STUDY QUESTIONS Herodotus books 7, 8, and 9.
For Monday, March 15, 2021.
Note: in Book 7, you may skip sections 153-174, pp. 458-466.
Note: in Book 8, read at least to section 125 (p. 531).
Note: in Book 9, read ten pages (pp. 565-575), AND sections 58-83.
DR LEVINE’S THOUGHTS ON BOOKS 7, 8 AND 9
Larry Gonick’s Cartoon History of the Universe.
Marvel Comics The Grandeur that was Greece.
BOOK 7: The Persian King Xerxes with his mighty army bridges the Hellespont and invades Greece, killing the Spartans arrayed against him at Thermopylae.
0. What are Artabanus’ two main arguments against Xerxes’ plan to invade Greece? (7.5-10)
1. Why did Artabanus sleep in Xerxes’ bed, in Xerxes’ pyjamas? What was the result? (7.15-18)
2. What is Herodotus’ opinion of the relative size of Xerxes’ army sent against Greece? To what does he compare it in size? (7.20-21)
3. Why did Xerxes order a canal to cut the isthmus of Athos? Why does Herodotus think he did it? (7.22-24)
4. Why — and how — did Xerxes punish the Hellespont and his original bridge makers? What does Herodotus think of these actions? (7.33-36)
5. How does Xerxes treat Pythius when he first meets him? How does this compare to how he treats him and his family later? What kind of picture of the Persian king does this contrast create? (7. 27-29; 38-39)
6. What did Xerxes do at Troy, and what happened to his forces there? (7.43)
7. Why does Xerxes cry when looking on his mighty army? Why does Artabanus fear about the outcome of the expedition? (7.44-52)
8. How long did it take Xerxes’ forces to march across the Hellespont bridge? To whom does an onlooker compare Xerxes? What is the point of this comparison? (7.55-56)
9. What does Demaratus say that causes Xerxes to laugh? What does the king’s incredulity say about barbarian understanding of Greeks? (7.101-105)
10. How does Demaratus describe the Spartans to Xerxes? (7.101-105)
11. What opinion does Herodotus feel the need to express about the Persian Wars, even though he knows it will offend a great many people? Why do you think he makes this statement? (7. 139)
12. What do the oracles of Delphi seem to portend for the Athenians in their struggle against the Persians? Why do you think the oracle had such an attitude? (7.140-142)
13. What was Themistocles’ interpretation of the oracles? What wise advice had he earlier given to the Athenians? (7.143)
14. Why did the Argives remain neutral in the Persian conflict? What does Herodotus say about his obligation as an historian? (7.149-152)
You may skip sections 153-174, pp. 458-466
15. What two factors influenced the Greeks to make a stand against the Persians at Thermopylae? (7.175)
16. Why is Thermopylae so named? What was it like physically? (7.175-176)
17. How many total combatants does Herodotus say the Xerxes brought with him into Greece? What was the grand total, if one added the camp followers and support people? How does Herodotus compliment Xerxes in light of these tremendous numbers? (7.185-187)
18. Why did the winds die down after so much of the Persian fleet was destroyed at Artemisium? How does Herodotus show his rationalism in this description? (7.188-192)
19. How many generations removed from Heracles was the Spartan king Leonidas? Why do you think that Herodotus gives his full genealogy here? (7.204)
20. What did Xerxes think about the Spartans who were combing their hair so carefully at Thermopylae? Why did he not believe Damaratus’ explanation of their action? (7.207-210)
21. Why did Xerxes welcome the help of the Malian man Ephialtes? What motivated Ephialtes? How did he die? (7.213-215)
22. What three things gave the Greeks at Thermopylae notice that their doom was upon them? (7.219)
23. Why does Herodotus think that Leonidas sent the non-Spartan troops away before the final battle at Thermopylae? (7.219-220)
24. What is the witticism of Dieneces the Spartan as relates to the Persians? (7.226)
25. What is remarkable about the way Xerxes treated Leonidas’ corpse? (7. 238)
26. How did Demaratus send a secret message to Sparta about Xerxes’ plans to invade Greece? And who was the only one who could figure out the message? How had this clever Spartan earlier shown great wisdom? (7. 239, see 5.51)
HERODOTUS HISTORIES BOOK 8
