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A review by thejdizzler
The Histories by Herodotus
4.0
Wow this took me forever to read, but it was totally worth it. I started for the first time in August of 2018 when I listened to Dan Carlin's Hardcore history podcast about the Persian Empire/had told my HS English teacher that I was going to read it. I think I made it through books one and two 3-4 times, but never further because of the beginning of book 3 was so goddamn boring, but this fall I managed to finally finish the thing, which was super worth it because the last three books were amazing! Things I learned.
1. Cyrus the Great was a cool dude. He was raised as a goat herder, but Royal Blood tells so he eventually became king despite the fears of his grandpa. Dude was pretty nice to the people he conquered, except Babylon and the Scythians, who ended up killing him.
2. Somebody probably circumnavigated Africa before the Portugese, as Herodotus mentions sailors accounts of Sun positions that could only have been observed if they crossed the equator. At the very least, they rounded Cape Borador. Other geography was both surprisingly accurate (source of the Nile) or absolutely crazy (Hyperboreans and Indian gold eating giant ants).
3. If I were to live in Greece it would have to be in Athens, because the other Greeks are either cowards or Spartans.
4. The Gods have a hand in almost everything. This was one of my favorite parts of the book. Herodtous paints a picture of a world in transition, where the gods still influence things but are not directly present as in the Iliad. Reminded me of Gene Wolfe, although I suppose more accurately, Gene Wolfe was inspired by Herodotus.
5. History is confusing. Herodotus often gives us multiple accounts of a single event, usually suggesting the one he prefers.
Overall really great book, especially as I said before the account of the Persian Wars. The translation I choose (not this one, the one by George Rawlison), was surprisingly easy to read despite being written in 1858. I would recommend going with the more recent Tom Holland translation however. Now time to finish the Republic and then onward to Thucydides!
Favorite Quote: "Yea, for after I had reckoned up, it came into my mind to feel pity at the thought how brief was the whole life of man, seeing that of these multitudes not one will be alive when a hundred years have gone by." (Xerxes on his army crossing the Hellespont)
1. Cyrus the Great was a cool dude. He was raised as a goat herder, but Royal Blood tells so he eventually became king despite the fears of his grandpa. Dude was pretty nice to the people he conquered, except Babylon and the Scythians, who ended up killing him.
2. Somebody probably circumnavigated Africa before the Portugese, as Herodotus mentions sailors accounts of Sun positions that could only have been observed if they crossed the equator. At the very least, they rounded Cape Borador. Other geography was both surprisingly accurate (source of the Nile) or absolutely crazy (Hyperboreans and Indian gold eating giant ants).
3. If I were to live in Greece it would have to be in Athens, because the other Greeks are either cowards or Spartans.
4. The Gods have a hand in almost everything. This was one of my favorite parts of the book. Herodtous paints a picture of a world in transition, where the gods still influence things but are not directly present as in the Iliad. Reminded me of Gene Wolfe, although I suppose more accurately, Gene Wolfe was inspired by Herodotus.
5. History is confusing. Herodotus often gives us multiple accounts of a single event, usually suggesting the one he prefers.
Overall really great book, especially as I said before the account of the Persian Wars. The translation I choose (not this one, the one by George Rawlison), was surprisingly easy to read despite being written in 1858. I would recommend going with the more recent Tom Holland translation however. Now time to finish the Republic and then onward to Thucydides!
Favorite Quote: "Yea, for after I had reckoned up, it came into my mind to feel pity at the thought how brief was the whole life of man, seeing that of these multitudes not one will be alive when a hundred years have gone by." (Xerxes on his army crossing the Hellespont)