140 See ch. 106. The actual duration of the Median supremacy would be therefore a hundred years.
141 This is by some altered to “Alilat,” by comparison of iii. 8.
142 στεμμασι, i.e. the chaplets wound round with wool which were worn at Hellenic sacrifices.
143 ουλεσι.
144 Cp. vii. 61.
145 σιτοισι: perhaps “plain dishes.”
146 προσκυνεει, i.e. kisses his feet or the ground.
147 τον λεγομενον, a correction of το λεγομενο. (The Medicean MS. has τοι λεγομενοι like the rest, not τοι λεγομενο, as stated by Stein.)
148 εκηομενον, κατα τον αυτον δε λογον: the MSS. and most Editors have εκηομενον. κατα τον αυτον δε λογον; “and this same rule the Persians observe in giving honour.” This, however, makes it difficult (though not impossible) to refer το εθνοσ in the next clause to the Medes, and it can hardly be referred to the Persians, who certainly had not the same system of government. Perhaps however we may translate thus, “for each race extended forward thus their rule or their deputed authority.”
149 Cp. vii. 194.
150 πολλοι: omitted, or corrected variously, by Editors. There is, perhaps, something wrong about the text in the next clause also, for it seems clear that white doves were not objected to by the Persians. See Stein’s note.
151 See ch. 95.
152 These words, “neither those towards the East nor those towards the West” have perhaps been interpolated as an explanation of τα ανο and τα κατο. As an explanation they can hardly be correct, but the whole passage is vaguely expressed.
153 τροπουσ τεσσερασ παραγογεον.
154 i.e. the Asiatic Ionians who had formed a separate confederacy. Some understand it to mean the Milesians, but this would give no satisfactory connection with what follows.
155 πενταπολιοσ.
156 εξαπολιοσ.