Histories (Everyman's Library CLASSICS)

Herodotus 的《The Histories》不僅記錄波斯與希臘的戰爭，也展現他對文明興衰與人類行為的洞察。他以平實的筆調，穿梭於史實、傳說與地理描寫之間，呈現古代世界的廣闊面貌。閱讀本書，如同隨作者踏上一趟橫越疆界的思想旅程，既有史家的求真，也有哲人的省思。

・首部以散文規模敘述世界史的經典
・兼具史學與文學價值，筆觸細膩生動
・見證古代文化交流與帝國興亡的全景

Traditionally known as the Father of History, the Greek writer Herodotus(c. 484-420 BC), was the first man to tell a story in prose on the scale of the ILIAD and the ODYSSEY. His subject is the war between the Persians and the Greeks but, in order to explain how this war came about, he also describes the rise of the Persian empire and analyses the causes of its conflict with neighbouring states.

Despite its remoteness from our own time, this is a fascinating story, told by a great writer. Herodotus has a powerful narrative style and penetrating eye for character. The great men of the age are vividly described and extraordinary details of customs, places and even the weather are sketched in.

Herodotus is not merely an historian; he is also a political commentator, a geographer, an anthropologist and a philosopher. Yet events are described swiftly in simple sentences and drama is rarely far away. The continuing relevance of the HISTORIES to our time has been vividly highlighted by the extensive allusions to the book in Michael Ondaatje's novel THE ENGLISH PATIENT.

The film of THE ENGLISH PATIENT in which the role of Herodotus' HISTORIES is even more pronounced opens in Britain in March 1997 after colossal success in the US.