How did Herodotus criticize Greek stories about Heracles?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Herodotus Herodotus, detail of a Roman herm probably copied from a Greek original of the first half of the 4th century bce; in the National Archaeological Museum, Naples.

Herodotus, often called the "father of history," maintained a reputation for recording various traditions regardless of their accuracy, yet he was not inherently credulous. While he believed it was his duty to document the stories of different peoples, he did not endorse every account he reported.12

Specifically, Herodotus criticized a popular Greek story regarding the mythical hero Heracles, dismissing it as a "silly fable". He argued that this particular narrative reflected poorly on the critical sense of the Greeks. By labeling the account in this manner, Herodotus demonstrated his willingness to evaluate the credibility of the traditions he encountered, even while continuing his practice of preserving them for historical record.12