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1Sandydog1
After a long hiatus, I've resumed reading Herodotus. I'm alternating between the Grene translation, The History Herodotus, and the 2-volume Heritage Press translation by Harry Carter.
I'd love to hear about everyone's thoughts about this work, as well as any good reviews, websites, study guides or commentaries.
I'd love to hear about everyone's thoughts about this work, as well as any good reviews, websites, study guides or commentaries.
2wildbill
I just finished The Landmark Herodotus. The term landmark may be a bit pretentious but there is extra work that has gone into this edition. I took a long time to read it. I loved all of the maps. I can see where the footnotes could be excessive. Every place name has a footnote map reference, even if it just says location unknown. I didn't feel the need to read them all but they were handy at times. I enjoyed the section of the Persian Wars more than some of the material on Egypt. The appendix which discussed Herodotus treatment of Egypt does not give him high marks for accuracy. The appendices do provide useful commentary on the text.
Throughout the text it is necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff. Herodotus repeats much of what he has been told and some of it is not believable.
The material on the Persian wars is very important. It is the account on which most others are based. The Battles of Thermopylae and Salamis were very well written. In my opinion a prime reason Herodotus wrote his Histories was to tell of the Greek victory over the Persians. That event started Western Culture on the path that it has taken.
Needless to say I am glad I read this book. Not all parts of the book were as enjoyable as others. The translation was done for this edition and it read very well, I can't speak to the accuracy.
Throughout the text it is necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff. Herodotus repeats much of what he has been told and some of it is not believable.
The material on the Persian wars is very important. It is the account on which most others are based. The Battles of Thermopylae and Salamis were very well written. In my opinion a prime reason Herodotus wrote his Histories was to tell of the Greek victory over the Persians. That event started Western Culture on the path that it has taken.
Needless to say I am glad I read this book. Not all parts of the book were as enjoyable as others. The translation was done for this edition and it read very well, I can't speak to the accuracy.
3timspalding
My website, now rather old: http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/herodotus/
The Histories is one of my favorite books. It's an ocean. I'm more fond of the ethnographic sections—mostly the early books—than the narrative of the Persian Wars, though.
The Histories is one of my favorite books. It's an ocean. I'm more fond of the ethnographic sections—mostly the early books—than the narrative of the Persian Wars, though.
4Steven_VI
When reading Herodotus, don't just read the content - look at the style, listen to the voice. See how he digresses, sometimes forgetting to go back to his original story. The Histories are like an audio recording of a very old, oral culture, and they're unedited. It's a remnant of the bronze age.
5ThePam
Timspalding... just wanted to say that I've been an admirer and user of your history websites. I've run across great material there. Thanks!
6timspalding
>4 Steven_VI:
I'm not sure I'd go as far as you there. But some scholars think that, basically, he wrote it from A-Z without going back to edit. That's unprovable, of course, but I gather there's suggestive evidence.
Where does he forget to go back, btw? I'm not aware of that.
I'm not sure I'd go as far as you there. But some scholars think that, basically, he wrote it from A-Z without going back to edit. That's unprovable, of course, but I gather there's suggestive evidence.
Where does he forget to go back, btw? I'm not aware of that.
8Sandydog1
Thanks Wildbill, I'll check it out.
And, well, Tim's website just about does it for this topic! Thanks Tim, I think I had seen this before but had forgotten about it. What a great website.
I guess we can still keep this thread going though :> )
And, well, Tim's website just about does it for this topic! Thanks Tim, I think I had seen this before but had forgotten about it. What a great website.
I guess we can still keep this thread going though :> )
10MMcM
> 4,6 Where does he forget to go back?
An interesting question. It's the sort of thing that sounds like it very well might be true. This Amazon review states it more strongly, that “Herodotus stated he would return to a certain topic after such digression and apparently forgot." But where?
A Commentary on Herodotus (§14, it's in Gutenberg) only lists three unfulfilled promises. Two are the same: a history of Assyria, which might have existed but not survived. The third concerns Ephialtes in vii 213.3. Here How and Wells say, “The omission is due not to any incompleteness but to forgetfulness.” (Macan has a slightly different take, which can be seen there too.) They give maybe a dozen additional places where he loses track, but none in the form of a promised return from a digression, that I can see.
An interesting question. It's the sort of thing that sounds like it very well might be true. This Amazon review states it more strongly, that “Herodotus stated he would return to a certain topic after such digression and apparently forgot." But where?
A Commentary on Herodotus (§14, it's in Gutenberg) only lists three unfulfilled promises. Two are the same: a history of Assyria, which might have existed but not survived. The third concerns Ephialtes in vii 213.3. Here How and Wells say, “The omission is due not to any incompleteness but to forgetfulness.” (Macan has a slightly different take, which can be seen there too.) They give maybe a dozen additional places where he loses track, but none in the form of a promised return from a digression, that I can see.
11Steven_VI
It's been a long time, but I think I remember a story about Africa mentioned that is never finished. Sorry to be so vague...
12BGP
Travels with Herodotus, the last new book by Ryszard Kapuscinski, explores the influence of The Histories of Herodotus on his own life and travels. If any of you are interested in revisiting the work from a different perspective, I strongly suggest that you seek this volume out.
13liber_scriptus
I'm headed to the beach (Riviera Maya) and I'm seriously considering taking The Histories with me. I've had good luck reading the classics at beaches. I read about half of Travels with Herodotus, and the book reminded me that I have owned a copy of Herodotus for quite a while and have never read it through.
