Thucydides: Book VI (BCP Greek Texts) (Bk. 6)

Perfect for the student studying both the Peloponnesian War or being introduced to Thucydides for the first time. Contains a list of essential dates, and an up-to-date bibliography. Table of Contents: Portrait of Thucydides Preface Essential Dates Introduction 1 The Greek Tradition of Historical Writing 2 Athenian Imperialism 3 Rhetoric 4 The Arrangement of Material in Book I Bibliography Text Notes Greek Index English Index Map of Greek World

Customer Review: Bare bones edition

Other reviewers have commented extensively on the significance of Thucydides' History and its place in the pantheon of historical literature. Given a choice of translators and publishers, my focus is on some of the characteristics of this particular edition to aid in making a purchasing decision.



This version of the History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides appears to be a reprint excerpted from an older work -- "Thucydides, translated into English, to which is prefixed an essay on inscriptions and a note on the geography of Thucydides", by Benjamin Jowett. Second edition. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1900. Jowett was a prolific translator of Greek texts. A search on his name on the Amazon site will yield a huge number of hits. The 1960 Bantam Classics edition of the History claimed Jowett's translation as definitive.



The key point I want to make is that there are neither translator notes nor historical commentary in this reprint. There is also no publisher information anywhere in this book, making it difficult to track down the sources for this edition. Furthermore, all of the editorial comments on the Amazon page for this book refer to **other** editions, not the one you are purchasing from this page, and which might erroneously lead one to believe that there is historical background included in this particular book.



Finally, this book is available as an e-book for free under Creative Commons License, according to the terms of which, I believe, this reprint should have included the original attribution that I've given here.



In summary, this book is a complete translation of Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War by a well-regarded translator. It is however, a bare-bones edition without additional historical background on either the author or the content of this work.



Customer Review: More required reading

If Herodotus is the Father of History, Thucydides is the first truly great historian. Building upon the foundation laid by his predecessor, Thucydides refines and sharpens the art of history into what it should have been all along. He is one of a few ancient historians whose reputation has almost never suffered among subsequent generations of historians.



Thucydides begins his history with the causes of The Peloponnesian War, a 27-year struggle between imperialist, democratic Athens, oligarchic Sparta, and the scores of constantly shifting allies that fought along with them. Though left incomplete at the time of his death, Thucydides's history spans the years 433-411 BC, encompassing the beginning of the war and its escalation through battle and political machination, Athens's ill-fated Sicilian expedition, and the interference of the Persians in Asia Minor.



This translation by Rex Warner is excellent--highly readable and lucid. The introduction and appendices offer lots of helpful information and can be read either before or after the History itself, depending on the reader's prior knowledge or preference. If I have any complaint about this edition, it is that the maps are too small and too few, leaving some important locations unmarked.



Full of real-life drama and moving tales of wartime desperation, Thucydides is just as relevant today as he was when he first perfected the art of history. Reading Thucydides is well worth your time.



Highly recommended.
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