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Herodotus Histories: Xerxe Tigranes

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In Herodotus’ Histories, Tigranes teasingly says, “Zounds, Mardonios, what manner of men are these that you have brought us to fight withal? ‘Tis not for money they contend but for glory of achievement!’. Tigranes makes this offhand comment, but it implies a difference between Spartan and Persian culture. Xerxes understands the implications of the comment itself and reacts badly to it. During battle, Xerxes finds out that the Spartans’ difference in values makes the Spartans better warriors. They fight for an honor that comes from victory and with a courage that comes from intelligence in battle and a fierce loyalty to the laws of their country. These are all things that Xerxes can’t have because his men fight from fear of their leader and the promise of wealth and riches. Xerxes thinks that Tigranes is a coward for lamenting that the Spartans fight for honor instead of material gain. …show more content…

None of them can understand this intangible honor. In every translation, Tigranes cannot hold back his words. He has to say it. Why does he have to say it? It has to be bizarre to him that riches and wealth are not the primary thing that Spartans fight for. Instead, they’re fighting for honor; honor that is intangible and immeasurable. Tigranes does not get that. Persians do not seem to consider intangible honor as something they should concern themselves with, unless there is something tangible, like wealth, to go along with it. If that is the case, then there are two types of honor: one that is concerned with wealth and one that is concerned with something that is perhaps intangible. For the first honor, we’ve been introduced to this one in Xerxes himself. He is the all-great and powerful Xerxes because he has so much in terms of land and wealth. The Persians’ honor is measurable and that is the way honor should be. No one can tell how honorable a person is if there is nothing tangible to represent their

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