Herodotus' Histories 1

Study Guide Questions for Book 1, Ch. 1-25

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Virtues/Vices/Great Ideas: (Find them in the Text)

Love, Beauty, Fate, Ignorance, Prudence, Vengeance, Shrewdness, Appearance vs. Reality, Battle of Wits

Grammar Questions: (The Information of the Text)

1. What did Herodotus state as his primary reason for writing his Histories?

2. According to the Persians, what happened to Io?

3. According to Herodotus, what made Alexander confident that he could get away with taking Helen without fear of reprisal?

4. What made the people of Asia (which includes Persia) look “upon the Greeks as their open enemies?”

5. What is the Phoenecian version of the story concerning Helen?

6. From what famous Greek hero did the Heraclides descend, and how long did that dynasty last?

7. What foolish thing did Candaules do which lost him everything?

8. What did Gyges do once he was “established on the throne?”

9. What happened while the Lydians (under the kingship of Alyattes) were warring against the Milesians which ultimately resulted in their making peace with one another?

10. According to the story, how was Arion (the famous harp player) saved from the unscrupulous Corinthian sailors?

Logic Questions: (Interpreting, Comparing/Contrasting, Reasoning)

1. Why might Herodotus have been concerned to preserve “from decay the remembrance of what men have done?” Why did he think it was important that the “great and wonderful actions of the Greeks and Barbarians” not be forgotten?

2. Why might the Persians and Phoenecians have had contradictory stories about the matter of Io?

3. How did Alexander attempt to reason about his situation based upon historical precedent? Why do you think that kind of reasoning didn’t work out for him in this instance?

4. Why might it be important that Herodotus established early in his Histories that the “attack upon Troy” was what caused the Persians “ancient enmity towards the Greeks?”

5. What seems to be Herodotus' view of the nature of “Happiness” based upon his statement that it “never continues long in one stay?”

6. Candaules’ wife placed Gyges in a dilemma stating, “Take thy choice, Gyges, of two courses which are open to thee. Slay Candaules, and thereby become my Lord, and obtain the Lydian throne, or die this moment in his room.” Was this a true dilemma or a false dilemma?

7. Why might Gyges have “sent no small present to Delphi?”

8. Why might it be important that Herodotus is careful to distinguish his sources (e.g. “Thus much I know from information given me by the Delphians; the remainder of the story the Milesians add.”)?

9. Why did Thrasybulus’ plan to hold a “revelry” in the city work as it related to persuading Alyattes to give up the war?

10. Why did Arion request to be allowed to dress in “full costume” and to be able to “play and sing” prior to flinging himself “headlong into the sea?”

Rhetoric Questions: (The Analysis of Ideas in the Text)

1. Why is it important to record history? What consequences might result from failing to preserve faithful historical records for future generations? What are some of the difficulties associated with preserving and passing down to later generations the things that have happened in the past? Finally, how do we personally benefit from studying history?

2. How should we handle things when we read, or hear of, two different accounts concerning something that has happened in the past? What criteria should we employ in order to try to determine which, if either, account is the most accurate reflection of what actually occurred?

3. Herodotus said that he was personally “convinced that human happiness never continues long in one stay.” Was he right? Is happiness elusive for everyone in this way or is it possible to have long-term sustained happiness? What doe sit mean to be happy and how ought we to pursue happiness? Contrarily, should we not pursue happiness at all? Explain your answer thoroughly.

4. What is the proper definition of Love? Do you think Candaules loved his wife truly? Why or why not?

5. Offer a definition for the term “prudence” and for the term “shrewdness.” What is the difference between these two concepts? Where is there an example of prudence in our current reading and where is there an example of shrewdness? What can we learn from this distinction?

Theological Analysis: (Sola Scriptura)

1. Read Psalm 102:12-22. What does this teach us about the necessity of recording history for the good of those who come after us?

2. Read Genesis 2:18-25 and Genesis 9:18-28. What is the difference between the nakedness of the first situation and that of the second? Why is there a difference and how should the biblical doctrine of “nakedness” affect our thinking about our present reading?

3. Read Exodus 1:8-14. How does this illustrate the concept of “shrewdness” well?

4. Search the words “prudent” and “prudence” in a biblical concordance for the English Standard Version of the Bible. How is prudent behavior different from shrewd behavior?