A

SKETCH OF THE LIFE

OF

HERODOTUS.

IT may be observed of biography, that few things confessedly so useful have been so much perverted or so frequently abused. Perhaps it is neither unjust nor uncandid to add, that this has been in a peculiar manner the error of modern times. We have seen the lives of men, remarkable neither for the splendour nor the extent of their accomplishments, displayed in formidable volumes, and obtruded on the world with a confidence which private partiality could not justify, and which a reverence for the public might well have moderated: we have seen the minute occurrences of domestic life, I had almost said, betrayed, and the little weaknesses of exalted and amiable minds ostentatiously enumerated, from the mistaken idea of satisfying a curiosity beneficial neither to Science nor to Virtue. In writing ancient lives, this fault, indeed, cannot be committed; but even that species of biography has been much disfigured by the ambition of collecting every trifling hint that antiquity has left, and swelling out the rest by vague and often very arbitrary

conjectures. For my own part, I should little suppose that I treated the English reader with becoming re. spect, if, in professing to give a Life of Herodotus, I did not immediately inform him that my materials were not only very dubious but very scanty: such however as they are, it would be no difficult task to imitate the example of many who have preceded me, and expand my observations into a serious volume. Were I to glean all that has been said of my Historian, from the different books which I have necessarily read; were I to obey the suggestions of fondness and the impulse of fancy, rather than those of my cooler judgment, and my regard for the dignity of historic truth, I have a subject before me which might be protracted at pleasure. To me it seems acting a more consistent part, once for all, to declare that there is no regular account of Herodotus, either more ancient or more authentic than that of Suidas; and this is comprised in a very narrow compass. What all modern editors of his works have said of him rests chiefly on the relation of Suidas as a basis, and I might labour in vain to find a better guide. I wish therefore my readers to understand, that what I shall produce will be derived from the same authority, with a few additional remarks suggested by passages produced in the Bibliotheca Græca of Fabricius, or the Prolegomena of Wesseling.

It appears that the Father of History was born at Halicarnassus, the metropolis of Caria. At what par

A few scattered hints may be collected from Strabo, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Aulus Gellius, and a few other ancient writers.

ticular period may be collected from Aulus Gellius, book xv. chapter 23, who informs us that the three celebrated historians, Hellanicus, Herodotus, and Thucydides, flourished nearly at the same time. "At the commencement of the Peloponnesian war," says he, "Hellanicus was sixty-five years old, Herodotus fiftythree, and Thucydides forty." The Peloponnesian war began in the second year of the eighty-sixth Olympiad: Herodotus must consequently have been born in the first year of the seventy-fourth Olympiad. This was four years before Xerxes invaded Greece, and four hundred and forty-four years before the Christian

æra.

According to Strabo, it was commonly believed that the name of his father was Lyxes, of his mother Dryo: and we are told also, that his family was illustrious; and that he had a brother whose name was Theodorus. At this time Lygdamis was prince of Halicarnassus, and, as it should seem, universally detested for his insolence and tyranny. It is certain that when Herodotus grew up, he left his native place and removed to Samos: Suidas says, on account of Lygdamis; but it does not appear whether he was violently expelled by his arbitrary sovereign, or whether, in abhorrence of the tyrant, he voluntarily withdrew himself. At Samos he studied the Ionic dialect; but as this subject may be less intelligible to the English reader, I shall digress a little upon it. By birth Herodotus was a Dorian, and the dialect of his country was, comparatively speaking, so rude and dissonant, that, even in later times, we hear the other Greeks VOL. I.

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reflecting on those who used it, for their broad and inharmonious pronunciation.

See Theocritus, Id. xv. ver. 88.

Τρυγονες εκκναισευνται πλατυασδοισαι απαντα.

Which means, They make a noise like pigeons, pronouncing every thing with a broad dialect. To which remark, as a kind of vindication, it is replied, in the verse which follows:

Δωρισθεν δ' εξεστι δόκα τους Δωριεισσιο

Which is, Surely Dorians may speak Doric.

Hesychius also, at the word BagBago Qwvos, tells us that the inhabitants of Elis, as well as the Carians, were so named on account of their harsh and indistinct pronunciation.

Herodotus himself, book i. chapter 56, informs us, that the Greek language, properly so called, is divided into two dialects, the Doric and the Ionic; the first, the language of the Pelasgi, the last, that of the Hellenes. Strabo also, in his eighth book, observes, that the Ionic was the language of Attica, and the Doric of Æolia. The Æolic and the Doric did not materially vary from each other, and the Attic was the Ionic more refined. Herodotus therefore having learned the Ionic dialect, as more pleasing than his native Doric, composed his history in it. To collect materials, he travelled through Greece, Egypt, Asia, Colchis, Scythia, Thrace, and Macedonia, &c.; and it is sufficiently evident that he personally visited most of the places which he describes.

Of the ardour with which he was inspired in the

cause of liberty, we have strong and unequivocal testimony. First, in his exile from his country, whether voluntary or not; in various animated expressions to this effect, scattered through his books; but best of all in his subsequent conduct. Understanding that a party was formed against Lygdamis, he left Samos, and joined the friends of freedom. By their common exertions, the tyrant was expelled, and the public liberty restored. But, as not unfrequently happens on similar occasions, contentions arose, factions were formed, and Herodotus was a second time compelled to leave his country. He now visited Greece again, which became the noble theatre of his glory. It was the time of celebrating the Olympic games, and he did not omit so favourable an opportunity of reciting his history to the illustrious audience. It is probable that he only read the introductory parts, or certain particular and selected portions; but there must have been something very captivating in his style, some regular and connected series of interesting history, some superior and striking character of genius: for we are informed that he was listened to with universal delight and applause; and we are farther gratified with the curious anecdote of Thucydides, which has so often been related. This celebrated personage was present at the great solemnity, with his father Olorus,

2 There are some writers who assert that Herodotus did not recite his history at Athens at all, but at Olympus. He might recite it at both places. Having been present for the purpose at Olympus first, he might afterwards proceed to Athens to appear at the Panathenæa. This last place was peculiarly proper, for crowns and other rewards were there conferred upon the conquerors.