Herodotus' Inquiries

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

This is a continuation on the Zoroastrian thread, lest that thread become off-topic:

Azari, 300 wasn't what I was refering to, or at least not in the sense that you assumed. The benefits of Herodotus is as an Inquirer, a pre-socratic comedic-philosopher moreso than a "historian." And he enquires about off-the-record origins, with little regard for their reality or objectivity, in a manner that brings the origins and wisdom of the people he is writing about to the foreground. This isn't Thucydides as an Athenian Journalist. The Greeks were unhistorical peoples, like a lot of archaic peoples. Things come and go, 'tis the season.... Herodotus is a comedian, he's in on this big joke; yet he never belittles any man's beliefs, no matter how absurd, or laugh at the inherent tragedies of certain situations. Xenophone- who is quote too- is too religious, too much of believer of Socrates to be taken seriously here. He's a comedian too but he write farce to the point where you react negatively to his treatment of people and their nutty ideas.

And in this vein, there is a true act of love for the Persian in Herodotus which is so seldom afforded other "barbarians" in the Greek world. Because he doesn't blame the Persians. What he shows the reader is that the Persian approach to the problem is one of justice. It is wrong to steal anothers' woman, but to destroy everything because of women who are whores is foolish. And this is contrasted with the Greek approach, where destruction is needed for great acts, especially great erotic acts. That is why the gods are constantly undermining the Greeks in this conflict.

He's saying the Greeks are telling the Persians: To Hell With Your Order! We Want Helen and all she entails! The Persians call for moderation and justice; the Greeks for a vengeance for injustice- the inability of man to be ordered with the other (women)...and this very fragile occurrence of divine infatuation brings on continental tragedy.

And to us, today, he reveals the problem and prohibition of having an ordered cosmos.

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

[Ibrahim]

Persians kept slaves, so did Greeks, so did everyone.

300 is a joke, historically speaking (but a fun brainless movie)

Herodotus is a joke, historically speaking (but a fun read)

[Hans Bulvai]

Interesting to read the comments.

http://ancienthistory.about.com/b/2007/ ... slaves.htm