An Account of Egypt | Page 4

ignorance, and when versions differ he gives both. Thus
the modern scientific historian, with other means of corroboration, can
sometimes learn from Herodotus more than Herodotus himself knew.
There is abundant evidence, too, that Herodotus had a philosophy of
history. The unity which marks his work is due not only to the strong
Greek national feeling running through it, the feeling that rises to a
height in such passages as the descriptions of the battles of Marathon,
Thermopylae, and Salamis, but also to his profound belief in Fate and
in Nemesis. To his belief in Fate is due the frequent quoting of oracles
and their fulfilment, the frequent references to things foreordained by
Providence. The working of Nemesis he finds in the disasters that
befall men and nations whose towering prosperity awakens the jealousy
of the gods. The final overthrow of the Persians, which forms his main
theme, is only one specially conspicuous example of the operation of
this force from which human life can never free itself.
But, above all, he is the father of story-tellers. "Herodotus is such
simple and delightful reading," says Jevons; "he is so unaffected and
entertaining, his story flows so naturally and with such ease that we
have a difficulty in bearing in mind that, over and above the hard
writing which goes to make easy reading there is a perpetual marvel in
the work of Herodotus. It is the first artistic work in prose that Greek
literature produced. This prose work, which for pure literary merit no
subsequent work has surpassed, than which later generations, after
using the pen for centuries, have produced no prose more easy or more
readable, this was the first of histories and of literary prose."

AN ACCOUNT OF EGYPT
BY HERODOTUS
BEING THE SECOND BOOK OF HIS HISTORIES

CALLED EUTERPE

When Cyrus had brought his life to an end, Cambyses received the
royal power in succession, being the son of Cyrus and of Cassandane
the daughter of Pharnaspes, for whose death, which came about before
his own, Cyrus had made great mourning himself and also had
proclaimed to all those over whom he bore rule that they should make
mourning for her: Cambyses, I say, being the son of this woman and of
Cyrus, regarded the Ionians and Aiolians as slaves inherited from his
father; and he proceeded to march an army against Egypt, taking with
him as helpers not only other nations of which he was ruler, but also
those of the Hellenes over whom he had power besides.

Now the Egyptians, before the time when Psammetichos became king
over them, were wont to suppose that they had come into being first of
all men; but since the time when Psammetichos having become king
desired to know what men had come into being first, they suppose that
the Phrygians came into being before themselves, but they themselves
before all other men. Now Psammetichos, when he was not able by
inquiry to find out any means of knowing who had come into being
first of all men, contrived a device of the following kind:--Taking two
new- born children belonging to persons of the common sort he gave
them to a shepherd to bring up at the place where his flocks were, with
a manner of bringing up such as I shall say, charging him namely that
no man should utter any word in their presence, and that they should be
placed by themselves in a room where none might come, and at the
proper time he should bring them she-goats, and when he had satisfied
them with milk he should do for them whatever else was needed. These
things Psammetichos did and gave him this charge wishing to hear
what word the children would let break forth first after they had ceased
from wailings without sense. And accordingly it came to pass; for after
a space of two years had gone by, during which the shepherd went on
acting so, at length, when he opened the door and entered, both children
fell before him in entreaty and uttered the word /bekos/, stretching forth
their hands. At first when he heard this the shepherd kept silence; but
since this word was often repeated, as he visited them constantly and
attended to them, at last he declared the matter to his master, and at his

command he brought the children before his face. Then Psammetichos
having himself also heard it, began to inquire what nation of men
named anything /bekos/, and inquiring he found that the Phrygians had
this name for bread. In this manner and guided by an indication such as
this, the Egyptians were brought to allow that the Phrygians were a
more ancient people than themselves. That so it came to pass I heard
from the