General histories of Greece
A. R. Burn, Persia and the Greeks (2nd ed.), London 1984
J. B. Bury and R. Meiggs, History of Greece, London 1975
Modern books on Herodotus
A. de Sélincourt, The World of Herodotus, London 1962
J. Gould, Herodotus, Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1989
R. W. Macan, Herodotus and Thucydides, Cambridge University Press 1927
J. L. Myres, Herodotus, Father of History, Oxford University Press 1953
J. Wells, Studies in Herodotus, Basil Blackwell 1923
A Note on the Text
Rawlinson’s translation of Herodotus first appeared in 1858, when it was published in four volumes, including very extensive footnotes and a variety of essays and appendices. In 1910, the Everyman edition of the translation was issued, in which the notes were much reduced and the extraneous material was omitted. A few extra footnotes were supplied by the editor, E. H. Blakeney: these are here enclosed in square brackets.
The present volume reprints the Everyman text, with a few modernisations of spelling or orthography. The only significant change is the restoring of the Greek names of deities (as they appeared in Herodotus’ text) in place of their Roman equivalents, which Rawlinson had used throughout.
Contents
Book One
Clio
1–5 Causes of the war between Greece and Persia – Mythic
6–25 Causes of the war between Greece and Persia – Historic – Aggressions of Croesus – Previous Lydian History
26–28 Conquests of Croesus
29–33 Visit of Solon to the court of Croesus
34–45 Story of Adrastus and Atys
46–55 Preparations of Croesus against Cyrus – Consultation of the oracles
56–58 Croesus seeks a Greek alliance – Hellenes and Pelasgi
59–64 State of Athens under Pisistratus
65–68 Early History of Sparta
69–70 Alliance of Croesus with Sparta
71 Croesus warned
72–85 Croesus invades Cappadocia – His war with Cyrus
86–87 Danger and deliverance of Croesus
88–89 His advice to Cyrus
90–91 His message to the Delphic oracle
92 His offerings
93 Wonders of Lydia
94 Manners and customs of the Lydians
95 History of Cyrus – Old Assyrian Empire – Revolt of Media
96–107 Early Median History
108–122 Birth and bringing-up of Cyrus
123–124 Incitements to revolt
125–126 Cyrus sounds the feelings of the Persians – their Ten Tribes
127–130 Revolt and struggle
131–140 Customs of the Persians
141 Cyrus threatens the Ionian Greeks
142–151 Account of the Greek settlements in Asia
152 Sparta interferes to protect the Greeks
153–157 Sardis revolts and is reduced
158–160 Fate of Pactyas
161–170 Reduction of the Asiatic Greeks
171–176 The Carians, Caunians, and Lycians attacked – their customs – they submit to the Persians
