That said, except for the last couple of chapters - Books Eight and Nine - I found Herodotus slightly disappointing from the point of view of coherence and pleasure in the act of reading. For me, the dramatic themes of his work (such as Greek freedom and Persian slavery) were haphazard and unclear, at least on a first reading. Coupled with that, his digressions were often far too lengthy and unconnected with the main body of his work.
On reflection, my complaints strike me as the frustrations of a reader very much spoilt by modern writers of history and fantasy. These later writers adumbrate, even spell out, their dramatic themes, clearly and coherently. Herodotus, in contrast, is regarded as the father of history. If defects exist in his work, they can surely be excused, in the circumstances!
I believe that Herodotus will reward more richly on a second reading. Knowing in advance the difficulties and frustrations, the extent and nature of his digressions and narrative, I will be more able to focus on the delights to be found in his work, which is, after all, to be admired, whatever else may be said about it.
Relatedly, my favourite travel agency, Academy Travel, offers a tour in October 2009 of Classical Greece here. Some of the sites in the itinerary appear to score a mention in Herodotus: Delphi, Plataea, Thermopylae, Athens, and so on. Reading Herodotus has awakened in me a desire to see the ancient world as it survives today. Maybe some time in the future, I will go on a trip and see the world Herodotus travelled through or traversed in his writings! For now, I will continue to dream.
