Herodotus book 2 greek gods

He was the first writer that we know of who tried to find out exactly what happened in the past so that what people did will be remembered later, so that the great and admirable monuments that the greeks and the barbarians made would be famous, and, among other things, to write down the reasons why they had a war. Herodotus his thoughts on cosmology, religion, and myth. Greek researcher, often called the worlds first historian. I liked the ending part where herodotus actually identified egyptian gods even with his own greek gods. While the gods never make personal appearances in his account of human events, herodotus states emphatically that many things prove to me that the gods take part in the affairs of man ix, 100. Consequently even more those gods names would the egyptians know full well than heracles. Well now, they whose the likenesses were, they showed forth, were all like that and far removed from gods, but earlier than those men the rulers in egypt were gods settled with human beings and one of them on each and every occasion was the lord, and orus, the son of osiris, was the last to be king there, whom the greeks name apollo. This brings up the question of whether herodotus is correct in his theory that greek myth derived from egyptian myth, or whether it was just a happenstance occurring from the popularity of polytheism. Further, the egyptians said they first used the appellations of twelve gods3 which the greeks afterwards borrowed from them. It also draws on a considerably wider selection of classical literature. Herodotus references many other egyptian gods comparing them to olympian gods and demi gods.

He finished writing his history, the book on so much more than the grecopersian wars and their preludes, no earlier than 430 bc and it seems to have been known before the year. Histories by herodotus translated by george rawlinson book 2 euterpe. Herodotus 484425 bce the greek historian who wrote extensively on the persian empire, here describes persian customs as they would have been practiced around the year 430 bce at susa and other persian communities. This is the reason why no native of egypt, whether man or woman, will give a greek a kiss, or use the.

Heracles rather is an ancient god of the egyptians and, as they themselves say, there are seventeen thousand years to amasis becoming king, since the twelve gods, of whom they consider heracles one, originated from the eight gods. 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. Book ii the histories also known as the history of herodotus is considered the founding work of history in western literature. Now after sesostris had brought his life to an end, his son pheros, they told me, received in succession the kingdom, and he made no warlike expedition, and moreover it chanced to him to become blind by reason of the following accident. The narrator is implicitly declaring that he will be doing something quite. They called them gods theoi, disposers, because they disposed and arranged all things in such a beautiful order. Also in the middle of the extract it says every year around 700000 visitors would arrive on boats, singing, dancing, and drinking wine. Herodotus histories book ii classical wisdom weekly. For more information on that sites content please refer to the theoi greek mythology site bibliography. The testimony of herodotus is central to the understanding of grecopersian relations in the late sixth and early fifth centuries. Herodotus is not just the father of history, he is also the father of ethnography, and his description of the egyptians suggests that they often do the opposite of whatever the greeks do. Gates of fire, by stephen pressfield, has the battle of thermopylae book vii as its centrepiece.

Macaulay the first book clio 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. He is most notably known for his writing of the histories. Summary of herodotus this is a chapterbychapter summary, with occasional notes, of the histories of herodotus, based mostly on the translation by peter greene 1987, with occasional reference to translations by a. Responsibility for all opinions and any 2 a theme also taken up in pi. To read the history herodotus only book is to seek ones roots as a member of western democratic civilization. Whatever comes from god is impossible for a man to turn back. And so for us, who said so much about that, let there be good will both from the gods and from the heroes. The four elements of national identity in herodotus. During times of peace, the sons bury their fathers, but in war it is the fathers who send their sons to the grave. The story of the greek resistance to persian tyranny is the story of the selfrealization and selfactualization of a people. Herodotus on the egyptians ancient history encyclopedia. Herodotus histories book ii the second book of the histories, called euterpe 1.

Sep 25, 2014 herodotus references many other egyptian gods comparing them to olympian gods and demi gods. Read the excerpt from the history of herodotus, book 2. The first book of the histories, called clio this is the showing forth of the inquiry of herodotus of halicarnassos, to the end that 1 neither the deeds of men may be forgotten by lapse of time, nor the works 2 great and marvellous, which have been produced some by hellenes and some by barbarians, may lose their renown. Book two herodotus quickly moves from the failure of cyrus to beat the massagetae to egypt. The relationship of divinity to historical causation in herodotus thought is therefore the subject of. At the same time, already in the proem herodotus has warned readers to be suspicious of logoi purporting to come from the past of myth and legend. Nobody is mad enough to choose war whilst there is peace. English translation of herodotus history book 2, euterpe, by g. This brings up the question of whether herodotus is correct in his theory that greek myth derived from egyptian myth, or whether it was just a happenstance occurring from the popularity of. The egyptians were the first who made it a point of religion not to lie with women in temples, nor to enter into temples after going away from women without first bathing. When the work is not acting as a source of descriptive information, there are actually a few comical moments as it regards the egyptian brazenness and crude sense of honest humor.

In book one, passages 23 and 24, herodotus relates the story of arion, the renowned harp player, second to no man living at that time, who was. Indeed the abovementioned of the egyptians for this stated reason sacrifice no shegoats and hegoats. Hellenon, commissioned the building of the third and smallest of the three pyramids at the site now known as giza. Herodotus was a greek writer and geographer credited with being the first historian. The title father of history is universally accorded to herodotus, ca 484 ca 425 bc, who was born in halicarnassus modern bodrum on the southwestern coast of what is today turkey.

Herodotus lays out the history of egypt until the reign of amasis, the pharaoh that cambyses will defeat in histories. Herodotus view of gods and fate toward common ground. Creation, by gore vidal, interpreting many scenes from the persian viewpoint. Book 2 of the histories largely concerns itself with egypt. Pan the mendesians count to be one of the eight gods and those eight gods, they assert, originated earlier than the twelve gods. Myth and legend in herodotus first book oxford scholarship. Jun 11, 2016 the story of the greek resistance to persian tyranny is the story of the selfrealization and selfactualization of a people. Nevertheless, this was a revolutionary text, and as a result, it earned herodotus his place in history. His justification for his study of egypt is vague and amounts to the interest he has in the artifacts and monuments found here.