177 Conquests of Cyrus in Upper Asia
178–187 Description of Babylon
188–190 Cyrus marches on Babylon
191 Fall of Babylon
192–193 Description of Babylonia
194–200 Customs of the Babylonians
201 Expedition of Cyrus against the Massagetae
202 The River Araxes
203–204 The Caspian
205–206 Tomyris – her offer to Cyrus
207–208 Advice given by Croesus, adopted by Cyrus
209–210 Dream of Cyrus
211–214 Two battles with the Massagetae – Defeat and death of Cyrus
215 Manners and customs of the Massagetae
Book Two
Euterpe
1. Accession of Cambyses – he invades Egypt
2. Description of Egypt – Antiquity
3. Seats of learning
4. Inventions, etc.
5–13. Description of the country
14. Agriculture
15–18. Boundaries
19–27. The Nile – Causes of the inundation
28. Sources
29–31. The Upper Nile
32. The interior of Libya
33–34. Comparison of the Nile and Ister
35–36. Customs of the Egyptians – their strangeness
37–48. Religious customs
49–57. Connection of the religions of Egypt and Greece
58–64. Egyptian Festivals
65–67. Sacred animals
68–70. The Crocodile
71. The Hippopotamus
72. Otters, fish, etc.
73. The Phoenix
76. The Ibis
77–80. Daily life of the Egyptians
81. Dress
82. Divination
83. Oracles
84. Practice of Medicine
85–90. Funerals
91. Worship of Perseus
92–95. Customs of the marshmen
96. Egyptian boats
97. Routes in the flood-time
98. Anthylla and Archandropolis
99. History of Egypt – Mên
100–101. His successors – Nitocris – Moeris
102–110. Sesostris – his expeditions – his works in Egypt
111. His son, Pheron
112–120. Proteus – story of Helen
121–122. Rhampsinitus
123. Doctrine of metempsychosis
124–126. Cheops – his pyramid
127–128. Chephren
129–133. Mycerinus
134–135. His pyramid – history of Rhodopis
136. Asychis
137–140. Anysis – Sabaco
141. Sethos – invasion of Sennacherib
142–143. Number of the kings
144–146. Greek and Egyptian notions of the age of the gods
147–152. The Dodecarchy
154–157. Psammetichus
158–159. Neco, his son
160. Psammis, son of Neco
161–169. Apries, son of Psammis – his deposition
170. Tomb of Osiris
171. Egyptian mysteries
172–177. Reign of Amasis
178–182. His favour to the Greeks
Book Three
Thalia
1–3. Causes of quarrel between Persia and Egypt – Nitetis story
4. Aid lent by Phanes
5–9. Passage of the Desert
10. Invasion of Egypt – Psammenitus king
11. Murder of the children of Phanes – Battle of Pelusium
12. Egyptian and Persian skulls
13. Siege and capture of Memphis – submission of the Libyans and Cyrenaeans
14–15. Treatment of Psammenitus
16. Treatment of the body of Amasis
17–18. Expeditions planned by Cambyses
19. Phoenicians refuse to attack Carthage
20–24. Embassy to the Ethiopians
25. Expedition fails
26. Failure of the expedition against Ammon
27–29. Severities of Cambyses towards the Egyptians
30–35. His outrageous conduct towards the Persians
36. His treatment of Croesus
37–38. His madness
39�
��43. History of Polycrates – his connection with Amasis
44. He sends ships to assist Cambyses
45. Revolt of the crews – Samos attacked
46–47. Aid sought from Sparta and Corinth
48–53. Story of Periander
54–56. Siege of Samos
57–59. Fate of the rebels
60. Wonders of Samos
61. Revolt of the Magi – usurpation of the Pseudo–Smerdis
62–66. The news reaches Cambyses – his wound, speech, and death
67. Reign of the Magus
68–69. His detection by Otanes
70. Otanes conspires – arrival of Darius
71–73. Debate of the conspirators
74–75. Fate of Prexaspes
76–79. Overthrow of the Magi
80–82. Debate on the best form of government
83. Decision of Otanes
84. Privileges of the Six
85–87. Darius obtains the kingdom
88. His wives
89–93. Division of the Empire into twenty Satrapies
94–97. Amount of the tribute
98–105. Customs of the Indians
106–116. Productiveness of the earth’s extremities
117. The river Aces
118–119. Fate of Intaphernes
120–125. Story of Oroetes and Polycrates
126–128. Punishment of Oroetes
129–130. Democedes of Crotona cures Darius
131. His former history
132–133. His influence – he cures Atossa
134. Atossa at his instigation requests Darius to invade Greece
135–138. Persians sent to explore the coasts – Democedes escapes
139–149. Persian expedition against Samos to establish Syloson
150–158. Revolt and reduction of Babylon by the stratagem of Zopyrus
159. Punishment of the rebels
160. Reward of Zopyrus
Book Four
Melpomene
1. Expedition of Darius against Scythia – its pretext
2–4. Previous history of the Scythians – their war with their slaves
5–7. Traditions of their origin – their own account
8–10. Traditions of their origin – Greek version of the same
11–12. Traditions of their origin – account preferred by the author
13–16. Story of Aristeas
17–20. Description of Scythia
21–27. Neighbouring nations Sauromatae, Budini, Argippaei, Issedones, and Arimaspi
28–31. Climate of Scythia
32–36. Stories of the Hyperboreans
37–41. Universal geography – Description of Asia
42–43. Universal geography – Circumnavigation of Libya
44. Universal geography – Voyage of Scylax
45. Origin of the names Europe, Asia, Libya
46–47. Remarkable features of Scythia – the people
48–50. The rivers – the Ister and its affluents
51. The Tyras
52. The Hypanis
53. The Borysthenes
54–58. The Panticapes, Hypacyris, Gerrhus, Tanais, etc.
59. Religion of the Scyths – Gods
60–61. Sacrifices
62–63. Worship of Ares, etc.
64–66. War-customs
67–69. Soothsayers
70. Oaths
71–73. Burial of the kings, etc.
74–75. Use of hemp
76–80. Hatred of foreign customs – stories of Anacharsis and Scylas
81. Population
82. Marvels
83–85. Preparations of Darius
86. Size of the Euxine, Propontis, etc.
87–92. March of Darius to the Ister
93–96. Customs of the Thracians
97–98. Darius at the Ister
99–101. Size and shape of Scythia
102–117. Description of the surrounding nations, Tauri, etc.
