Herodotus traveled all over the non-Greek world in researching his expansive History of the Persian Wars (circa late fifth century B.C.E.). Although he occasionally acknowledged the existence of different languages, they were rarely allowed to impinge upon his collection and presentation of information. Reproduced here is a good example from Herodotus's account of Egypt. Many important questions are suggested in this passage. When Herodotus's Greek informants conversed with the Ammonian king, what language did they do it in? In what language did the Ammonian king converse with his Nasamonian visitors? Why does the Ammonian king, presumably a Libyan and not a Greek, have a Greek name, Etearchus (meaning "True Ruler")? All these questions are posed by the passage; none of them are answered. Herodotus and other Greek writers of the period seem to have had little interest in...