The Impact of the Reformation: Problems and Perspectives

Abstract

The earliest and still unsurpassed history of the ancient Near East may seem a surprising point of departure, but its opening lines alert us to the ambiguity of our term ‘event’. They will only do so, however, if we avoid the translation errors, typical of all modern German and English versions and perpetuated even by the properly influential R. G. Collingwood, who sees in the Preface to his history of the ancient Near East a simple declaration of Herodotus’ purpose ‘to describe the deeds of men’.¹ As I read it, Herodotus distinguishes quite carefully between two dimensions of his awesome task, namely the outcome or impact of events, and the events themselves. He says:

Herodotus of Halicarnassus publishes herewith the results of his [historical] investigation in order that future generations will be reminded both of what was achieved [ = unleashed] by man and of the great and amazing deeds [themselves], whether performed by Greeks or by barbarians.