The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. In the second book of his histories he describes ancient egypt and in this episode im going to be talking about the egyptian gods. This quotation from herodotus, a greek who traveled in egypt, is about how the nile river enabled ancient egyptian civilization to develop and succeed. Cambyses becomes king of the persian empire 530522 bc. Moreover the naming of almost all the gods has come to hellas from egypt. Those of their narrations which i heard with regard to the gods i am. The passage, from book i of his histories, is interesting in the way herodotus contrasts the behavior and values of the persians. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus by. Euterpe by herodotus for free with a 30 day free trial. We may think all the famous ancient greeks came from athens, but its not true. Comparing egyptian and greek myth through herodotus. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your first box. The history of herodotus, parallel english greek, tr.

Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 2. Herodotus greek historian herodotus, later famous as a historian to the point of becoming known by his admirers as the father of history, was born in halicarnassus, now bodrum, turkey, in about 484 b. It is in part a gripping and much revered tale of colossal confrontation between freedomloving greek speaking peoples the athenians, spartans, and others and the seemingly unstoppable forces of the persians. What herodotus does is to set up the persian wars as a kind of second trojan war. About heracles i heard the account given that he was of the number of the twelve gods. 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 xerxes expedition to greece 480 bce, which met with disaster in the naval engagement at salamis and the battles at plataea and mycale. Written from the 450s to the 420s bc in the ionic dialect of classical greek, they serve as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that were known. Herodotus in egypt book 2, 3599 herodotus translated by george rawlinson 18121902 procursus.

The histories quotes by herodotus goodreads share book. Accordingly, at the beginnings of his threads of causation, there is often an unresolved, irrational strand. Vidal naquet 1986 45 noted the frontation is the idea that the greek gods came from. Herodotus attempts to relate the whole history of the kings of egypt, although he does not describe all 350 pharaohs he claims have ruled the country. Here the attribution of equal knowledge to all men refers to the impossibility of human knowledge about the divine and is paralleled by cautionary statements we find elsewhere in the histories when herodotus speculates about divine intervention e. Being the second book of the famous history of herodotus london. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages. Herodotus histories book ii classical wisdom weekly part 2. Herodotus ancient greece history, mythology, art, war. After a long lapse of time the names of the gods came to greece from egypt, and the pelasgi learnt them, only as yet they knew nothing of bacchus, of whom they first heard at a much later date. Herodotus, a greek from the city of halicarnassus in asia minor todays bodrum in turkey, published his histories sometime between 426 and 415 bce.

The passage, from book i of his histories, is interesting in the way herodotus contrasts the behavior and values of the persians with those of the greeks, with the. An account of egypt is herodotus second book in his histories, titled euterpe. His histories is also a strong indicator of the symbolic dimensions of events as they were understood by herodotus contemporaries in the later fifth century. Herodotus histories book i translated into english by g. 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. Herodotus, greek author of the first great narrative history produced in the ancient world, the history of the grecopersian wars. Herodotus and a courtesan from naucratis classical inquiries. Herodotus he historian herodotus circa 490425 bc traveled extensively in the world known to the greek at his time, spending what must have been many years on this.

Thoughts on book 2 of the histories of herodotus first. The second book of the histories engages this consciousness and from the. The history of herodotus rawlinsonbook 2 wikisource, the free. The egyptians in agreement with their climate, which is unlike any other, and with the river, which shows a nature different from all other rivers, established for themselves manners and customs in a way opposite to other men in almost all matters.

Pharaoh, by boleslaw prus, incorporating the labyrinth scenes inspired by herodotus description in book ii of the histories. This woman, according to the reportage of some greeks as opposed to others metexeteroi. The researches of herodotus of halicarnassus book 1 prologue. The researches of herodotus of halicarnassus book 1 prologue proem.

In book 2, herodotus discusses the geography, culture, and history of egypt. Herodotus describes the birth and rise to power of cyrus, who liberated persia from the medes, and the subsequent expansion of the persian empire until cyrus death during a war with the massagetae. This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. The egyptians, they went on to affirm, first brought into use the names of the twelve gods, which the greeks adopted from them. It was the fault of the greek gods, who with their arrogance, encouraged me to march onto your lands. Like many important ancient greeks, herodotus was not only not born in athens but wasnt even born in what we think of as europe. When the four elements of identity are in place, they work together synergistically to form a kind of collective body, capable of functioning as an organic whole. The second book is largely concerned with egypt and the annexing of it by cyruss successor cambyses. Hello this is bertie, and im here with some more ancient history based on the writings of herodotus. Herodotus histories book i classical wisdom weekly. See all books authored by herodotus, including the histories, and selections from herodotus, and more on.

The first six books deals with the growth of the persian empire under the rulers of croesus and later cyrus the great. The four elements of national identity in herodotus martin. The only piece of work known to have been produced by herodotus is the histories. He remains the leading source of original information not only for greek history between 550 and 479 bce but also for much of that of western asia and of egypt at that time. He was born in the essentially dorian hellenic or greek, yes. The opening sentence herodotus of halicarnassus here presents to the public his researches historie, 1 so that time not erase what man has brought into being, and so that the great and marvelous deeds, manifested both by greeks and by barbarians, 2 not be without glory. What is more, they are hampered by accident, since herodotus, like the tragedians, was very conscious that this is another factor which widens and deepens the gap between real and ideal. Histories book 2 the history of egypt summary course hero.