This paper aims to examine the Greek myth described in Herodotos` Historiai, focusing on the myth of Zeus. Of all the Greek gods, Zeus is most frequently mentioned and his name is referred at most various regions by Herodotos. But the name of Zeus men...
This paper aims to examine the Greek myth described in Herodotos` Historiai, focusing on the myth of Zeus. Of all the Greek gods, Zeus is most frequently mentioned and his name is referred at most various regions by Herodotos. But the name of Zeus mentioned by Herodotos does not indicate the same god. Herodotos not only calls the Greek supreme god as Zeus, but also some foreign gods such as those of Egypt, Persia, Scythia and other lands. I survey sixty one chapters in Historiai, where Herodotos refers to Zeus. Among them twenty seven chapters are found to tell about the Greek god Zeus, sixteen chapters about the Egyptian Ammon, eight chapters about the Persian Ahura Mazda, three chapters about the Zeus-Belos of Babylon, three chapters about the Scythian Papaios, three chapters about the Carian Zeus, and one chapter about the Libyan Zeus. Therefore in order to understand Zeus myth in Historiai properly, it is necessary to discern between the Greek Zeus and the foreign gods called as Zeus. I analyze the Zeus myth in Historiai in three respects, namely (1)Zeus` genealogy, (2)Zeus` titles or nicknames, and (3)Zeus` specific divinity. As a result of the analysis, I can find some differences between Herodotos and his earlier writers in respect of Zeus` genealogy. Herodotos mentions Dionysos, Perseus and Helene as children of Zeus like earlier writers. But he does not admit Athena, Heracles and Minos to be children of Zeus. I think that is because Herodotos` accounts of them rely on foreign sources, not Greek ones. Secondly, as for Zeus` titles or nicknames, Herodotos uses words like as eleutherios Zeus, agoraios Zeus, laphustios Zeus. Among these nicknames first two ones were already used in relation to Zeus before Herodotos in Greece, but last one was not. Thirdly in respect of divinity, Zeus is described mainly as a heaven god, weather god, and god of oracle. Although the divinity of Greek Zeus as the supreme god does not ostensibly appear in Historiai, Herodotos is fully aware of this position of Zeus. On the basis of the awareness, Herodotos could name the supreme god in Egypt, Persia and Scythia as Zeus like Greek god.