Digressive Anecdotes, Narrative Excursus and Historical Thought in Herodotus

This chapter focuses on the narrative digressions of Herodotus' History, that is, the brief tales of anecdotal or legendary type which are intercalated in a broader narrative unity with different subject matter. These enthralling excursuses of storytelling reflect central ideas and themes, which also find expression in many other episodes of Herodotus' narrative. They thus form part of an extensive network of historical thought, which runs through the Herodotean oeuvre. In particular, the digressive tales are employed to illustrate, in a graphic manner, arguments and theoretical principles of capital importance for Herodotus' worldview and his philosophy of history. A series of examples are analyzed to highlight these functions, including the cryptic communication between Thrasybulus and Periander (5.92 zeta), the dispute between the Greeks and the Indians about burial customs (3.38) and Cyrus' advice to the Persian people regarding their choice of land (9.122).