When xerxes, king of persia, crosses the hellespont at the head of a. It is in part a gripping and much revered tale of colossal confrontation between freedomloving greekspeaking peoples the athenians, spartans, and others and the seemingly unstoppable forces of the persians. Here we get the most bodacious recount of the battle of thermopylae and the noble 300 spartans who. Herodotus excerpts from book vii of the histories translated and edited by a. Herodotus claims that dieneces made many such sayings, and if this is the case it would make him especially spartan, for the spartans valued the laconic phrase dry wit, expressed in as few words as possible. To read the history herodotus only book is to seek ones roots as a member of western democratic civilization. He explains his theory that it is the athenians who ensured the freedom of greece by taking the course of action he is about to describe. Herodotus, the histories, book 1, chapter 1, section 0. While they all knew it was coming, they didnt see it in the same way. The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive. In the meantime those of the persians who had been left behind in europe by dareios, of whom megabazos was the commander, had subdued the people of perinthos first of the hellespontians, since they refused to be subject to dareios. According to herodotus how did demaratus warn the spartans about xerxes plans for invasion. Herodotus the histories, book 7, polymnia 8239 battle of thermopylae.
The quarrel over succession by two of darius sons, artabazanes and xerxes. In one of the famous battles of ancient history, the persian force met a much smaller greek army at a narrow mountain pass called thermopylae. The history of herodotus has been divided into the following sections. The persian king xerxes with his mighty army bridges the hellespont and invades greece, killing the spartans arrayed against him at thermopylae.
The quarrel over succession by two of darius sons, artabazanes and xerxes 2. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the history of herodotus volume 2. The book shows literature and historys power to repair. Sincerely, andre herodotus book six discussion questions 1. Buy herodotus ebooks to read online or download in pdf or epub on your pc, tablet or mobile device. King xerxes pitched his camp in the region of malis called trachinia, while on their side the greeks occupied the straits. In book 7, xerxes, having succeeded his father darius on the persian throne, launches a massive invasion against greece with the goal of subjecting europe to the great king. Here are presented the results of the enquiry carried out by herodotus of halicarnassus. The following is an excerpt from his book the histories that describes the persian army at. Xerxes is the central character of the aeschylus play the persians.
Sparta was a military citystate with two kings that claimed to. What occurred from this affair, i believe, along with the riggers of war, helped to turn xerxes mind back to vashti. Xerxes is the protagonist of the opera serse by the germanenglish baroque composer george frideric handel. Xerxes the biblical king ahasverus, known from the book esther became king in november 486. At the beginning of the histories, herodotus sets out his reasons for writing it.
This book features a table of contents linked to every chapter. The history of herodotus by herodotus written 440 b. These being not of the same mother were at strife with one another, artobazanes contending that he was the eldest of all the sons, and that it was a custom maintained by all men that the eldest should have the rule, and xerxes arguing that he was the son of atossa the daughter of cyrus, and that. This edition provides all the help required by a reader with little experience of greek. Either the persians would rule over the greeks or the other way round 7.
Named polymnia after the greek muse of sacred poetry. Xerxes at the hellespont mid 5th century bce november 10, 2016 elizabeth. Its centrepiece is the unexpected but crucial greek naval victory at salamis. Xerxes pride in his lineage made him blind against any danger 7. Herodotus 484425 bce the greek historian who wrote extensively on the persian empire, here describes persian customs as they would have been practiced around the year 430 bce at susa and other persian communities. Estimates of his forces are ridiculously overblown. Thoughts on book seven of the histories of herodotus. After xerxes comes home we know of one major event in his life from the writings of herodotus, the greek historian, his affair with his daughterinlaw.
These two, therefore, being the sons of different mothers, were now at variance. Some say that aristodemos came safe to sparta in this manner, and on a pretext such as i have said. The principal sources of in formation are herodotus, aeschylus very biased and persepolis. Youve got to pack the fact s in and refer to the sources. He was a young boy during the persian war, and interviewed greek veterans of the persian war to get the information he needed for his history.
Herodotus claims to have traveled extensively around the ancient world, conducting interviews and collecting stories for his book, almost all of which covers territories of the persian empire. Over which body of water did xerxes have a huge bridge built. This expedition against athens threatened all of greece. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
This happens quite literally in one scene, where hana uses miscellaneous books from the library to repair the stairs. Thus the claim to world domination was once more expressed 7. In the histories, he describes the expansion of the achaemenid empire under its kings cyrus the great, cambyses, and darius i the great, culminating in xerxes expedition to greece 480 bce. The history of herodotus volume 2 kindle edition by. Bridging the hellespont, the persians enter greece, demanding earth and waterthe tokens of subjection to the emperorfrom the hellenic cities. Hence herodotus described xerxes as possessed by hybris and blind from the very start. After three years of preparation, xerxes invaded greece in august of 480 bce. Greek researcher, often called the worlds first historian.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Book seven herodotus seventh book brings together many of the strands developed in previous books of hubris, greek development and the clash of civilizations. Artabanus wants nothing more than for xerxes to heed his words, but this does not come to pass as is evidenced by xerxes reply, you are a coward and spiritless 7. Poorer answers really lack solid information make vague, rambling assertions. The history of herodotus volume 2 kindle edition by herodotus, macaulay, g. Histories book 7, the battle of thermopylae summary share. In book 7, herodotus examines xerxes hubris and how this trait leads the persian empire into destruction because xerxes tried to extend beyond his bounds. Some submitted to persia thinking they wouldnt get hurt. This place is called thermopylae by most of the hellenes, but by the natives and their neighbors pylae. This rests on an interpretation of herodotus which states he was a purposeful, subtle historian, one which i agree with. Xerxes consults artemisia about mardonius offer 101. Mardonius, to protect himself, urges xerxes to keep fighting in greece, or to go home and leave him, mardonius, in command of 300,000 troops 100.
Darius is exceedingly angry when informed of the defeat at marathon. What are artabanus two main arguments against xerxes plan to invade greece. Artemisia advises that he leave mardonius in command, since then xerxes will have nothing to lose even if mardonius fails. Histories book 7 the battle of thermopylae summary. Herodotus adequately foreshadows what is going to occur in the future through artabanus speech. Depart home, if thou art so minded, and take with thee the bulk of thy army. Book i 299k book ii 249k book iii 221k book iv 230k book v 162k book vi 174k book vii 286k book viii 179k. Herodotus notes that while xerxes ostensibly meant to punish athens, his real intent was to conquer all of greece. Herodotus the histories book vii book vii polymnia when the report of the battle of marathon reached darius, son of hystapes, who had already been thoroughly exasperated by the athenians attack on sardis, he now reacted with a much more intense fury and became even more determined to make war on hellas than he had been before. Without books the herodotus book in particularthe gaps between the characters would be unable to bridge. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus.
It was first performed in the kings theatre london on 15 april 1738. Herodotus herodotus was an ancient greek historian who lived in the 5th century bce. King xerxes lay encamped in trachis in malis and the hellenes in the pass. Xerxes according to herodotus encyclopaedia iranica. In book 3, herodotus tells of the arrival of a samian embassy to sparta. Book viii of herodotus histories covers the early part of the unsuccessful invasion of greece by xerxes, king of persia. The next four books tell the story of the war itself, from the invasions of greece by persian emperors darius and xerxes to the greek triumphs at salamis, plataea and mycale in. The passage, from book i of his histories, is interesting in the way herodotus contrasts the behavior and values of the persians with those. Why did artabanus sleep in xerxes bed, in xerxes pajamas. Artabazanes was the eldest of the first family, and xerxes of the second.
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