So its fitting that, through herodotus book, the english patient reveals his own history. Buy the histories oxford worlds classics penguin classic by herodotus, dewald, carolyn, waterfield, robin isbn. Compelled by his desire to prevent the traces of human events from being erased by time, herotodus recounts the incidents preceding and following the persian wars. Clio 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 losing their due meed of glory. Cicero called herodotus the father of history, and his only work, the histories, is considered the first true piece of historical writing in western literature. The prose is very accessible, which makes this history very intriguing and enjoyable to read. Read the histories illustrated editioin by herodotus available from rakuten kobo. Herodotus 1 greek and latin texts with facing vocabulary. Meanwhile histiaeus, tyrant of miletus, who had been allowed by darius to leave susa, came down to sardis. 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. Herodotus the histories translation by robin waterfield. Greek text with facing vocabulary and commentary, 2nd ed.
Herodotus, carolyn dewald editor, robin waterfield translator published by oxford university press, usa 2008 isbn 10. This manuscript contains the first book of herodotus histories. He traveled along the coast of asia minor to the northern islands and to the shore of the black sea. From book to book, the histories lets you track persias expansion, mapped by its conflicts. Father of history, father of lies by david pipes it was in the early days of the peloponnesian war that herodotus completed his history and published it. Waterfields translation so far is making it fun to read. The histories oxford worlds classics 9780199535668.
The histories of herodotus is considered the founding work of history in western literature. Herodotus, the histories, robin waterfield translation 2008. Joined here are the sheer drama of herodotus narrative of the persian. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. There are strong indications that this is not the original division.
Woods, for example, in his edition of the first book published in 1873 gives a list of readings for the first and second books, in which he almost invariably prefers the authority. Bc, greek historian, called the father of history, b. Beware of entrance to a quarrel, but, being in, bear t that th. Our division of the histories in nine books goes back to an edition by scholars of the third century bce, working in the great library of alexandria. This is not the same issue as whether herodotuss history is reliable. The histories paperback herodotus, robin waterfield, carolyn. On his arrival, being asked by artaphernes, the sardian satrap, what he thought was the reason that the ionians had rebelled, he made answer that he could not conceive, and it had astonished. But herodotus was the first not only to record the past but also to treat it as a philosophical problem, or research project, that could yield knowledge of human behavior. The histories translated by robin waterfield this image depicts the bookcover of herodotus the histories, edited by carolyn dewald and translated by robin waterfield.
The father of history, as cicero called him, and a writer possessed of remarkable narrative gifts, enormous scope, and considerable charm, herodotus has always been beloved by readers wellversed in the classics. Herodotus the histories translation by robin waterfield new york oxford from hist 3900 at hawaii pacific university. The histories by herodotus, first edition abebooks. His invention earned him the title the father of history. Herodotuss histories dealt with the clash of civilisations east v west. This superbly readable new translation is supplemented by expansive notes that provide readers the background that they need to appreciate the book in depth. First book of herodotus histories the british library. Being the second book of the famous history of herodotus london. Online books about this author are available, as is a wikipedia article herodotus. The best stories of herodotus and why youre going to. We do not know what sources herodotus had available to him as he tried to put together a depiction of croesus and his reign. He travelled widely in most of asia minor, egypt as far as assuan, north africa, syria, the country north of the black sea, and many parts.
Robin anthony herschel waterfield is a british classical scholar, translator, editor, and writer of childrens fiction. I find myself switching between herodotus and the commentaries. Herodotus, also known as the father of history, lived in the. Robin waterfield s books robin waterfield average rating. The histories by herodotus, 9780199535668, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Hide browse bar your current position in the text is marked in blue. When you take into account when this book was written its pretty darn cool. This is a very important book groin ling the persian invasion of greece. Buy the histories by herodotus from boffins books in perth, australia.
Robin waterfield has 99 books on goodreads with 224597 ratings. Herodotus was a very smart and learned man for his time and it is interesting to read what he thinks. It is written on paper and dates from some time before 1449, since an ownership inscription from that year is on f. Erato aristagoras, the author of the ionian revolt, perished in the way which i have described. The histories illustrated editioin ebook by herodotus.
In a nut shell herodotus writes about the causes of the ancient. Each chapter covers a separate logos in book 5 and proposes an original thesis about the political, historical, and cultural significance of the subjects that. I thought that reading herodotus would be daunting, but mr. Known as the father of history, he 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. The histories by herodotus, paul cartledge waterstones. July 20 this link contains a free pdf copy of herodotus book i. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. Herodotus dewald carolyn waterfield robin abebooks. With lucid prose, herodotuss account of the rise of the persian empire and its dramatic war with the greek city.
The histories by polybius, robin waterfield waterstones. I started to share the best stories of herodotus not because there was a huge popular demand for it im yet to see the masses clamouring for more of anything on this blog but because i dont believe that herodotus belongs to. And the commentaries at the back of the book are also well done. Explore books by robin waterfield with our selection at. Reading herodotus represents a new departure in herodotean scholarship. Tom hollands stirring new translation telegraph of herodotus histories, one of the great books in western history now in paperbackthe histories of herodotus, completed in the second half of the 5th century bc, is generally regarded as the first work of history and the first great masterpiece of nonfiction writing.
The fact that herodotus had no prior text to help construct his own is pretty interesting. Buy the histories oxford worlds classics new edition by herodotus, carolyn dewald, robin waterfield isbn. Background and book 1 background herodotus 480after 430 bce halicarnassus where herodotus was from, very cosmopolitan place widely traveled, especially egypt lived in athens under pericles ruler of athens thurii helped found this place, an artificially created international city in southern italy. While much of the information he gives has proved to be astonishingly accurate, he also entertains us with delightful. It contains marginal notes in both greek and latin. For an introductory discussion on the histori ography of herodotus, see herodotus, the histories trans. Herodotuss account of the persian wars of 481479bc takes six books out of nine or 300odd pages of robin waterfields excellent english translation even to. But do not dull thy palm with entertainment of each newhatchd, unfledgd comrade. Readers who are interested in herodotus from either a literary critical angle or from a historical angle will therefore both find useful material in this commentary.
The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. Herodotus was an ancient greek historian who lived in the fifth century bc c. The histories was at some point divided into the nine books that appear in modern. Translator tom holland argues that the father of history is not only hugely entertaining but has an amazing capacity to. Only scant knowledge of his life can be gleaned from his writings and from references to him by later writings, notably the suda. Page 70 the friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel. This new translation by robin waterfield, the first for over thirty years, includes the first five books in their entirety, and all of the fragmentary books 6 and 12, containing polybius account of the roman constitution and his outspoken views on how and how not to write history. Delineating herodotuss appropriation of homeric language and ideology, for example, is accorded just as much importance as evaluating the historical accuracy of herodotuss narrative.
Often the commentaries will note that herodotus is just wrong in what he says, but sometimes hes right. Herodotus the great greek historian was born about 484 bce, at halicarnassus in caria, asia minor, when it was subject to the persians. It was not a chronicle, nor was it a local history. From the editor of the widely praised the landmark thucydides, a new landmark edition of the histories by herodotus. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. Founded in 1997, has become a leading book price comparison site.