Category Archives: Tales From Herodotus

Tales From Herodotus XX. The Power of Custom

Translated from Tales From Herodotus. Every single person believes that their customs are by far the most noble. And it is possible to surmise this by many other proofs, but particularly by the following. Darius, when he was king, called … Continue reading

Posted in Tales From Herodotus | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tales From Herodotus XIX. Scythian Prophets

Translated from Tales From Herodotus. (a) How they attribute any illness of the king to the perjury of one of his subjects, who is accordingly beheaded. The prophets of the Scythians are many, who prophesy with many willow sticks as … Continue reading

Posted in Tales From Herodotus | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tales From Herodotus XVIII. Curiosities of Arabia

Translated from Tales From Herodotus. (a) The spices of Arabia and the methods by which they are gathered. In Arabia alone of all lands, there grows frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon, and ladanum. The Arabians procure all these things with difficulty, except … Continue reading

Posted in Tales From Herodotus | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tales From Herodotus XVII. How Gold is Procured in India from Ant-hills

Translated from Tales From Herodotus. In the land of the Indians there is a wasteland on account of the sand. And in this wasted and sandy region there are giant ants that are smaller than dogs but larger than foxes. … Continue reading

Posted in Tales From Herodotus | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Tales From Herodotus XVI. The Battle of Salamis, 480 B.C.

Translated from Tales From Herodotus. Farnell and Goff provide a synopsis of the events to this point: [Ten years after the defeat of the Persians at Marathon in 490 B.C. Xerxes, who came to the throne in 485, executed another … Continue reading

Posted in Tales From Herodotus | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tales From Herodotus XV. Exploration of Africa

Translated from Tales From Herodotus. B. The Ethiopians §1. Cambyses, king of Persia, sends men to spy on the Ethiopians, in preparation for an expedition against them; description of the so-called ‘table of the sun.’ Cambyses once planned an expedition … Continue reading

Posted in Tales From Herodotus | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tales From Herodotus XV. Exploration of Africa

Translated from Tales From Herodotus. A. The Pygmies and the Source of the Nile The Nile is known only as far as four months of sail and road beyond the flow in Egypt. It flows from the west and the … Continue reading

Posted in Tales From Herodotus | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Tales From Herodotus XIV. Two Stories of the Alcmaeonid Family

Translated from Tales From Herodotus. (a) How Alcmaeon was enriched by Croesus. The Alcmaeonids were both ancient and illustrious amongst the Athenians, from Alcmaeon and again from Megacles they became very illustrious. For Alcmaeon became an assistant to the Lydians … Continue reading

Posted in Tales From Herodotus | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tales From Herodotus XIII. The Babylonian Wife-Market

Seriously. WTF?! Translated from Tales From Herodotus. The beautiful women are sold to the highest bidder; the plain or deformed are given to those who will accept the lowest compensation for such a poor match. Each and every village once … Continue reading

Posted in Tales From Herodotus | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Tales From Herododotus XII. A Rebuff to Darius for Disturbing the Tomb of Nitocris, Queen of Babylon

Translated from Tales From Herodotus. Nitocris, the Queen of Babylon, contrived a certain deceit as follows. Over the most frequented gates of the town she constructed a tomb up high up, above the gates themselves; and she engraved letters on … Continue reading

Posted in Tales From Herodotus | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment