CLA237H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Human Events, Ethnography
Document Summary
While not denying the gods" existence, hecataeus underlined their separation from humankind, increasing the need for rational accounts of human behavior. His account of persian invasions was first systematic attempt to explain human events in human terms. Historie in greek meant inquiry but now history means a rational orderly investigation into human events. Describes study of past but for herodotus historie included present as well. Made speech at vital moments in story when he couldn"t possibly have known what was said or whether anything was said at all. Accepted reality of gods but assumed causes and effects nonetheless normally lay in human realm. Traveled, asked his own questions, weighed what he saw and heard, explained events as he understood them. First to investigate systematically the human causes of human events (father of history)
