Book Review: The Landmark Herodotus

New York Times

“The Landmark Herodotus” edited by Robert B. Strassler, with a new translation by Andrea L. Purvis. review by Edward Rothstein:

Egypt, Herodotus tells us in “The Histories,” is a land with “more marvels and monuments that defy description than any other.” Not only is the Nile unlike any other river in the world, overflowing its banks in summer not in the early spring, but Egypt’s inhabitants also have “manners and customs” that in most ways are “completely opposite to those of other peoples.” Women go to the marketplace to sell goods, while men stay home to weave cloth; men carry loads on their heads, while women bear them on their shoulders; and “women urinate standing up, men sitting down” . . . .

There is good reason for Herodotus being called the father of history. Before him we have no records of any seemingly dispassionate observer doing anything similar. But that alone would not explain why Herodotus is still so imposing a figure, or why the publication of “The Landmark Herodotus” (Pantheon) — which includes a new translation by Andrea L. Purvis, and extensive annotation by scholars — is such a worthy occasion for celebrating Herodotus’ contemporary importance.