Herodotus: Quotes about people

Herodotus was ancient Greek historian, often considered as the first historian. Explore interesting quotes on people.
Herodotus: 84 quotes23 likes

“Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give lustre, and many more people see than weigh.”

Herodotus

Actually a quotation from a letter of Lord Chesterfield dated May 8, 1750.
Misattributed

“Stranger, tell the people of Lacedaemon
That we who lie here obeyed their commands.”

Herodotus book Histories

Book 7, Ch. 228.
The Histories

“When this response reached Croesus, it afforded him far more pleasure than anything else the oracle had told him, because he was sure that a mule would never replace a man as the Persian king, and that in consequence he and his descendants would rule for ever. He next turned his mind to investigating which was the most powerful Greek state, so that he could gain them as his allies. As a result of his enquiries, he discovered that Lacedaemon and Athens were the outstanding states, and that Lacedaemon was populated by Dorians while Athens was populated by Ionians. For these two peoples—the one Pelasgian, the other Hellenic—had been pre-eminent in the old days. The Pelasgians never migrated anywhere, but the Hellenes were a very well-travelled race. When Deucalion was their king, they were living in Phthia, but in the time of Dorus the son of Hellen they were in the territory around Mounts Ossa and Olympus, known as Histiaeotis. Then they were evicted from Histiaeotis by the Cadmeans and settled on Mount Pindus, where they were called Macedonians. Next they moved to Dryopis, and from Dryopis they finally reached the Peloponnese and became known as the Dorians.”

Herodotus book Histories

Book 1, Ch. 56; as translated in The Histories (1998) by Robin Waterfield and Carolyn Dewald http://books.google.com/books?id=Or5CKl1ObX4C&amp;pg=PA24 pp. 23-24 ISBN 0192824252, 9780192824257 <br class="br">The Histories

“For if one should propose to all men a choice, bidding them select the best customs from all the customs that there are, each race of men, after examining them all, would select those of his own people; thus all think that their own customs are by far the best”

Herodotus book Histories

Book 3, Ch. 38
The Histories