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The Peloponnesian War

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The Peloponnesian War

Written by: Thucydides
Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
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About this listen

Historians universally agree that Thucydides was the greatest historian who has ever lived, and that his story of the Peloponnesian conflict is a marvel of forensic science and fine literature. That such a triumph of intellectual accomplishment was created at the end of the fifth century B.C. in Greece is, perhaps, not so surprising, given the number of original geniuses we find in that period. But that such an historical work would also be simultaneously acknowledged as a work of great literature and a penetrating ethical evaluation of humanity is one of the miracles of ancient history. For in the pages of Thucydides we find examples of every ethical and political problem ever faced by democratic governments in the last 2,400 years. And it was all organized and written with a breathtaking skill and dramatic intensity which have never been equalled.

Thucydides was an Athenian noble born around 455 B.C. whose antecedents could be traced back to the great Peisitratus and Cimon. In 424 B.C., Thucydides was in command of naval forces attempting to defend Amphipolis in Thrace. Although unsuccessful through no fault of his own, his enemies in Athens blamed him for failure and engineered his exile. It was a fortunate event, for it was upon this accident of history that Thucydides gained the opportunity to become the chronicler of events in Greece. In complete contrast to the furious passions which raged around him, he described events with a cool detachment and an absolute impartiality that is little short of miraculous. He is believed to have died violently, perhaps while writing, in about 400 B.C. His manuscript simply breaks off in mid paragraph.

The Peloponnesian War is organized into eight parts (“books”). This recording uses the highly esteemed translation of Benjamin Jowett. There are several essays preceding and following the work.

Public Domain (P)2012 Audio Connoisseur
Greece Ancient History Ancient Greece Greek Mythology

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More people should listen

Great book, worth the 29 hours, would recommend for sure

Great insight into human nature

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Absolutely Everything It's Cracked Up to Be

An early work of history impressive in so many ways - epic scale, impartiality, creativity, compelling drama, and beauty of prose. The speeches are so good. The scholarly essays at the front of this edition are pretty long, so buckle up or skip them, but the main event does not disappoint. One defect of an audio version is that it can be difficult to keep track of Thucydides' subjects at times and rewinding is helpful in that regard. As always with reader Charlton Griffin, the emphasis is not always in the exact best spot in retrospect, but there is always depth, variation, and drama in the delivery. Oh, and the musical bits in this recording contribute rather than distract from the work. Overall, this is a great audiobook.

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labeling of chapters is poor.

hard to find where the essays end and the books begin. the books carry over the chapters and hard to discern where one book ends and another begins when trying to listen to a singular book.

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2 people found this helpful