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eely225 's review for:
The Histories
by Herodotus
Once upon a time, Homer was history. You read (or, more likely, heard) him because he told you about the past. Looking back was an art and it had to be interpreted.
Herodotus is interesting because he is a point of transition, no longer an epic poet but not quite a historian as we would consider it. He tells every story he knows. And when he knows more than one story, he tells you why he thinks one is more likely than the other. But mostly, he relishes stories. Whether he traveled widely or talked to people from around the world or just read a lot is irrelevant. It shines through across the millennia that he wanted to hear great stories.
For Herodotus, the greatest story he knew was the Persian invasion of Greece. But he couldn't just tell it, as though it manifested out of nothing. This is where he separates himself from Homer; the battle isn't the point. The point is everything that made the battle possible. So we get his histories of Persia and Greece and everyone that deserves to be remembered on either side, at least as far as he can judge. This isn't nationalistic, though you can get into how consistent he is on this front. It intends to be simply curious. And he wants to talk to people and tell their stories before they're lost to time.
Perhaps the most charming thing about Herodotus is how often he diverges. At its core, this is a story of Persia and Greece, but he can't help but describe the origins and practices of everyone else he meets along the way. In many ways, it's as much early sociology as it is history.
The translation brought through the joy he finds in his pursuit clearly. As a reader, you don't need to internalize every detail of Scythian religious observance to enjoy the text. You enjoy the ride and the fact that he enjoys it. You enjoy the humanness of an era we treat as less human that our own. You enjoy Herodotus for himself.
Herodotus is interesting because he is a point of transition, no longer an epic poet but not quite a historian as we would consider it. He tells every story he knows. And when he knows more than one story, he tells you why he thinks one is more likely than the other. But mostly, he relishes stories. Whether he traveled widely or talked to people from around the world or just read a lot is irrelevant. It shines through across the millennia that he wanted to hear great stories.
For Herodotus, the greatest story he knew was the Persian invasion of Greece. But he couldn't just tell it, as though it manifested out of nothing. This is where he separates himself from Homer; the battle isn't the point. The point is everything that made the battle possible. So we get his histories of Persia and Greece and everyone that deserves to be remembered on either side, at least as far as he can judge. This isn't nationalistic, though you can get into how consistent he is on this front. It intends to be simply curious. And he wants to talk to people and tell their stories before they're lost to time.
Perhaps the most charming thing about Herodotus is how often he diverges. At its core, this is a story of Persia and Greece, but he can't help but describe the origins and practices of everyone else he meets along the way. In many ways, it's as much early sociology as it is history.
The translation brought through the joy he finds in his pursuit clearly. As a reader, you don't need to internalize every detail of Scythian religious observance to enjoy the text. You enjoy the ride and the fact that he enjoys it. You enjoy the humanness of an era we treat as less human that our own. You enjoy Herodotus for himself.