The best edition is by A. Lentz, _Herodiani. Technici reliquiae_
(1867-1870); a supplementary volume is included in Uhling's _Corpus
grammaticorum Graecorum_; for further bibliographical information see
W. Christ, _Geschichte der griechischen Literatur_ (1898).
HERODOTUS (c. 484-425 B.C.), Greek historian, called the Father of
History, was born at Halicarnassus in Asia Minor, then dependent upon
the Persians, in or about the year 484 B.C. Herodotus was thus born a
Persian subject, and such he continued until he was thirty or
five-and-thirty years of age. At the time of his birth Halicarnassus was
under the rule of a queen Artemisia (q.v.). The year of her death is
unknown; but she left her crown to her son Pisindelis (born about 498
B.C.), who was succeeded upon the throne by his son Lygdamis about the
time that Herodotus grew to manhood. The family of Herodotus belonged to
the upper rank of the citizens. His father was named Lyxes, and his
mother Rhaeo, or Dryo. He had a brother Theodore, and an uncle or cousin
Panyasis (q.v.), the epic poet, a personage of so much importance that
the tyrant Lygdamis, suspecting him of treasonable projects, put him to
death. It is probable that Herodotus shared his relative's political
opinions, and either was exiled from Halicarnassus or quitted it
voluntarily at the time of his execution.
Of the education of Herodotus no more can be said than that it was
thoroughly Greek, and embraced no doubt the three subjects essential to
a Greek liberal education--grammar, gymnastic training and music. His
studies would be regarded as completed when he attained the age of
eighteen, and took rank among the _ephebi_ or _eirenes_ of his native
city. In a free Greek state he would at once have begun his duties as a
citizen, and found therein sufficient employment for his growing
energies. But in a city ruled by a tyrant this outlet was wanting; no
political life worthy of the name existed. Herodotus may thus have had
his thoughts turned to literature as furnishing a not unsatisfactory
career, and may well have been encouraged in his choice by the example
of Panyasis, who had already gained a reputation by his writings when
Herodotus was still an infant. At any rate it is clear from the extant
work of Herodotus that he must have devoted himself early to the
literary life, and commenced that extensive course of reading which
renders him one of the most instructive as well as one of the most
charming of ancient writers. The poetical literature of Greece was
already large; the prose literature was more extensive than is generally
supposed; yet Herodotus shows an intimate acquaintance with the whole of
it. The _Iliad_ and the _Odyssey_ are as familiar to him as Shakespeare
to the educated Englishman. He is acquainted with the poems of the epic
cycle, the _Cypria_, the _Epigoni_, &c. He quotes or otherwise shows
familiarity with the writings of Hesiod, Olen, Musaeus, Bacis,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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