Genealogy Books - The History of the Peloponnesian War: Revised Edition (Penguin Classics)

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Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating:

Summary: Standard-setter for western historical study
Comment: More than a simple historical treatise, it is a character study in human nature and its affects on
the human actions that make history. A classic of historical works in its detail and insight on
human action we know as history. Thucydides is unmatched in his insights, clarity of language and
thought, and in his informative description of the history of his time. A must read for anyone
wanting to plumb the depths of western civilization and ethos. An enjoyable read for any
historiphile.

It could use more maps but be sure to check the back of the book for
the few it does have.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Unlike anything ever recorded
Comment: I had studied Greek history for quite some time before I finally did myself the greatest favor thus
far in my life and purchased Thucydides' account of the Peloponnesian War for my collection. At the
time I had already read Herodotus at least 3 or 4 times in full, along with all sorts of other Greek
texts available. I was in love with Herodotus, enjoying with skepticism his regaling of myths as
fact, particularly the presense of oracles and their relation to the events he described, which
still fascinates me in spite of the doubt I feel towards divine intervention. At that point I had
known of Thucydides at some time, but it was not until I had exhausted almost every available source
of Spartan knowledge did I at last turn to him.
Like many other reviewers have noted, I
had heard all the remarks of his dry style of writing and the difficulty of the read. But after
reading Herodotus, Plutarch, Xenophon and the like, I came to crave nothing but an objective account
of Greek history. I have just finished Thucydides and it took about five days. In no way did I find
it dry or in any way difficult to read. It seemed even easier to read than the others, as I knew it
was of more genuine truth than any Greek work on their history I had read.
Reading the
Iliad, for example, is marvelous fun, and one cannot help but become entangled in the lore and
heroism that it supplies, feeling impressed by these warriors countless times over and amazed at the
events that took place. But after several readings of it, the reality hit me that almost all of it,
and perhaps none of this legend never actually took place in the way it was recorded. Same for
Herodotus. With Thucydides though, here is an reliably accurate, for it is almost impossible to
construct a flawless history of truth, record of a real life confrontation every bit as deserving of
lore granted to earlier Greek legend.
His admission that he himself suffered from the
plague that ravaged Athens at the beginning of the war instantly made the text easier to read. It
was at this point I fully came to realize this book had been written as the events unfolded, or at
least heavy notes were taken for later reference, rather than after as Herodotus had done. There is
just something so remarkable about a first hand account in real time from an active participant in
the events told. Fully engrossed, I read Thucydides quicker than any other Greek text I have
studied.
Do not be put off then by this supposed dryness of his style. Personally I do
not believe in it at all. He is obviously trained somewhat in the skills of oratory, as his
speeches imply, and there is nothing better to read in my opinion than a historcal account made by
someone with a distaste for falsity. It is no more difficult to read that Herodotus, and in all
ways just as fascinating. The one obvious criticism, is that the work remains unfinished. Since
the final defeat of Athens is indeed one of shocking events for such a glorious power, I would give
anything for the account to be completed in full. Still, it is illogical to study Greek history
without reading Thucydides, and if I could restart my studies I undoubtably would have started with
him first rather than last.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Great book, cruddy translation.
Comment: Thucydides is a top-notch ancient historian, although he can be a bit dry at times. In fact, this
may be part of what makes him such a great historian; he says in the beginning that he's concerned
only with the facts and pretty much sticks to that for the whole history. Whatever the case, it's
important for a translation of his history to not end up sounding too dry and provide the reader
with some geographical and historical background.

The Penguin version does nothing of
the sort. The text just goes on and on, without any maps, diagrams, or summaries of droning
narratives to refer to. While this text is certainly great (seeing as many other reviews have
already explained why this is so, I won't get into that), it can definately be intimiidating and dry
sometimes. The Landmark Thucydides provides a much superior translation and book, complete with
paragraph summaries and a plethora of maps (it really does help to be able to see where the action
is taking place without having to fip too much). If you want to read Thucydides, invest in the best
possible translation you can find. Trust me; it's worth it.

Five stars for the book
itself, one star for the translation and accessories. I bought this because I thought it would be
cheaper, but I ended up selling it used and getting the Landmark.

Customer Rating:

Summary: A non-scholarly review.
Comment: I really have the feeling that I am not knowledgable enough about the period in question in the
Thucydides to provide any kind of reasonable context for the work. Instead, this review will focus
on some reading tips and reactions aimed at the more generalist reader who may be attempting to get
through the text.

First, the text is daunting. Be patient with it, and put it down if
you need to. It pays off. I'm not someone who reads battle scenes with absorption, and still I found
that if I absorbed the text in small enough doses, then I was able to follow with interest. />
Second, use the appendices at the back. The explanations about the Spartan and Athenian
Leagues, the Greek monetary system, and the Melian dialogues were actually quite helpful in places
for reading the text. These appendices are provided in the Penguin edition of the Thucydides. />
Third, take notes. There are a lot of big thoughts, and I found that I absorbed them better
by writing them down for myself to think about later.

It is time-consuming to attempt
the History of the Peloponnesian War. It is also worth it, to my mind. I got a lot out of reading it
even without being a historian with expertise in the time and region. Give it a try, and give it the
space that it deserves.

"So it is now reasonable for us to hope that the gods will be
kinder to us, since by now we deserve their pity rather than their jealousy."

Customer Rating:

Summary: Iran
Comment: This book illustarted how Greek people were disunited and enagged in war with one another. At the
end of this book, author mentioned how Persian/Iranian were commenced to interfer in Greek politics.

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