PROMPT: In a celebrated passage (3.38), Herodotus reveals an ancient debate about nomoi, which we might think of as cultural norms. Specifically, he is debating whether there is any such thing as a universal cultural norm (i.e., a basic behavior or cultural practice that all humans share because it is rooted in human nature). Famously, Herodotus ends his discussion with the declaration that he approves of Pindar’s (a famous Greek poet) saying, that “culture is king of all.” Please (i) read 3.38, (ii) decide precisely what Herodotus’s position is on nomoi (“customs”); and (iii) argue how Herodotus’s view of custom informs his presentation of a specific Egyptian cultural practice in Book 2 (you may also wish to consider a passage in Book 3, such as 3.16). General Notes: The most successful papers will use a specific passage or episode as a lens through which to make an argument about a larger theme. That is, the most successful papers of this type draw from beyond your passage, even as your paper remains focused through your selected passage: you use the passage as a keyhole onto a larger phenomenon. CITATION: In parentheses, by book and chapter number nothing else do not use page number
