Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the histories. He has written or edited numerous books, most recently lykophron. The history of herodotus has been divided into the following sections. Quite a few comments have been posted about the history of herodotus. Herodotus is called the father of history, since rather than write history as an epic, he approached his work as a research project. The history of herodotus by herodotus the internet classics archive. Of his life we know almost nothing, except that he spent much of it traveling, to collect the material for his writings, and that he finally settled down at thurii, in southern italy, where his great work was composed. At the beginning of the histories, herodotus sets out his reasons for writing it.
Written in 440 bc in the ionic dialect of classical greek, the histories serves as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that were known in western asia, northern africa and greece at that time. Herodotus, the histories, robin waterfield translation 2008. Herodotus was born at halicarnassus, on the southwest coast of asia minor, in the early part of the fifth century, b. The history of herodotus, parallel englishgreek index. Book vi of the histories is one of herodotus most varied books, beginning with the final. Herodotus gives more sheer pleasure than almost any other writer. This region, he reports, is a sandy desert, and the sand there contains a wealth of fine gold dust. Part of a complete english translation of herodotus. Woods, for example, in his edition of the first book published in 1873 gives a list of readings for the first and second books, in which he almost invariably prefers the authority. It is the earliest surviving work of nonfiction and a thrilling narrative account of among other things the war b. The histories herodotus translated by george rawlinson book 1 these are the researches of herodotus of halicarnassus, which he publishes, in the hope of thereby preserving from decay the remembrance of what men have done, and of preventing the great and wonderful actions of the greeks and the barbarians from. Herodotus has 366 books on goodreads with 124197 ratings. Book 9 this is a serialized close english translation of the ancient greek historical narrative by the fifth century bce thinker, herodotus of halicarnassus.
Simon hornblower is emeritus professor of classics and ancient history at the university of oxford. I also recommend the excellent introduction and the translation provided by david grene. Overview partially extracted from the grene text and prepared for a womans book discussion group to read the history herodotus only book is to seek ones roots as a member of western democratic civilization. English translation of herodotus history book 6, erato, by g. He seems to have travelled widely throughout the mediterranean world, including egypt, africa, the area around the black sea and throughout many greek citystates, of both the mainland and the islands. He cannot deceive artaphrenes, who compares him to the maker of a shoe that aristagoras has put on. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. The history of herodotus by herodotus written 440 b. Odyssey 68 greek and latin texts with facing vocabulary. Cambyses becomes king of the persian empire 530522 bc. The history of herodotus, volume 1 by herodotus full. Herodotus, the histories, book 1, chapter 1, section 0. Xerxes i khshayarsha, 486466 bce in books 7, 8, and 9.
This superbly readable new translation is supplemented by a fresh scholarly perspective by carolyn dewald that breaks new ground in herodotean studies, providing readers with all they need to appreciate the book in depth. Site contains many greek and latin texts, translations and related material. May 19, 2014 a delightful new translation of what is widely considered the first work of history and nonfiction. The histories of herodotus is considered the founding work of history in western literature. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. The histories, herodotus the histories of herodotus is the founding work of history in western literature.
Macmillan, london and ny 1890 contents start reading text zipped. The histories of herodotus is considered one of the seminal works of history in western literature. Greek text, translation, commentary and introduction 2015, and he is the editor of herodotus. Herodotus has a wonderful, gossipy style that makes reading these histories more fun than studying the rise of the persian empire and its clash with greecehowever, thats exactly what readers will do in this engaging history, which is full of interesting digressions and asides. The classical scholar introduces his new translation of herodotus masterpiece the histories.
Histories book vi is pure scholarship and an invaluable addition to the cambridge university presss ongoing series of nine commentaries on the histories in their greek and latin classics series. It is difficult to imagine a more detailed and comprehensive commentary to the entire text of book 6, making this a definitive publication. Im still on the fence mostly because its a very expensive albeit beautiful, book. Divided by later editors into nine books named after the muses, the history traces. While much of the information he gives has proved to be astonishingly accurate, he also entertains us with delightful. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us.
