Why were the Ancient Greeks so disdainful of foreign languages and literature?

Question

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.

Incidentally, the Alexandria library story is very, very suspect, as it appears first some six hundred years after the Arabs took Alexandria; sources closer to the date mention nothing about it.

Answer 1

To compare that the British started translations in the 1800s and ask whether the city states of Greece suffured from xenophobia is ambiguous. Sparta disdained poetry, whereas Athens held contests. The Greeks were the sea-faring traders of their time. Their coins with the owl on it was accepted at face value. The corrupted Greek was the language of the merchantile class that competed fiercely against the Jews. Sadly, we lost the library at Alexandria when they asked the Sultan what should be done. His reply was: "If it has nothing to say about the prophet, it is blasphemy. If it has anything to say about Mohammed, it is superflourous. Burn it."

Answer 2

Every "civilised" nation has always been a little stuck up about its own language and culture compared to other "outsiders". The Romans considered anyone who didn't speak Greek or Latin to be a Barbarian. Even the U.S. government felt that the Native American tribes were "savages". Also as to the previous answer regarding the burning of the Alexandrian library: That seems to be the case whenever religion is involved. Spanish authorities burned many of the Mayan texts because they thought they contained heresy.

Answer 3

i've got not got faith that they had a contemptuous attitude in that regard. a minimum of if it replaced into, i've got under no circumstances seen it meditated of their cutting-edge writings. in line with hazard you will possibly be able to desire to quote components.

Answer 4

they never had any use to the greeks

Answer 5

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