Classics and the Western Canon discussion

More on the Helen of Troy story turned up in a book of Greek poetry I'm reading: " Stesichorus [a poet of late seventh to sixth century] is said to have lost his sight for slandering Helen. He apologized, by perpetuating the story that she never went to Troy at all, and regained his sight."

The poem goes "That story is not true./You never sailed in the benched ships./You never went to the city of Troy." Palinode to Helen trans. Richmond Lattimore

I have noticed the similarity between some of his stories in the Bible. The importance of dreams and the number twelve. And then he mentions the defeat of the Assyrian Sennacherib, which makes me think of the poem by Byron--The Destruction of Sennacherib.
I too have noticed some fanciful touches in his descriptions, especially the phoenix and the crocodiles.
This is why I am so far behind; there is a real variety of factual and not-so-factual information.

Several have commented on H's reluctance to spill the beans or mention people. The edition I am reading (Wordsworth Classics) has notes that indicate he is usually not mentioning "Osiris". It seems (my view) that he thought it proper to not mention the Egyptian god's name. He was just being respectful. I think I remember him not going into details a couple of times not related to naming the god. My guess (my view again) is that he is hiding some detail that might be, say, X rated, or a topic that should not be discussed in "polite company". While reading Moby Dick in high school, a teacher refused to identify a "private part" of a whale for a similar reason.

Bob, I am reading the same edition as you. I noticed that he didn't mention certain names of gods. Was it out of fear, respect or some other.
Patrice, interesting comment about the thigh. Something similar comes up in the Old Testament, most noticebly in the book of Ruth. She uncovers his feet, which is a similar euphemism as the thigh.

If anyone is interested, I just happened to stumble today on the Georgian version of the story of Rhampsinit: http://sacred-texts.com/asia/geft/gef...

I don't know if Herodotus was ever translated directly into Georgian, but it's very possible. Georgian was sometimes a medium for Greek literature passing into the east, and conversely for Persian and Indian literature entering Christendom (see, for instance, the story of Barlaam and Josephat, or, when the Buddha became a Christian saint).