Herodotus Vol. 1 by William Beloe, Herodotus

Herodotus Vol. 1

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Among other things, it will be necessary to investi-
gate the sources of the hostilities which subsisted be-
tween these people. The more learned of the Persians
assert the Phœnicians to have been the original exciters
of contention. This nation migrated from the borders
of the Red Sea ¹ to the place of their present settle-
ment, and soon distinguished themselves by their long
and enterprising voyages. ² They exported to Argos,
amongst other places, the produce of Egypt and As-
syria. Argos, at that period, was the most famous of
all those states which are now comprehended under

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¹	When Herodotus speaks, for the first time, of any people, he always goes to their original source. Some authors make the Phœnicians to have originated from the Persian Gulf; which opinion, though reported, is not believed by Strabo. Voltaire, taking it for granted that they migrated by sea, ridicules the idea of their coming from the Red Sea to Phœnicia; as well he might. Larcher proves, in the most satisfactory manner, that his misconception arose from his ignorance of Greek. It is evident from another passage in Herodotus (book vii. chap. 89.) that the Phœni- cians, when they changed their place of residence, passed over by land.-- Larcher (principally).
²	The first among the Greeks who undertook long voyages were the Ionians. On this people Mr. Wood, in his Essay on Homer, has the following remark: 'From the general character by which Homer constantly distinguishes the Phœnicians, as a commercial and seafaring people, it has been naturally supposed that he was indebted to that nation for much of his information with regard to distant voyages. I think we cannot be at a loss to account for the poet's acquiring, at home, all the knowlege of this kind which we meet with in his works. We know the Ionians were among the earliest navigators, particularly the Phocœans and Milesians. The former are expressly called the dis- coverers of Adria, Iberia, Tuscany, and Tartessus.'--Woodon Homer.
³	than this eminent historian; but even the severe Dionysius declares he is one of those enchanting writers whom you peruse to the last syllable with pleasure, and still wish for more. Plutarch himself, who has made the most violent attack on his veracity, allows him all the merit of beautiful composition.-- Hayley.

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Publication Information: Book Title: Herodotus. Volume: 1. Contributors: William Beloe - transltr, Herodotus - author. Publisher: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley. Place of Publication: London. Publication Year: 1830. Page Number: 2.

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