Over
at Kosmos Society they had a CHS Online Open House |
Xerxes’ desire of Thessalian heights & Tempe gorge, with Maria G. Xanthou.
I
have been thinking about Maria’s response as to why Herodotus fails to mention
the famous beauty of the valley of the Tempe. Her response is brilliant!
Xerxes’(hence Herodotus’) sole interest in the Peneus was its strategic value.
So Herodotus’ discussion of the prehistoric Boebean Lake is not a digression
but an example of Xerxes pondered strategy.
And yet if a reader sees
Xerxes as awed by the location it is a subtle reminder that it is the most
beautiful place in the world. And when reading “A number of rivers
pour into this vale, the most notable of which are Peneus, Apidanus, Onochonus, Enipeus, Pamisus. “
some might think of Leto trying to birth her twins there and the sacredness of
the place to Apollo. So, Herodotus presents these subtle acknowledgments
without losing his line of logic or story line.
Brilliant!
A
small aside here. I find it interesting that damning the river was the idea of
both Xerxes, King of Persia and Ares, God of War. (Callimachus,
Hymn 4 to Delos )
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