Quotes by Herodotus

About Herodotus:

Herodotus is known to have produced—is a record of his "inquiry" (or ??????? historía, a word that passed into Latin and acquired its modern meaning of "history"), being an investigation of the origins of the Greco-Persian Wars and including a wealth of geographical and ethnographical information. Although some of his stories were fanciful and others inaccurate, he states he was reporting only what was told to him and was often correct in his information. Despite Herodotus' historical significance, little is known of his personal history.
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This is the sort of thing we should say by the fireside in the winter-time, as we lie on soft couches after a good meal, drinking sweet wine and crunching chickpeas: "Of what country are you, and how old are you, good sir? And how old were you when t...

Herodotus

If an important decision is to be made, they [the Persians] discuss the question when they are drunk, and the following day the master of the house where the discussion was held submits their decision for reconsideration when they are sober. If they ...

Herodotus

After all, no one is stupid enough to prefer war to peace; in peace sons bury their fathers and in war fathers bury their sons.

Herodotus

Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.

Herodotus

I am bound to tell what I am told, but not in every case to believe it.

Herodotus

In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons.

Herodotus

Civil strife is as much a greater evil than a concerted war effort as war itself is worse than peace.

Herodotus

When a woman removes her garment, she also removes the respect that is hers.

Herodotus

Force has no place where there is need of skill.

Herodotus

Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.

Herodotus

Men trust their ears less than their eyes.

Herodotus

Men's fortunes are on a wheel, which in its turning suffers not the same man to prosper for ever.

Herodotus

Of all men's miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.

Herodotus

All men's gains are the fruit of venturing.

Herodotus

I never yet feared those men who set a place apart in the middle of their cities where they gather to cheat one another and swear oaths which they break.

Herodotus

Many exceedingly rich men are unhappy, but many middling circumstances are fortunate.

Herodotus

In soft regions are born soft men.

Herodotus

Soft men tend to be born from soft countries.

Herodotus

The ears of men are lesser agents of belief than their eyes.

Herodotus

Author Bio

  • NameHerodotus
  • Descriptionancient Greek historian, often considered as the first historian
  • Born484 BCE
  • Died425 BCE
  • CountryAncient Greece
  • ProfessionHistorian; Politician; Writer