Saturday, May 1, 2010

Herodotus on repugnance

Apparently it all depends on what you're used to.

From The History of Herodotus , III.38 (Written 440 B.C.E, Translated by George Rawlinson):

"Darius, after he had got the kingdom, called into his presence certain Greeks who were at hand, and asked- "What he should pay them to eat the bodies of their fathers when they died?" To which they answered, that there was no sum that would tempt them to do such a thing. He then sent for certain Indians, of the race called Callatians, men who eat their fathers, and asked them, while the Greeks stood by, and knew by the help of an interpreter all that was said - "What he should give them to burn the bodies of their fathers at their decease?" The Indians exclaimed aloud, and bade him forbear such language. "


cited by John O'Neill

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