118–119. Consultation of the kings
120. Plans of the Scyths
121–140. March of Darius through Scythia, and return to the Ister
141–143. Passage of the Ister and return to the Hellespont
144. Saying of Megabazus
145–149. Libyan expedition of Aryandes – Founding of Thera
150–155. Theraeans required by the oracle to colonise Libya – two accounts
156. Occupation of Platea
157. Settlement at Aziris
158. Colonisation of Cyrene
159–164. History of Cyrene from its foundation to the death of Arcesilaus III
165. Application of Pheretima to Aryandes
166. Fate of Aryandes
167. Expedition against Barca
168–181. Account of the Libyan tribes from Egypt to Lake Tritonis
182–185. The three regions of Northern Libya
186–190. Customs of the Libyans
191–192. Contrast of eastern and western Libya
193–196. Account of the western tribes
197. Four nations of Libya
198–199. Productiveness of Libya
200–203. Account of the expedition against Barca
204. Fate of the Barcaeans
205. Death of Pheretima
Book Five
Terpsichore
1–2. Thracian conquests of Megabazus
3–8. Customs of the Thracians
9–10. Region north of Thrace
11. Coës and Histiaeus rewarded
12–14. Story of Pigres and Mantyes
15. Megabazus reduces the Paeonians
16. Customs of the Paeonians
17–21. Submission of Macedonia – story of the ambassadors
22. Hellenism of the royal family of Macedon
23–24. Recall of Histiaeus
25. Appointment of Artaphernes and Otanes
26–27. Conquests of Otanes
28–29. Troubles arise in Ionia – previous history of Miletus
30–34. Aristagoras’ expedition against Naxos
35. Message of Histiaeus
36. Revolt of Aristagoras
37–38. Fate of the tyrants
39–48. Aristagoras goes to Sparta – Recent history of Sparta
49–54. Aristagoras fails to persuade Cleomenes
55–96. He goes to Athens – Recent history of Athens – Murder of Hipparchus – Expulsion of Hippias – Cleisthenes – attempts of Sparta – Theban and Aeginetan wars, etc.
97. Aristagoras obtains aid from Athens
98. Escape of the Paeonians
99–101. Attack on Sardis, which is taken and burnt
102. Retreat and defeat of the Greeks
103. Spread of the revolt to Caria and Caunus
104–115. Revolt and reduction of Cyprus – Darius and Histiaeus
116–117. Persians recover the Hellespont
118–121. War in Caria
122–123. Persian successes in Aeolis and Ionia
124. Aristagoras resolves on flight
125. Advice of Hecataeus
126. Flight and death of Aristagoras
Book Six
Erato
1–3. Histiaeus comes down to the coast
4. Conspiracy discovered at Sardis
5. Histiaeus sails to the Hellespont
6–15. Miletus threatened by the Persians – the two fleets – battle of Lade
16. Misfortunes of the Chians
17. D
ionysius the Phocaean commander
18. Fall of Miletus
19–20. Punishment of the Milesians
21. Sorrow of Athens
22–25. Fate of the Samians – seizure of Zancle
26–30. Fate of Histiaeus
31–32. Punishment of the rebels
33. Phoenician fleet ravages the Chersonese
34–40. Chersonesite kingdom of the Cimonidae
41. Flight of Miltiades to Athens
42. New settlement of Ionia by the Persians
43–45. Expedition of Mardonius fails
46–47. Suspected revolt of Thasos
48–49. Envoys of Darius demand earth and water – submission of Aegina and the islands generally
50. Cleomenes attempts to punish the Aeginetans
51. Cleomenes’ feud with Demaratus
52–59. The double royalty at Sparta – descent – privileges of the kings
60. Spartan customs
61–63. Story of Ariston
C64–70. Demaratus, deprived of his crown, flies to Persia
71. Leotychides made king
72. Fate of Leotychides
73. Aeginetans forced to give hostages
74–75. Fate of Cleomenes
76–84. Various causes assigned for his insanity
85–86. Aeginetans demand back their hostages – story of Glaucus
87–93. War between Aegina and Athens
94. Expedition of Datis and Artaphernes
95–99. Course of the expedition
100–101. Preparations of the Eretrians – siege and surrender of Eretria
102. Persians land at Marathon
103–104. Account of Miltiades
105–106. Pheidippides sent to Sparta – appearance of Pan
107. Dream of Hippias
108. Plataeans join the Athenians – previous connection of the two nations
109–110. Division among the Athenian generals – Miltiades and Callimachus
111. Preparations for battle
112–114. Battle of Marathon
115–116. Attempt to surprise Athens
117. Story of Epizelus
118–119. Return of the expedition to Asia
120. Spartans visit Marathon
121–124. Charge made against the Alcmaeonidae
125. Previous history of the family – favours of Croesus
126–130. Marriage of Megacles with Agarista
131. Descent of Pericles
132–135. Expedition of Miltiades against Paros
136. Trial of Miltiades – his death