Herodotus book 4 analysis group

Overview partially extracted from the grene text and prepared for a womans book discussion group. Thalia the abovementioned amasis was the egyptian king against whom cambyses, son of cyrus, made his expedition. Both for their linguistic and their cultural information, these two sections have been included from among the many of great interest in herodotus s description of the customs of the scythians. Nechos, king of egypt, sent phoenicians to sail around libya, back through the pillars of herakles, into the mediterranean and back to egypt. The medes in the northwest of modern iran were the first to shake off the yoke of the assyrians, who used to rule all asia. This 147page guide for histories by herodotus includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 9 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Written from the 450s to the 420s bc in the ionic dialect of classical greek, they serve as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that were known.

There are strong indications that this is not the original division. Scholars have been following in herodotus footsteps for 2,500 years. Herodotus does not provide a direct genealogical line leading from this dim and distant era into the historically clearer past. On the surface helen is a kind host and loyal wife, yet underlying this persona is. Featured content includes commentary on major characters. Herodotus, greek and persian relations in the sixth century, 3. The history of herodotus volume 1 by herodotus free ebook. Croesus retreats back to lydia, and summons reinforcements from his allies egypt, babylon, and. Jul 01, 2001 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg.

She is an elusive character who defies any attempts to pin her down. Only for them herodotus adduces a clan lineage group phr. Ii, with valuable notes, and to the running commentary by how and wells. Estimates of the year of his birth are based on the observation that in the histories, he does not claim to have witnessed the persian invasion that took place in 480. This is demonstrated well in the below scene from the odyssey. Herodotus describes the appearance of the plant and its uses for clothing. At the beginning of the histories, herodotus sets out his reasons for writing it. The scythians play an important role in greek literature from aristeas, 7th cent. Oct 04, 20 herodotuss histories dealt with the clash of civilisations east v west. Cyrus attacks and defeats astyages, thus angering croesus 73 4. Herodotus on the egyptians ancient history encyclopedia.

Much like book two the reader is given herodotus the ethnographer, history playing a secondary rule. Here begins book iii of herodotus histories, being the continuation of the narative from book ii. Im becomming a little obsessed with history after getting this book. Greek researcher, often called the worlds first historian.

Now herodotus tells of india and arabia, their basic histories and who. Story of how thales of miletus diverted the river halys so croesus army could cross is doubted by hdt, who thinks bridges were used 75. It is in part a gripping and much revered tale of colossal confrontation between freedomloving greekspeaking peoples the athenians, spartans, and others and the seemingly unstoppable forces of the persians. Jan 18, 2012 the egyptians in agreement with their climate, which is unlike any other, and with the river, which shows a nature different from all other rivers, established for themselves manners and customs in a way opposite to other men in almost all matters.

There was among the foreign mercenaries of amasis a man who was by race of halicarnassos, and his name was phanes, one who was both capable in judgment and valiant in that which pertained to war. I also purchased the histories from barnes and noble with translation by g. From there, he offers a lengthy commentary on how libya was founded by a descendent of theras, and then the city of cyrene in libya by battos, the dividing of the cyrenians into three tribes. By their account, the phoenicians arrived at our sea 5 from what is called the red sea 6 and, settling what is now their homeland, they immediately set about long sea voyages. Our division of the histories in nine books goes back to an edition by scholars of the third century bce, working in the great library of alexandria. Nov, 2012 herodotus book six discussion questions 1. Croesus sister is given to cyaxares son astyages as part of the treaty. Nov, 2016 book one has three key elements i will discuss in this analysis. He is known for having written the book the histories greek. Both for their linguistic and their cultural information, these two sections have been included from among the many of great interest in herodotuss description of the customs of the scythians.

In revenge the lemnians raped a group of athenian women from brauron, then on finding that their sons stuck together and identified themselves as athenians they killed the women and the sons 8. The histories of herodotus is considered the founding work of history in western literature. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Barrenness of land and women fell on lemnos as a result. Asia abounding in men, and vast sums flowing into the treasury. Introduction to the famous hystory of herodotus new york. Herodotus and the persian wars utah state university. For his pioneering critical enquiry into the past he was named father of. Here begins book ii of herodotus histories, being the continuation of the narative from book i. Herodotus mentions several median kings and states. He has been called the father of history, and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a wellconstructed and. Helen of troy is one of homers most fascinating female voices.

Herodotus histories book 4 melpomene zoroastrian heritage. This region, he reports, is a sandy desert, and the sand there contains a wealth of fine gold dust. Online books about this author are available, as is a wikipedia article herodotus. Herodotus claims to have traveled extensively around the ancient world, conducting interviews and collecting stories for his book, almost all of which covers territories of the persian empire. Asia abounding in men, and vast sums flowing into the treasury, the desire seized him to exact vengeance from the scyths, who had once in days gone by invaded media, defeated those who met them in the field, and so begun the quarrel. History historie, inquiry in its broadest context here includes anthropology, natural history and virtually any piece of antiquarian information that appealed to. Herodotus starts his story with a brief account of the origin of the median empire.

