The Histories

by Herodotus, George Rawlinson (Translator)

Overview

Widely referred to as the "Father of History", Greek Historian Herodotus lived during the 5th century BC and "The Histories" is generally accepted as the first work of historical literature in Western Civilization. Departing from the ancient Homeric tradition of treating historical subjects as epically romantic figures, Herodotus instead approached his subjects with a systematic method of investigation. "The Histories" of Herodotus describe the important wars of the fifth century BC. This work conveys the careful research and deliberate documentation of martial battles between the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire. The reasons for his efforts, as explained by Herodotus, were to preserve the memory and glory of human achievements and deeds, as well as to record why the Greco-Persian Wars took place. Organized in nine books, which are named after the Muses, he unfolds the various battles while making a comparison of the widely differing governments of the antagonists. In undertaking his "Histories," Herodotus unfolds a holistic view of the classical world with considerable narrative skill and charisma. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781420975215
Publisher:	Digireads.com
Publication date:	09/12/2021
Pages:	518
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.15(d)

About the Author

Carolyn Dewald is Associate Professor of Classics at the University of Southern California. Robin Waterfield is a distinguished translator whose version of Plato's Republic has been described as ‘the best available'.

Read an Excerpt

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Table of Contents

The HistoriesPreface
Introduction
1. Herodotus' Life and Work
2. The Subject-Matter of The Histories
3. Herodotus' sources and Metho Histories
4. Structure and Themes in The Histories
5. Herodotus' Later Reputation

Further Reading
A Note on the Text
Maps

Herodotus The Histories
Book One
Book Two
Book Three
Book Four
Book Five
Book Six
Book Seven
Book Eight
Book Nine

Glossary
Structural Outline
Chronology
Abbreviations
Notes
Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“De Sélincourt’s pacy, natural-sounding, rendering, as superbly revised and annotated by John Marincola…was a game-changer…still reads freshly and is a bestseller six decades after its first publication.”
—Edith Hall,  Times Literary Supplement

Editorial Reviews

De Sélincourt’s pacy, natural-sounding, rendering, as superbly revised and annotated by John Marincola…was a game-changer…still reads freshly and is a bestseller six decades after its first publication.”
—Edith Hall,  Times Literary Supplement

From the Publisher

David Timson’s performance makes the Greek historian Herodotus a character, not just the narrator of his histories. He sounds like an amiable, garrulous uncle—worldly, cheerful, by turns credulous and skeptical. That character fits the audiobook and helps keep it entertaining. But Timson also shows respect for Herodotus as a historian—rather than just a tall-tale spinner—by not overacting. His reading is spirited, expressive, and well paced. He’s unfailingly skillful in getting the intonation and emphasis just right for the sense of the text. Listeners unfamiliar with the book or with ancient history may find a periodic abundance of names and places off-putting, which even Timson’s skill and talent can’t help, but his delivery of the anecdotes and history is thoroughly engaging and enjoyable. W.M. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2017 - AudioFile

★ 2014-04-08
A delightful new translation of what is widely considered the first work of history and nonfiction.Herodotus has a wonderful, gossipy style that makes reading these histories more fun than studying the rise of the Persian Empire and its clash with Greece—however, that's exactly what readers will do in this engaging history, which is full of interesting digressions and asides. Holland (In the Shadow of the Sword: The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire, 2012, etc.), whose lifelong devotion to Herodotus, Thucydides and other classical writers is unquestionable, provides an engaging modern translation. As Holland writes, Herodotus' "great work is many things—the first example of nonfiction, the text that underlies the entire discipline of history, the most important source of information we have for a vital episode in human affairs—but it is above all a treasure-trove of wonders." Those just being introduced to the Father of History will agree with the translator's note that this is "the greatest shaggy-dog story ever written." Herodotus set out to explore the causes of the Greco-Persian Wars and to explore the inability of East and West to live together. This is as much a world geography and ethnic history as anything else, and Herodotus enumerates social, religious and cultural habits of the vast (known) world, right down to the three mummification options available to Egyptians. This ancient Greek historian could easily be called the father of humor, as well; he irreverently describes events, players and their countless harebrained schemes. Especially enjoyable are his descriptions of the Persians making significant decisions under the influence and then waiting to vote again when sober. The gifts Herodotus gave history are the importance of identifying multiple sources and examining differing views.A feast for students of ancient history and budding historians of any period.

Kirkus Reviews