Edmund Burke once stated, “those who do not know history are destined to repeat it.” Although these wise words were spoken much later than Herodotus’ time, it is almost definite that he would agree with this statement. Herodotus was adamant in investigating and recording stories of various cultures and premises, which is shown in his famous work The Histories. This nine-volume series is considered as the foundation of history in western literature. Often noted as “The Father of Histories,” Herodotus does an excellent, albeit verbose, job in teaching about history in his work Clio, otherwise known as Book 1 of the Histories. In Clio, Herodotus writes about Lydia’s conflict with Persia and how the arrogance plays a role in both of their demises. …show more content…
However, the way he writes is quite confusing. Comprehension is almost impossible without total concentration. Herodotus’ work is incredibly dense. Since Book 1 is mostly about the conquest of so many cities, Herodotus delves deep into the source and writes about the history of each city, how Lydia or Persia conquers them, and what happens to them after. It was difficult to keep track of so many cities and their individual histories while still learning about the overall main idea of how Lydia and Persia were powerful forces with untimely ends. But once you get the hang of it, you can really learn a lot about the regions of that time. Overall, Herodotus was confusing at times, but miraculous at others. His work was complex and multilayered but that is what makes it interesting. He captures the attention of the reader with his detailed and descriptive language, occasionally adding humor to his work. He adds some interesting parts into his work, like the strange Babylonian custom or the story of how Cyrus became leader. It is during these interesting parts that Herodotus is most effective, because it is easier for the reader to understand and appreciate the work when they are engrossed in what they are reading. Often, strange customs do wonders for gripping a reader’s interest, because unfamiliar subjects have a tendency to pique the reader’s attention more than familiar, repetitive ones. A lot can be learned from Herodotus’ brilliant work. He conveys not only facts, but also morals, like how Book 1 revolved around how arrogance can lead to downfall. Herodotus’ work is definitely a lot to take in, but after everything is said and done, it is all worth