27. Why did a Spartan — Eurybiades — command the Greek fleet… instead of an Athenian? (8.1-3)
28. How did the Athenian Themistocles induce the Greeks to stay and fight at Artemisium? (8.4-5)
29. How does Herodotus demonstrate his rationalism in his description of the desertion to the Greeks of Scyllias the Scionian? (8.8)
30. How did Xerxes prepare a false battlefield scene at Thermopylae for sightseers? Why did he do it? (8.24-25)
31. How does the Persian reaction to information about the Olympic games point out a major difference between Greeks and Barbarians? (8.26-27)
32. What did the Delphians do at the approach of the Persians? What marvels occurred that supposedly protected Delphi? (8.35-39)
33. What remarkable thing happened on the Acropolis the day after the barbarians sacked it? Where on the Acropolis did this event take place? (8.55)
34. What happened on the Thirasian plain near Eleusis while Xerxes’ army was leveling the countryside in Attica? How was it interpreted? (8.65)
35. What good advice does the female Greek admiral Artemisia give to Xerxes? What is Xerxes’ reaction? (8.68-69)
36. How did the Athenian Themistocles use deceit (dolos) to make the Persians do battle at Salamis? (8.75)
37. What is Herodotus’ feeling about oracles, and why does he feel this way? (8.77)
38. How do Greeks and Barbarians differ in the way they fight, according to Herodotus? (8.86)
39. How did Artemisia please Xerxes in battle? Why was there a price on her head? (8.87-88)
40. What does Artemisia advise that Xerxes do after the battle of Salamis? What is his reaction? How would you characterize their relationship? (8.101-104)
41. How did the eunuch Hermotimus get revenge on the man who had him castrated? (8.104-106)
42. What was the substance of the Greek debate over the Hellespont bridge? (8.108-111)
43. What does Themistocles say about the gods’ involvement in the Persian invasion? (8.109)
44. What ‘gods’ do Themistocles and the Andrians invoke in their disagreement over money? How does this episode exemplify Themistocles’ attitude towards money? (8.111-112)
45. How does Xerxes react when Spartan envoys ask for compensation for the death of Leonidas? What is the underlying meaning of his cryptic response? (8.114)
46. How does Herodotus tell us that Mardonius finally gave compensation to the Spartans for Leonidas’ death? (see 9.64 and 9.78-79)
47. How hungry were the retreating Persian troops? (8.115)
48. What ‘monstrous act’ did the Thracian king of the Bisaltians commit, and why? What about this story would appeal to a Greek audience? (8.116)
49. What does Xerxes ask his subjects to do for him when his ship is in trouble? What is Herodotus’ belief about this account, and why does he feel this way? (8.118-120).
50. What victory offerings did the Greeks make to the gods? What was the Delphic god’s reaction? (8.121-122)
51. What honors did Themistocles receive for his role in repelling the Persians? What honor did he FAIL to receive? (8.123-124)
HERODOTUS HISTORIES BOOK 9: Read sections 58-83 (pp. 565-575)
52. How did Greek sacrifices affect their participation in the battle of Plataea? What does this tell us about Greeks’ attitude towards their religion? (9.61-63)
53. How did Persian military equipment differ from that of the Greeks? (9.63)
54. What reference to the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) does Herodotus make? Why does he make this aside? (i.e. how does it relate to his main narrative?) (9. 73)
55. How does the Spartan Pausanias show his reverence for xenia after the battle of Plataea? (9.76)
56. How does the Spartan Pausanias distinguish Greek habits from those of foreigners? (9.79)
57. How did the Greeks show their reverence for the oracle at Delphi after the Battle of Plataea? What does this have to do with Constantinople? What is the inscription on it? (9.81; and see the note on page 731). Western Print of Al Meydani Square with Serpent Column and Obelisk of Theodosius, Illustrating Aubrey de la Mottraye, 1727.
58. What did the Spartan Pausanias do “for a joke” after the Battle of Plataea? What was the point of this joke? (9.82)
59. What unusual things did the Plataeans find on the battlefield after the Greeks defeated the Persians there? (9.83)
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