The HistoriesOUP Oxford, 1998 M03 5 - 848 pages Herodotus is not only known as the `father of history', as Cicero called him, but also the father of ethnography; as well as charting the historical background to the Persian Wars, his curiosity also prompts frequent digression on the cultures of the peoples he introduces. While much of the information he gives has proved to be astonishingly accurate, he also entertains us with delightful tales of one-eyed men and gold-digging ants. This readable new translation is supplemented with expansive notes that provide readers the background that they need to appreciate the book in depth. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. |
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Aegina Aeginetans Alcmaeonidae Amasis Argives Aristagoras Artabazus Artemisium Asia asked Astyages Athenians Athens attack Attica Babylon battle Boeotia brother called Cambyses Carians Cleisthenes Cleomenes command Corinthians corpse Croesus Cyrene Cyrus Darius daughter death Delphi Demaratus Egypt Egyptian enemy Ethiopians expedition fact father fight fleet force gave gods Greece Greek happened Harpagus Hellespont Heracles Herodotus Histiaeus Histories horses Ionians island Ister killed king Lacedaemon Lacedaemonians land army later Leonidas Leotychidas Libya live Lydians Mardonius Medes Megabazus Miletus Miltiades narrative Nile once oracle Otanes Pausanias Pelasgians Peloponnese Peloponnesian Persians Phoenicians Plataea Polycrates reign replied revolt river sailed Salamis Samians Samos sanctuary Sardis Scythians sent ships Smerdis Sparta Spartiates stades story Susa tell temple territory Thebans Thebes Themistocles Thermopylae Thessaly things Thrace Thucydides told took town tribes troops tyrant wanted whole women Xerxes Zeus
Popular passages
Page 516 - Take either pole of the first of these arcs, and the corresponding poles of all the others (all the poles to be on the right hand, or all on the left, of a traveller advancing along the given great circle arcs in order). Draw great circle arcs from the first of these poles to the second, the second to the third, and so on in order. Another closed or open polygon, constituting what is called the polar diagram to the given polygon, is thus obtained. The sides of the second polygon are evidently equal...
Page 216 - ... 3a. Herodotos 3.124, ed. K. Hude, Herodoti Historiae, Vol. I, Oxford 1926; trans. R. Waterfield, Herodotus, The Histories, Oxford 1998, pp. 220f. Oroites, the Persian satrap of Sardes, has tricked Polykrates into visiting him to receive money: Polykrates now made ready to go there in person, despite the fact that he had often been advised not to by both oracles and friends. Moreover, his daughter had seen her father in a dream high up in the air being washed by Zeus and anointed by the sun. After...
Page 266 - Scythia they pass for magicians, because once a year every Neurian becomes a wolf for a few days, and then resumes the human form.
Page 1 - The purpose is to prevent the traces of human events from being erased by time, and to preserve the fame of the important and remarkable achievements produced by both Greeks and non-Greeks; among the matters covered is, in particular, the cause of the hostilities between Greeks and non-Greeks.
Page 588 - For a person of average height, it is equal to about the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, plus a hand's-breadth, the former distance being the natural cubit (for a person of such height).
Page 689 - In a word, they are by nature incapable of either living a quiet life themselves or of allowing anyone else to do so.
Page 274 - Darius was at his wits' end; hereon the Scythian princes, understanding how matters stood, despatched a herald to the Persian camp with presents for the king: these were, a bird, a mouse, a frog, and five arrows. The Persians asked the bearer to tell them what these gifts might mean, but he made answer that he had no orders except to deliver them, and return again with all speed.
Page 588 - The length of the bow and arrow were determined with reference to the capacity of the archer. In the case of the bow, the unit of measurement was the distance between the tips of the thumb and the little finger with the hand fully stretched. Fifteen of these units gave the dimensions of the bow.
Page 21 - Croesus attacked the Persians, he would destroy a great empire, and they advised him to find out which of the Greek states was the most powerful, and to come to an understanding with it.
Page 244 - Heracles till they should come into the northern sea and so to Egypt. So the Phoenicians set out from the Red Sea and sailed the southern sea; whenever autumn came they would put in and sow the land, to whatever part of Libya they might come, and there await the harvest; then, having gathered in the crop, they sailed on, so that after two years had passed, it was in the third that they rounded the Pillars of Heracles and...