No Ancient Greek writer ever claimed to know Persian or Lydian or Carthaginian, or in fact any foreign language until Latin, when the Romans were lording it over then - and even then, only for administration, as the Greeks almost completely ignored Latin literature. Very, very little was ever translated from Egyptian or Persian or Babylonian or Carthaginian - the Voyage of Hanno is one of the exceptions that proves the rule. What is more, when Manetho, Berossus and Sanchuniathon wrote books explaining their history and culture (Egyptian, Babylonian, Phoenician respectively) these books have only survived in fragments.
While interested in other cultures, the Greeks didn't want to look through other cultures' eyes. What is the reason for this neglect?
In comparison, for all their own disdainful attitudes, the British started translating Sanskrit texts in the eighteenth century, and throughout the colonial period there was a steady stream of texts and translations.
2007-02-23
20:48:37
·
5 answers
·
asked by
Anonymous
in
History