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What are readers saying about Penguin Classics History Of The Peloponnesian War?
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A reader posted a review at 2009-10-12 23:52:05.
(Language: English)
   
“On Justice Power and Human Nature” is a selective translation from “The History of the Peloponnesian War”, a recount of the 5th century B.C. war between the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta and the Delian League led by Athens. This historic narrative was written by Thucydides, an Athenian general who served in the war. Due to his strict standard for veracity, “History” has been revered by historians throughout time. Thucydides is a superb author as he is able to construct stories that are cold and critical, yet emotionally symbolic. Moreover, his documentation contains pieces of a subtle thesis that all wars are acts of politics and that human nature is the cause of global crises. Thucydides was a scholar far ahead of his time and was projected as so through his writing. In spite of being a member of the Athenian military, Thucydides recorded the Peloponnesian War from an unbiased view, often questioning and criticizing his own state. “History’s” timeline begins with an evaluation to the origins of war; a record of the famous speech of Pericles; the plague of Athens; Corcyra’s civil war; and the Sicilian Expedition- which ultimately ended the war. This book may not be particularly entertaining but it is exceptionally accurate and is a must-read for any enthusiast of history. Especially since the Peloponnesian War was not your typical historic war. In this war, [spoiler] the heavy underdog actually prevails.
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Jason posted a review at 2009-09-24 13:32:46.
(Language: English)
Reason triumphs over the Gods in Thucydides' Peloponnesian War. A model of balance and objectivity, Thucydides explained all events using natural -- as opposed to supernatural --explanations. Best of all, The Peloponnesian War contains Pericles' Funeral Oration, one of the most magnificent speeches ever given. Thucydidean Man does not dispense fortune. His battles rumble with tumult and confusion; plagues and earthquakes strike at any moment. While Thucydides demonstated words cannot be taken as deeds -- nations are often compelled to act through fear, prestige, and interest -- he also showed the self-destructive consequences of removing moral and ideological considerations from political decisions. This is not political realism. Why must men practice justice? Thucydides repeatedly paints human nature as inclined to savagery; man can only find salvation in religion, philosophy, custom, and law. Revolutions reverse all values, giving birth to every form of evil. As the Athenians acknowledge at the beginning of the war, "Men who practice violence have no longer need of law." Thucydides did not shy away from the heroic nature of Athens, a fact making its corruption and downfall grand and tragic. Beautiful, sophisticated, honorable, and free, we find Athens, the best city, worthy of power and celebration. Its spirit is innovative, bold, revolutionary, democratic, allowing individual achievement based on merit. Pericles remarked that "We alone do good to our neighbors not upon a calculation of interest, but in the confidence of freedom and a frank and fearless spirit. In short, I say that as a city we are the school of Hellas; I doubt if the world can produce a man, who where he has only himself to depend upon, is equal to so many emergencies, and graced by so happy a versatility as the Athenian." Pericles claimed the best statesman inspires others to follow a rational policy, while loving his country and possessing incorruptible character-- an ironic contrast to those who follow him. Cleon, the defender of realpolitik, lacked foresight. Nicias, a virtuous man without boldness, fell victim to his delays, compromises, and half-measures. Alcibiades could not escape his own treachery. Thucydides clearly suggests a city such as Athens needs Periclean leadership. Ideology makes a difference. Thucydides judged oligarchical Sparta -- slow, cautious, and conservative -- as "the most convenient of enemies." Democratic Syracuse proved far more formidable, having a constitution similar to the Athenians. But in terms of power politics, the Sicilian expedition seemed feasible. Syracuse almost lost; bold leadership could have delivered victory. Political realism, as it corrupted Richard Nixon, corrupts a democracy. By following realpolitik, Athens corrupted itself, bringing on oligarchy. The Melian dialogue reached its highest irony when Athens lectured no honor could be found in fighting a superior adversary. Athens itself gained its power through a noble resistance against the mighty Persian Empire, and a belief in the superiority of its cause. War is a violent teacher.
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A reader posted a review at 2009-09-16 20:25:26.
(Language: English)
As the title suggests, this book focuses specifically on selections from Thucydides' "The History of the Peloponnesian War" that highlight issues of justice, power, and human nature. What makes the book so fascinating is that the issues Athens deals with when deciding to go to war, how to treat prisoners, and whether or not to invade Sicily are all eerily similar to the debates over the war on terror, use of torture, and the Iraq War. Athens lost the Peloponnesian War despite vast wealth and unmatched naval superiority. Thucydides posits hubris, the quality that kills more people in Greek mythology than any other vice, as one of the main factors, along with others like an inability to see things from different points of view and (most critically, in light of present debates in the US) a democracy run amok in which the most vitriolic speaker can sway public opinion, evidence or no. Thucydides challenges us with the question: will history repeat itself once again?
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John posted a review at 2009-05-25 12:58:28.
(Language: English)
The first objective history ever written. Surprisingly modern analysis of historical causality of contemporary events.
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Scott'n'Shana posted a review at 2009-04-25 18:21:26.
(Language: English)
So the greatest naval power of the ancient world takes on the greatest land power and everyone takes a side. Thucydides takes this long and awful war between Sparta and the Athenian Thalassocracy and shows that political pandering (and the associated war-rah-rah-talk from folks who've never experienced it), hubris, and a concentration on competition over cooperation (a.k.a. putting action ahead of analysis) killed an awful lot of people without accomplishing a great deal. It's a slog to get through it, but worth reading. As another reviewer said, "there's nothing new under the sun". Recommend.
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A reader posted a review at 2009-04-21 06:30:29.
(Language: English)
Those crazy Greeks. You will love it.
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Ria posted a review at 2009-03-19 16:34:38.
(Language: English)
A first-hand account of the Peloponnesian war. Thucydides is second only to Herodotus in the ancient Greek chamber in my heart. :)
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A reader posted a review at 2009-01-23 17:54:59.
(Language: English)
Good account of the war that is impressively unbiassed in tone - one of the first really believable histories
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A reader posted a review at 2008-12-04 09:54:50.
(Language: English)
An extremely useful book for study of the Peloponnesian War. Written by Thucydides, he is argued to be the first Historian, as opposed to his predecessor, Herodotus, and provides a well-researched text of the events surrounding the war, where Herodotus provides elements of myth and fiction. The only problem: It ends in media res, as Thucydides dies while composing Book VIII.
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