Herodotus Book 1 Study Questions. CLST 1003.

For Wednesday, March 3, 2021.

Edgar Degas: “Young Spartans,” c. 1860-62 (109
x 155 cm.) National Gallery, London. Full original title YOUNG SPARTAN GIRLS CHALLENGING
BOYS.

The subject is from Plutarch’s LIFE OF LYCURGUS, which describes how young Spartan girls practiced masculine sports, including wrestling with boys. In the middle distance stand Lycurgus (see Herodotus 1. 65-66) and some Spartan mothers. Degas leaves out all the archaeological and exotic accessories so dear to the contemporary “Salon” artists and public. He makes the boys and girls the same color and build. Note that he kept changing details of the group of girls ont the left, and shows one embracing another. He showed the painting privately, but not publically. (p. 54, Patrick Bade: DEGAS: THE MASTERWORKS [New York, 1991]).

 

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Please Note: The numbers in parentheses show the book and section number of Herodotus.

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DR. LEVINE’S NOTES ABOUT KINGS AND WOMEN IN HERODOTUS BOOK 1. CLICK HERE.

0. What do Io, Europa, Medea, and Helen have in common, in Herodotus’ account? (1.1-5) How is the Phoenician account of Io different from that related by the Persians? (1.1-5)

1. What does Herodotus know about “human happiness”? 1.5

2. Why does Herodotus tell the story of Croesus and his predecessors? (In other words, how does it fit into the narrative about the Persian Wars?) (1.5-1.8)

3. What non-Greek cultural norm relating to nakedness does Herodotus tell his readers? What does this statement imply about the Greek view of the subject? (1.8-1.10)

4. How did the oracle at Delphi confirm Gyges’ position? How did Gyges reward the oracle? (1.14)

5. Why did the Lydian king Alyattes consult the Delphic oracle? How did the oracle help him? How did Herodotus learn about this story? (1.16-1.20)

6. What happened to Arion? What sources does Herodotus use for this story? What artifact commemorates the tale? (1.23-1.24)

7. Who advised Croesus the Lydian not to build ships to attack the islanders? What does this passage say about Herodotus’ sources? (1.27)

8. What is Croesus’ reaction to the observations of Solon the Athenian? What does this tell us about the relation between Greeks and barbarians? What does it tell us about whom Herodotus thought was smarter? (1.29-1.45)

9. How did Croesus test the oracles? Why did he test them? (1.46-1.51)

10. How did Pisistratus take control of Athens for the third — and last — time? And how did he make sure make sure that “he planted his tyranny firmly” this time? (1.59 1.64)

11. Who was Lycurgus, where did he live, and what did the Pythian priestess at Delphi say about him? What political reforms did he make? (1.65-1.66)

12. How did the Spartans misunderstand a Delphic oracle? What was the result? What artifact memorializes this story? (1.66)

13. What did the Delphic oracle say about Orestes’ bones, and how did the Spartans obey this oracle? (1.67-1.68)

14. What two versions of how Croesus crossed the Halys River does Herodotus give? How does he decide which is better? (1.75-1.76)

15. How did the omen of snakes and horses presage Croesus’ downfall? Why didn’t Croesus heed this warning? (1.78-1.79)

16. How and why did Cyrus use camels in battle against the Lydians? What was the result? (1.80)

17. Why does Herodotus introduce the digression on the dispute between Sparta and Argos in the middle of his narrative on the siege of Sardis? (1.80-1.83)

18. What had the Delphic oracle told Croesus about his mute son? How did this oracle come to fulfillment? (1.85)

19. How did Croesus’ invocation of Solon’s name make Cyrus change his mind about burning him? What saved Croesus’ life? (1.86-1.91)

20. What does Croesus tell Cyrus about the wisdom of making war? (1.87)

21. What reward does Croesus request from Cyrus? How does Cyrus grant this request? What does Croesus learn as a result? (1.88-1.91)

22. What did prostitutes have to do with Croesus’ father’s tomb in Lydia? (1.93)

23. How were games invented, according to Herodotus? Who invented coinage? (1.94)

24. What does Herodotus say about his sources for the story of Cyrus the Persian, and how does he choose among them? (1.95)

25. What dreams did Astyages have about his daughter? How would these dreams find fulfillment? Who helped him interpret his dreams? (107-109)

26. Why does the herdsman not consent to kill the baby Cyrus? What are the consequences of his decision — for him, and for Cyrus? (1.108-119)

27. How was young Cyrus recognized? (i.e. How did the anagnorisis take place?) (1.114-118)

28. How did the Magi misinterpret their own interpretation of Astyages’ dream and its fulfillment? (1.120-121)

29. Why did Harpagus want to help Cyrus free the Persians, and how did he communicate secretly with him? (1.122-126)

30. How did Cyrus persuade the Persians to revolt against their Median masters? (1.125-126)

31. What was a Persian birthday party like? (1.133)

32. What does wine have to do with important decisions among the Persians? (1.133)

33. How can you tell if Persians are social equals? (1.134)

34. How do Persians feel about foreigners (1.134) and foreign customs (1.135)?

35. What is Persian education like? When does a son meet his father, and why? What is Herodotus’ attitude towards that custom? (1.136-137)

36. What do Persians consider the most disgraceful things? (1.138)

37. What is the Persian attitude towards rivers? How do they treat them? (1.138)

38. How do the Persian Magi differ from Egyptian priests? (1.140)

39. What Greek institution does Cyrus make a derogatory reference about in his answer to the Spartans who warn him against attacking the Greeks of Asia Minor? How does this show a contrast between barbarians and Greeks? (1.152-153)

40. What five things does Croesus suggest that Cyrus do in order to weaken the Lydians so they would never again revolt against him? Why does he make these suggestions? (1.155-156)

41. What did the priestess of Athena at Pedasus do when danger threatened them or their neighbors (1.175)

42. What are Herodotus’ sources for his description of Babylon? Do you think that he visited Babylon himself? Why or why not?(1.178-200)

43. How did Cyrus treat the Gyndus River, and why? (1.189-190) How does this act seem in light of what Herodotus said about the Persian attitude towards rivers at 1.138?

44. Describe two of the Babylonian customs which Herodotus relates (1.196-200)

45. What do the people on an island in the River Araxes use to get drunk? What does it resemble in modern experience?(1.202)

46. What motivated Cyrus to attack the Massagetae? What advice does he receive from Croesus? (1.201-208)

47. How did a dream reveal the future destiny of Darius? (1.208-210)

48. How does Cyrus meet his death? What happens to his body after he dies? (1.214)

49. Describe two of the Massagetae’s customs which Herodotus relates (1. 216)