Finally, he reaches marathon, where greeks for the first confront the terribilitd of persian imperialism and surmount it. Challenged by the ionians, histiaeus falsely claims to have initiated the revolt to prevent darius from resettling all the ionians. Darius i, the great, darayavahush, 522486 bce in books 3, 4, 5 and 6. He was born around 490 bc in halicarnassus, on the southwest coast of asia minor. The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive. The history of herodotus, volume 1 by herodotus full text. The history of herodotus, volume 2 by herodotus project gutenberg. The history of herodotus parallel englishgreek english translation. Greek text with facing vocabulary and commentary, 2nd ed. Online books about this author are available, as is a wikipedia article herodotus. A delightful new translation of what is widely considered the first work of history and nonfiction. 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. Written from the 450s to the 420s bc in the ionic dialect of classical greek, the histories serves as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that were known around the mediterranean and western asia at that time.
Summary of and commentary on herodotus histories, book 7. Histories book v cambridge, 20 in the cambridge greek and latin classics series. Croesus ruled lydia in what we now call turkey from 560547 bce and was famed for his wealth. Erato aristagoras, the author of the ionian revolt, perished in the way which i have described. Cambyses ii, kabujiya, 530522 bce in books 2 and 3. The histories, however, is one of those books where an audiobook helps. Herodotus of halicarnassushailed by cicero as the father of historycomposed his histories. 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. July 20 this link contains a free pdf copy of herodotus book i. The histories by herodotus, first edition abebooks. Here are presented the results of the enquiry carried out by herodotus of halicarnassus. Herodotus, the father of history, was born about 485. Later, sataspes, an achaimenid persian, raped a girl who was the granddaughter of megabyzos but since his mother was sister to.
Histiaeus goes to sardis, where artaphrenes accuses him of being the author of the ionian revolt 1. Power of vast thracian nation limited by disunity 3. The first book of the histories, called clio this is the showing forth of the inquiry of herodotus of halicarnassos, to the end that 1 neither the deeds of men may be forgotten by lapse of time, nor the works 2 great and marvellous, which have been produced some by hellenes and some by barbarians, may lose their renown. Being the second book of the famous history of herodotus london. Godley loeb classical library edition, 4 volumes in greek and english. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 5. Erato 1 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 140. Thomas develyn, christian science monitor grenes work is a monument to what translation intends, and to what it is hungry to accomplish. Greek researcher, often called the worlds first historian. The history of herodotus book i the first book of the histories, called clio this is the showing forth of the inquiry of herodotus of halicarnassos, to the end that1 neither the deeds of men may be forgotten by lapse of time, nor the works2 great and marvellous, which have been produced some by hellenes and some by barbarians, may. Reading herodotus, one can often get bogged down in the loops of geography, people, history, culture and meandre through miles of esoterica. Herodotus 1 greek and latin texts with facing vocabulary. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or. The history of herodotus, parallel englishgreek index sacred texts.
After a short digression on thracian customs, herodotus tells us about megabazus conquest of thrace and the ensuing submission of eastern macedonia. Summary of and commentary on herodotus histories, book 7, 2015 your bibliography. The audiobook gives you a good pace and forcemarches you through to the end. One of western historys greatest books springs to life in tom hollands vibrant new translation herodotus of halicarnassuswho was hailed by cicero as the father of historywrote his histories around 440 bc. 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.
Paul cartledge in tom hollands vibrant translation, one of the great masterpieces of western history springs to life. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus by. Id love to hear about this translation from a student or scholar who knows greek its a beautiful book, but the translator is a businessman with no formal training who did it in his free time. What is the best translation of herodotus the histories. Histiaeus flees to chios, where he is accepted after initial mistrust 2. The eretrians meanwhile being informed that the armament of the persians was sailing to attack them, requested the athenians to help them. Herodotus will give his account, starting with the four nations between the two seas, then describing the asian peninsula.
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