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Proverbial Wisdom in Herodotus

2000; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 130; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1353/apa.2000.0015

1533-0699

Susan O. Shapiro,

Historical and Literary Studies

Proverbial Wisdom in Herodotus Susan O. Shapiro I. Introduction Herodotus' frequent use of proverbs and other wisdom expressions helps to make his Histories more colorful and gives us insight into the folk wisdom of the past. But do the proverbs in the Histories simply provide enjoyment and exemplify traditional modes of thought, or do they serve a more serious function as well? In this paper I will argue that Herodotus uses proverbial expressions, particularly contradictory gnomai, as part of the presentation of his historical analysis, to help explain the reasons why events turned out the way they did. Greek writers of the fifth and fourth centuries B.C.E. used a variety of terms for wisdom expressions. Some, such as ,1 have such a wide semantic range that it is clear they were not used as technical terms. Of those terms referring specifically to wisdom expressions (such as , , and ), seems to have been the most inclusive.2 Although the Greek gnome is not exactly the same as the modern proverb, the two genres share key characteristics in form, content and usage. According to Aristotle, a gnome is a general statement concerning the objects of practical wisdom (i.e., what should be chosen and what should be avoided with regard to human action).3 The form of a gnome is relatively stable, but not rigidly fixed.4 Like the modern proverb, the gnome was based on traditional [End Page 89] wisdom.5 Also like the proverb, the gnome was frequently used to influence behavior or to argue for a particular point of view.6 Thus, while we tend to categorize most wisdom expressions as proverbs, it seems correct to conclude that "Herodotus' audience would have recognized his generalizations as gnomai."7 The most comprehensive discussions of wisdom expressions in Herodotus are those of Lang and Gould.8 Lang identifies seventy-four gnomai in the Histories and discusses about fifty of these in some detail.9 Concentrating mainly on the wisdom expressions in the speeches, she groups them according to subject matter and compares them to similar expressions in Homer and the tragedians. Lang's conclusion that "whether the maxim is used to support a warning, to explain a point being made, or to urge a course of action, it applies a generally accepted truth to the particular situation and so puts it in a context that lends conviction," is an important contribution to understanding Herodotus' use of wisdom expressions.10 Lang's treatment is weakened, however, by the assumption that Herodotus' use of these wisdom expressions simply reflects "the continued operation and influence of traditional folk wisdom."11 Lang does note that the maxim "look to the end" is "basic to Herodotus'...historical interpretation," but the possibility that Herodotus may be systematically manipulating his speakers' use of such expressions is not fully explored. Gould seems to share Lang's view that, in his use of gnomai, Herodotus naively reflects contemporary folk traditions. Gould argues that Herodotus is [End Page 90] essentially "a storyteller whose view of the world and whose modes of explanation are rooted...in the tradition of his craft."12 Accordingly, he takes issue with those scholars who see a "theory of history" expressed in the Herodotean maxim that "human happiness never abides in the same place" (1.5.4).13 Gould contends that a proverb or maxim cannot provide an explanation of historical events because it "does not claim to put forward the sort of general truth that...[can] be verified or falsified" by future events. In other words, a proverb or gnome "is not an assertion that any counter-example will render void." A counter-example will simply elicit a contradictory proverb, without challenging the validity of the first one: " 'Look after the pennies; the pounds will look after themselves'...exists happily side by side with 'Penny wise, pound foolish,' just as 'Too many cooks spoil the broth,' does not exclude 'Many hands make light work.'" Since proverbs and gnomai are "generalizations which permit contradiction and conflicting interpretations," Gould concludes, they have no explanatory power. Consequently, Herodotus' use of such generalizations should not be confused with "an explanatory hypothesis of why things happen in human experience."14...