Quotes by Herodotus

Explore 31 approved quotes attributed to Herodotus.

About Herodotus

Portrait of Herodotus
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Greek historian and geographer · 484 BC – 425 BC

Herodotus set out to explain why the Greeks and Persians went to war, and in the process invented a genre. His Histories wander through Egypt, Scythia and Babylon, collecting customs, rumours and tall tales alongside the campaign narrative. Later writers called him the father of history and, less kindly, the father of lies. Both fit. He is quoted for his sense that human affairs turn on chance and character, and for the curiosity that made him ask questions nobody had thought to record.

Known for: Histories

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