Herodotus Quotes
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If someone were to put a proposition before men bidding them choose, after examination, the best customs in the world, each nation would certainly select its own.
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History is marked by alternating movements across the imaginary line that separates East from West in Eurasia.
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Although extraordinary valor was displayed by the entire corps of Spartans and Thespians, yet bravest of all was declared the Spartan Dienekes. It is said that on the eve of battle, he was told by a native of Trachis that the Persian archers were so numerous that, their arrows would block out the sun. Dienekes, however, undaunted by this prospect, remarked with a laugh, 'Good. Then we will fight in the shade.
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One man envies the success in life of another, and hates him in secret; nor is he willing to give him good advice when he is consulted, except it be by some wonderful effort of good feeling, and there are, alas, few such men in the world. A real friend, on the other hand, exults in his friend's happiness, rejoices in all his joys, and is ready to afford him the best advice.
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The gods loves to punish whatever is greater than the rest.
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If one is sufficiently lavish with time, everything possible happens.
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Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.
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We are less convinced by what we hear than by what we see.
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Call no man happy before he dies.
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Not snow, no, nor rain, nor heat, nor night keeps them from accomplishing their appointed courses with all speed.
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Happiness is not fame or riches or heroic virtues, but a state that will inspire posterity to think in reflecting upon our life, that it was the life they would wish to live.
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Where even a falsehood must be told, let it be told.
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The worst part a man can suffer is to have insight into much and power over nothing.
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A multitude of rulers is not a good thing. Let there be one ruler, one king.
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The Egyptians were the first to discover the solar year, and to portion out its course into twelve parts both the space of time and the seasons which they delimit. It was observation of the course of the stars which led them to adopt this divisionIt is also the Egyptians who first bought into use the names of the twelve gods, which the Greeks adopted from them.
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Before a man dies, hold back and call him not happy but lucky.
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The Lacedaemonians fought a memorable battle; they made it quite clear that they were the experts, and that they were fighting against amateurs.
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He is the best man who, when making his plans, fears and reflects on everything that can happen to him, but in the moment of action is bold.
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Mens fortunes are on a wheel, which in its turning suffers not the same man to prosper for ever.
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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.
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They the Persians are accustomed to deliberate on matters of the highest moment when warm with wine; but whatever they in this situation may determine is again proposed to them on the morrow, in their cooler moments, by the person in whose house they had before assembled. If at this time also it meet their approbation, it is executed; otherwise it is rejected. Whatever also they discuss when sober, is always a second time examined after they have been drinking.
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Unless a variety of opinions are laid before us, we have no opportunity of selection, but are bound of necessity to adopt the particular view which may have been brought forward.
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It is clear that not in one thing alone, but in many ways equality and freedom of speech are a good thing.
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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.