Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Herodotus (Ancient Greek Historian)

Herodotus (c.485–425 BCE) was a Greek historian. Considered the first great European historian, he is the first Greek writer who succeeded in writing an extensive historical narrative that has survived the passage of time.

Born in Halicarnassus, a Greek colony on the coast of Asia Minor, now Bodrum in Turkey, Herodotus traveled widely in Asia Minor and the Middle East when the colonies were freed from the Persian yoke. In 443 BCE, he joined the colony of Thurii, from where he visited Sicily and Lower Italy.

On his travels, Herodotus collected historical, geographical, ethnological, mythological, and archaeological material for his excellent narrative history. Beginning with the subjugation of the Greek colonies in Asia Minor by the Lydian King, Croesus, he wrote an account of Lydia, Persia, Babylon, and Egypt.

Herodotus’s History of the Greco-Persian Wars is the first great narrative history produced in the ancient world. It remains the leading source of information about the struggle of Greece against the Persian Empire in the Persian Wars of 550–479 BCE. It also provides an insight into the Mediterranean world of western Asia and Egypt at that time.

Herodotus is respected for the skill and honesty with which he built up his elaborate and mostly dependable descriptions. He was the first to make the events of the past the topic of research and verification, and Cicero and others have named him “the father of history.”

More: Wikipedia READ: Works by Herodotus

If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.
Herodotus

Where wisdom is called for, force is of little use.
Herodotus
Topics: Wisdom

The destiny of man is in his own soul.
Herodotus
Topics: Soul, Self-reliance, Destiny, Confidence

The calumniator inflicts wrong by slandering the absent; and he who gives credit to the calumny before he knows it is true, is equally guilty.—The person traduced is doubly injured; by him who propagates, and by him who credits the slander.
Herodotus
Topics: Slander

Men’s fortunes are on a wheel, which in its turning suffers not the same man to prosper for ever.
Herodotus

I am satisfied that we are less convinced by what we hear than by what we see.
Herodotus
Topics: Example

Men trust their ears less than their eyes.
Herodotus
Topics: Eyes, Trust

All men’s gains are the fruit of venturing.
Herodotus
Topics: Business, Growth

How much better a thing it is to be envied than to be pitied.
Herodotus
Topics: Envy

These ‘messengers’ will not be hindered from accomplishing at their best speed the distance which they have to go, either by snow, or rain, or heat, or by the darkness of night.
Herodotus
Topics: Snow

But I like not these great successes of yours; for I know how jealous are the gods.
Herodotus

Death is a delightful hiding place for weary men.
Herodotus
Topics: Dying, Death

The worst pain a man can suffer: to have insight into much and power over nothing.
Herodotus
Topics: Suffering, Pain

Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks.
Herodotus
Topics: Greatness & Great Things, Good Deeds, Risk, Success, Deeds

It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the men and horses that stand along the road, each horse and man at the interval of a days journey; and these are stayed neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed.
Herodotus

Call no man happy till you know the end of his life. Till then, at most, he can only be counted fortunate.
Herodotus
Topics: Happiness

Every Egyptian was commanded by law annually to declare by what means he maintained himself; and if he omitted to do it, or gave no satisfactory account of his way of living, he was punishable with death. This law Solon brought from Egypt to Athens, where it was inviolably observed as a most equitable regulation.
Herodotus
Topics: Occupation

Haste in every business brings failure.
Herodotus
Topics: Failure

It is better by a noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half of the evils we anticipate, than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what may happen.
Herodotus
Topics: Courage, Purpose, Fear

Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. The Motto Of The U.S. Postal Service
Herodotus
Topics: Government

In view of all this, I have no doubt that Cambyses was completely out of his mind; it is the only possible explanation of his assault upon, and mockery of, everything which ancient law and custom have made sacred in Egypt. If anyone, no matter who, were given the opportunity of choosing from amongst all the nations in the world the set of beliefs which he thought best, he would inevitably, after careful consideration of their relative merits, choose that of his own country. Everyone without exception believes his own native customs, and the religion he was brought up in, to be the best; and that being so, it is unlikely that anyone but a madman would mock at such things. There is abundant evidence that this is the universal feeling about the ancient customs of one’s country. One might recall, in particular, an anecdote of Darius. When he was king of Persia, he summoned the Greeks who happened to be present in his court, and asked them what they would take to eat the dead bodies of their fathers. They replied that they would not do it for any money in the world. Later, in the presence of the Greeks, and through an interpreter, so that they could understand what was said, he asked some Indians, of the tribe called the Callatiae, who do in fact eat their parents’ dead bodies, what they would take to burn them. They uttered a cry of horror and forbade him to mention such a dreadful thing. One can see by this what custom can do, and Pindar, in my opinion, was right when he called it king of all.
Herodotus

A man calumniated is doubly injured—first by him who utters the calumny, and then by him who believes it.
Herodotus
Topics: Slander, Insults

In soft regions are born soft men.
Herodotus
Topics: Life and Living

Illness strikes men when they are exposed to change.
Herodotus
Topics: Change

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