https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110583557-007 Vasiliki Zali Herodotus mapping out his genre: the interaction of myth and geography in the Libyan logos � Introduction Myth lies at the heart of Herodotus’ Histories and his effort to present and explain the human past. Myth appears in many forms and guises and is inextricably in- tertwined with the Histories’ historical, political, anthropological, geographical and ethnographical material. It carries authority and also enhances the interpre- tative strands, promotes readers’ understanding of contemporary events, and provides (often additional) explanatory frameworks. 1 In this chapter I will focus in particular on the relationship between myth and geography. Herodotus’ method in compiling his geographical descriptions is pat- ently influenced by contemporary scientific ideas but mythical elements are in- terspersed throughout. Natural phenomena are often explained on the basis of myths, myths are attached to certain peoples, places or cultic sites and are thus intimately connected to the Greek or non-Greek landscape. How do myths inter- act with the geographical landscape and what do they offer to the narrative and Herodotus’ historical inquiry? How does the close interplay of myth and geogra- phy help Herodotus expound his take on myth and delineate his genre vis-à-vis his geographical and poetic predecessors? To explore these questions I will be specifically looking at the Libyan logos at the end of book 4 of the Histories, which includes one of the most extensive ethnographical and geographical accounts in the work. Mythical elements are embedded not only in the Libyan geography (4.168–99) but also in the surrounding narrative of the early history of Cyrene (4.145–67, 200–5). �� 1 On the organic connection between myth and history in Herodotus see most recently the es- says in Baragwanath/de Bakker 2012.