Ἱστορίαι Ἡροδότου — θ’
Herodotus’ Histories — #9
May 2021
The Bath-Gymnasium complex at Sardis, late 2nd - early 3rd century AD, Sardis, Turkey — Carole Raddato
We continue herein with the madness of Candaules’ proposition to show his wife’s naked body to Gyges; the latter is, understandably enough, concerned about possible repercussions, but Candaules assures him that nothing will happen and walks him through his plan.
Ὃ μὲν δὴ λέγων τοιαῦτα ἀπεμάχετο, ἀρρωδέων μὴ τί οἱ ἐξ αὐτῶν γένηται κακόν, ὃ δʼ ἀμείβετο τοῖσιδε. “θάρσεε, Γύγη, καὶ μὴ φοβεῦ μήτε ἐμέ, ὡς σέο πειρώμενος λέγω λόγον τόνδε, μήτε γυναῖκα τὴν ἐμήν, μὴ τὶ τοι ἐξ αὐτῆς γένηται βλάβος. ἀρχήν γὰρ ἐγὼ μηχανήσομαι οὕτω ὥστε μηδέ μαθεῖν μιν ὀφθεῖσαν ὑπὸ σεῦ.
ἐγὼ γάρ σε ἐς τὸ οἴκημα ἐν τῷ κοιμώμεθα ὄπισθε τῆς ἀνοιγομένης θύρης στήσω. μετὰ δʼ ἐμὲ ἐσελθόντα παρέσται καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ ἐμὴ ἐς κοῖτον. κεῖται δὲ ἀγχοῦ τῆς ἐσόδου θρόνος· ἐπὶ τοῦτον τῶν ἱματίων κατὰ ἕν ἕκαστον ἐκδύνουσα θήσει, καὶ κατʼ ἡσυχίην πολλὴν παρέξει τοι θεήσασθαι.
ἐπεὰν δέ ἀπὸ τοῦ θρόνου στείχῃ ἐπὶ τὴν εὐνήν κατὰ νώτου τε αὐτῆς γένῃ, σοὶ μελέτω τὸ ἐνθεῦτεν ὅκως μὴ σε ὄψεται ἰόντα διὰ θυρέων.”
HO men dē legōn toiauta apemacheto, arrōdeōn mē ti hoi ex autōn genētai kakon, ho dʼ ameibeto toiside. “tharsee, Gygē, kai mē phobeu mēte eme, hōs seo peirōmenos legō logon tonde, mēte gynaika tēn emēn, mē ti toi ex autēs genētai blabos. archēn gar egō mēchanēsomai houtō hōste mēde mathein min ophtheisan hypo seu.
egō gar se es to oikēma en tō koimōmetha opisthe tēs anoigomenēs thyrēs stēsō. meta dʼ eme eselthonta parestai kai hē gynē hē emē es koiton. keitai de anchou tēs esodou thronos; epi touton tōn himatiōn kata hen hekaston ekdynousa thēsei, kai katʼ hēsychiēn pollēn parexei toi theēsasthai.
epean de apo tou thronou steichē epi tēn eunēn kata nōtou te autēs genē, soi meletō to entheuten hokōs mē se opsetai ionta dia thyreōn.”
He (Gyges) fought his master’s decision vehemently, fearing something bad might happen to him from his actions. Candaules, however, responds by saying, Get a hold of yourself, Gyges! Do not be afraid of me — for I am only saying this to test you — nor of my wife nor fear that something bad will happpen to you because of her. For am I planning something so that she will never know she was seen by you.
I will have you stand by the open door of the room in which we sleep. After my coming inside, my wife will already be in bed; she sleeps near the chair standing by the door. Onto this chair she places her garments, one by one — this is your opportunity to watch, quietly.
When she gets up from the chair and turns her back to you to go to bed, I want you to leave through the door, but so that she does not see you.
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