Histories

“Herodotus of Halicarnassus here displays his inquiry, so that human achievements may not become forgotten in time, and great and marvelous deeds—some displayed by Greeks, some by barbarians—may not be without their glory; and especially to show why the two peoples fought with each other.” 

In the preface to the Histories, Herodotus identifies himself, announces his theme, and explains his motivation for writing an account of the conflict between the Greeks and their Asian neighbors. Herodotus emphasizes that his work is an inquiry (historia) based on his own personal research. It is thus empirical and critical in spirit, relying on his collection and evaluation of data from various sources. In saying that he does not wish the “great and marvelous deeds” of history to be forgotten or without glory, Herodotus alludes to the epic poet Homer, whose Iliad and Odyssey memorialize the fame of the heroes of the Trojan War. The Histories thus combine the bestowal of praise and interest in the marvelous actions of men with an emergent scientific and critical attitude toward explaining the motives for the conflict of two great peoples. 

“So much for what Persians and Phoenicians say; and I have no intention of passing judgement on its truth or falsity. I prefer to rely on my own knowledge, and to point out who it was in actual fact that first injured the Greeks; then I will proceed with my history, telling the story as I go along of small cities of men no less than of great. For most of those which were great once are small today; and those which used to be small were great in my own time. Knowing, therefore, that human prosperity never abides long in the same place, I shall pay attention to both alike.” 

After describing a series of legendary abductions of women—Io, Medea, and Helen of Troy—that supposedly gave rise to the enmity of the Greeks and Asiatic peoples, Herodotus shifts to his own inquiry into the actual origins of the conflict. In doing so, he establishes the empirical and critical attitude of his history, withholding judgement on the veracity of the mythical accounts he cites.