This king [Sesostris] divided the land among all Egyptians so as to give each one a quadrangle of equal size and to draw from each his revenues, by imposing a tax to be levied yearly. But everyone from whose part the river tore anything away, had to go to him to notify what had happened; he then sent overseers who had to measure out how much the land had become smaller, in order that the owner might pay on what was left, in proportion to the entire tax imposed. In this way, it appears to me, geometry originated, which passed thence to Hellas.
HerodotusMens fortunes are on a wheel, which in its turning suffers not the same man to prosper for ever.
HerodotusThe Lacedaemonians fought a memorable battle; they made it quite clear that they were the experts, and that they were fighting against amateurs.
HerodotusIt [Egypt] has more wonders in it than any other country in the world and provides more works that defy description than any otherplace.
Herodotus