Although some of the theories that he put forth may not be seen as wrong. The greek researcher and storyteller herodotus of halicarnassus fifth century bce was the worlds first historian. Herodotus and the persian wars utah state university. Herodotus histories book ii the second book of the histories, called euterpe 1. 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. Despite herodotuss historical significance, little is known about his personal life. The history of herodotus by herodotus the internet classics archive. The history of herodotus has been divided into the following sections. Copies of this thesis, either in full or in extracts and whether in hard or electronic. Moreover the naming of almost all the gods has come to hellas from egypt. Herodotus on the first circumnavigation of africa livius. The history of herodotus macaulaybook ii wikisource. Herodotus ii 141 preserves a different verion of the assyrian defeat, where the egyptian ruler petitioned his god, hephaistos i.
The history of herodotus, by herodotus project gutenberg. Source for persia and persians encyclopaedia iranica. 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. Herodotus was an ancient greek historian who lived in the fifth century bc c. Book i 299k book ii 249k book iii 221k book iv 230k book v 162k book vi 174k book vii 286k book viii 179k.
His plan to conquer egypt gives herodotus the opportunity. Download herodotuss the history of herodotus volume ii for your kindle, tablet, ipad, pc or mobile. Herodotus histories is a rich and amazing early history. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. For anyone with even the slightest interest in ancient history, herodotuss history is compulsory reading an authentic voice from the past that takes us back into the 5th and 6th centuries bce, to let us witness the epochmaking confrontation between the. The greek historian was the first writer to employ the theories of the milesian thinkers to history.
The histories of herodotus of halicarnassus is considered the first work of history in western literature. 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. An evaluation of herodotuss treatment of persia and the persians is a difficult task. In the meantime those of the persians who had been left behind in europe by dareios, of whom megabazos was the commander, had subdued the people of perinthos first of the hellespontians, since they refused to be subject to dareios. For anyone with even the slightest interest in ancient history, herodotuss history is compulsory reading an authentic voice. Herodotus and the persian wars the organization of herodotus histories is discursive main thrust. He critically analyzed all the information and conflicting sources that he had before making a decision.
The histories, herodotus the histories of herodotus is the founding work of history in western literature. The history of herodotus volume 2 by herodotus free ebook. Herodotus guessed that homer had lived about four hundred years before his own time, and he was not far wrong. Overall the analysis demonstrates how in the histories herodotus with subtlety and insight presents the reader, in a detailed and analytical way, with an engaged portrayal of ideas about. 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, cyru. Subsequently it became the name of the science of history, and via latin passed into other languages including english. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. Creation, by gore vidal, interpreting many scenes from the persian viewpoint.
If a new translation of herodotus does not justify itself, it will hardly be justified in a. Herodotus histories book ii classical wisdom weekly. Euterpe on the death of cyrus, cambyses his son by cassandane daughter of pharnaspes took the kingdom. Herodotus was born about 490 bce at halicarnassos and died in italy in the late 420s. Herodotus claims the hellenes have three theories about the niles floods. But here, as elsewhere in his history, herodotus authority. But here, as elsewhere in his history, herodotus authority is. From wikisource macaulay jump to navigation jump to search histories, being the continuation of the narative from book ii. 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 vivid narrative. Mobile book herodotus the histories book 1 chapter 1 section the histories greek. The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive.
The subject is not limited to a specific logos but is ubiquitous in the histories. Herodotus the histories book one book two book three book four book five book six book seven book eight book nine. The second volume of his histories describes egypts geography, people and relates stories about a number of pharaohs. Written about 440 bc in the ionic dialect of classical greek, the histories tells the story of the grecopersian wars between the achaemenid empire and the greek citystates in the 5th century bc. 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.
The history of herodotus, volume 2, free pdf global grey. The history of herodotus, parallel englishgreek index. Written from the 450s to the 420s bc it remains one of the wests most important sources. His histories primarily deals with the lives of croesus, cyrus, cambyses, smerdis, darius, and xerxes and the battles of marathon, thermopylae, artemisium, salamis, plataea, and mycale. Gates of fire, by stephen pressfield, has the battle of thermopylae book vii as its centrepiece. 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. General index s book 1 clio s book 2 euterpe s book 3 thalia s book 4. Hide browse bar your current position in the text is marked in blue. According to the persians best informed in history, the phoenicians began to quarrel. Born in halikarnassos, a gateway between the greek and persian worlds, in his. This is the story which i heard from the priests of hephaestus temple at memphis. The history of herodotus by herodotus written 440 b. Pharaoh, by boleslaw prus, incorporating the labyrinth scenes inspired by herodotus description in book ii of the histories.
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. Part of a complete english translation of herodotus. The histories translated by george rawlinson with an introduction by george swayne and a preface by h. The histories also known as the history of herodotus is considered the founding work of history in western literature. The history of herodotus, parallel englishgreek, tr. If a new translation of herodotus does not justify itself, it will. Herodotus account of egyptian history and customs, contained in book ii of his long narrative history of the persian wars, is a classic. Herodotus new surveys in the classics cambridge core. 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 king xerxes expedition in 480 bce against the greeks, which met with disaster in the naval engagement at salamis and the. Cassandane had died in the lifetime of cyrus, who had made a great mourning for her at her death. The history of herodotus volume 1 by herodotus free ebook. While many of his stories might only be tales, it still contain many names of the pharaohs.
1405 1089 319 697 510 1120 486 898 1397 656 102 643 462 1152 279 506 1352 322 811 967 386 1604 1353 1148 828 289 119 814 737 383 320 794 813