Written in 440 bc in the ionic dialect of classical greek, the histories serves as a record of the. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. Simultaneously, it tells the story of the growth of the persian empire. In the histories, he describes the expansion of the achaemenid empire under its kings cyrus the great, cambyses, and darius i the great, culminating in xerxes expedition to greece 480 bce, which met with disaster in the naval engagement at salamis and the battles at plataea and mycale. Herodotus now relates stories of how the minyans settled in lacedaemon sparta and how their arrogance sparked discontent, their imprisonment and escape. Melpomene after the taking of babylon, an expedition was led by darius into scythia. Herodotus, greek and persian relations in the sixth. Herodotus was a greek writer and geographer credited with being the first historian.

To read the history herodotus only book is to seek ones roots as a member of western democratic civilization. Herodotus portrays the conflict as one between the forces of slavery the persians on the one hand, and freedom. The herodotus histories was starting to interest me after appearing on the searches, but didnt purchase until researching more what it was about. The introduction herodotus gives us his reason in beginning his research with the abduction of io and europa as being that these events explain the divide between persia and greece. Sincerely, andre herodotus book six discussion questions 1. However, the most important literary source to the scythian culture is herodotus book 4. He collected historical, geographical, ethnological, mytholgical and archaeological material for his histories.

Herodotus account of egyptian history and customs, contained in book ii of his long narrative history of the persian wars, is a classic example of the father of history at work. Herodotus was an ancient greek historian who lived in the fifth century bc c. The egyptians in agreement with their climate, which is unlike any other, and with the river, which shows a nature different from all other rivers, established for themselves manners and customs in a way opposite to other men in almost all matters. Herodotuss histories dealt with the clash of civilisations east v west. Aug 09, 2018 the histories of herodotus is considered the founding work of history in western literature. In book 3, passages 102 to 105, herodotus reports that a species of foxsized, furry ants lives in one of the far eastern, indian provinces of the persian empire. Bce herodotus was a resident of halicarnassus modern bodrum in turkey and wrote the histories of herodotus, a greek history of the persian invasion of greece in the early fifth century bce. If the persians were wise, he added, they would find out the meaning for themselves. Godley loeb classical library edition, 4 volumes in greek and english. Histories, by herodotus, is an ancient greek text that tells the history of the wars between greece and persia. Later, sataspes, an achaimenid persian, raped a girl who was the granddaughter of megabyzos but since his mother was sister to. Thucydides, history of the peloponnesian war, book iv. Herodotus, the histories, book 4, chapter 147, section 1.

Another thing also contributed to this expedition, which was as follows. Here are presented the results of the enquiry carried out by herodotus of halicarnassus. The history of herodotus by herodotus written 440 b. E, and his histories chronicle the events of the persian wars, which were within living memory when. Such was the mode in which the scythians, after being for a time the lords of asia, and being forced to quit it by the medes, returned and settled in their own country. Book one has three key elements i will discuss in this analysis. Herodotus histories, book 4 summary and comments by jona lendering tenth logos. The scythians herodotus discusses the ancestry of the scythians at great detail at the beginning of book four. Histiaeus flees to chios, where he is accepted after initial mistrust 2. When cyrus had brought his life to an end, cambyses received the royal power in succession, being the son of cyrus and of cassandane the daughter of pharnaspes, for whose death, which came about before his own, cyrus had made great mourning. I am indebted to suzanne said for her advice and commentary. Thucydides, history of the peloponnesian war, book iv, chapter 40. Since the release of the film version of michael ondaatjes the english patient, there has been renewed interest in the histories of herodotusthe book the dying patient treasures so much the writings of herodotus are the ground zero of western history.

Mar 27, 2018 herodotus is fascinated by the interplay of nature and culture. Written in 440 bc in the ionic dialect of classical greek, the histories serves as a. Translator tom holland argues that the father of history is not only hugely entertaining but has an amazing capacity to. Herodotus histories book ii boston leadership builders.

After herodotus, historical analysis became an indispensable part of intellectual and. Being the second book of the famous history of herodotus london. Though like book two, herodotus ethnography has another purpose and this illuminates much about the persians and the greeks. Against this amasis then cambyses the son of cyrus was making his march, taking with him not only other nations of which he was ruler, but also hellenes, both ionians and aiolians. In the lifetime of herodotus the writing of history, and indeed of prose of any sort, was still something of a novelty. Herodotus and the persian wars the organization of herodotus histories is discursive main thrust. Histiaeus goes to sardis, where artaphrenes accuses him of being the author of the ionian revolt 1. The earliest writings in prose had been the work of a group of. This is a chapterbychapter summary, with occasional notes, of the histories of. In the left margin, links to rawlinsons translation vol.