Back
to ON ART page
Herodotus, Histories, Thalia
Published between 430-424 BC
And when it came to the turn of Darius to speak his mind, he said as
follows:
.
An untruth must be spoken, where need requires. For whether men lie, or say
true, it is with one and the same object. Men lie, because they think to gain by
deceiving others; and speak the truth, because they expect to get something by
their true speaking, and to be trusted afterwards in more important matters.
Thus, though their conduct is so opposite, the end of both is alike. If there
were no gain to be got, your true-speaking man would tell untruths as much as
your liar, and your liar would tell the truth as much as your true-speaking
man.
Back
to ON ART page
Back to main page
