Just Arrived: The Landmark “Xenophon’s Hellenika”
I really love history, both historical non fiction as well as the fiction, but there is nothing more satisfying than reading primary sources, i.e. the material that was written by the people of the actual time. (I mean, how cool is that?)
Of course, for that to happen, first you have to have a literary society—both to write the words then, and read them again now. I’m fairly sure that most of 5th Century BC Greek society (yes, even the male part) was non literate, but fortunately the elite were very literate indeed and hence we can still delve into first hand—if subjective—accounts such as Xenophon’s Anabasis-–and as of today (in my case), the Hellenika.
Xenophon’s Hellenika is one of the—if not “the”—primary sources for the events of the final seven years and aftermath of the Peloponnesian War (between the two 5th century BC Greek states, Athens and Sparta.)
Hellenika was written by Xenophon, an Athenian nobleman who served first with Athens, then later (after Athens was finally defeated by Sparta) participated in the expedition of Cyrus the Younger against Cyrus’ brother, the Persian King Artaxerces II. (The account of the withdrawal of the Greek troops from Persia, after the death of Cyrus the Younger, is told in the Anabasis.) Later Xenophon joined the Spartan army and so was exiled from Athens.
In addition to the Hellenika, a number of Xenophon’s essays have survived, including one on his memories of his teacher, Socrates.
According to the cover blurb: “Hellenika covers the years of the Peloponnesian wars between 411 and 362 B.C.E., a particularly dramatic period during which the alliances among the Greek city states Athens, Sparta and Thebes, and the Persian empire, were in constant flux. Together with the volumes of Herodotus and Thucydides, it completes an ancient narrative of the military and political history of classical Greece.”
The book itself is beautiful and I’m delighted to finally have a copy to peruse—although given it’s detail, which includes both the actual words of Xenophon, but also scholarly introductions, notes and appendices, perusal in full may take some time.
In the meantime. here’s what The New Yorker had to say about it when published in 2011:
“The mostly densely annotated, richly illustrated, and user-friendly edition of his [Xenophon’s] Histories ever to appear.”
From a first look through, check to both “densely annotated” and “richly illustrated“—user-friendly remains to be seen on reading. But what a privilege, to be able to read the accounts first penned by a man who lived 2,500 years ago.
Just sayin’…
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Nice! I’ve read Thucydides, but not this.
I think there’s an Herodotus as well, but this is my first “The Landmark” classical series read.
Xenophon also wrote a treatise on horsemanship which still exists. A couple of millennia later it’s still relevant, for Xenophon was wise, observant and humane. One can imagine him writing from a mind full of experience. He’s one of those historical characters who one would love to have met – probably riding across a Greek landscape deep in conversation.
Yes, I almost mentioned “On Horsemanship” as it is another one I am really keen to read. Good to hear that you think it would be worthwhile. And yes, given his life, as a student of Socrates, one of the 10,000 etc he would be very interesting to meet in person. I’m always interested that so much fiction of the period focuses on Alkibiades while those like Xenophon are almost completely overlooked—although he does get a mention in Gemmell’s “Lion of Macedon.”
How many pages is it ?
Most of the translated works I have seen were about 300 pages in a standard paperback size. ie not fat books by today’s standards.
Hi June, 506 all up without all the appendices, indices etc but that includes several ‘extra’ accounts from ohter sources as well as may wonderful maps and illustrations, so the actual “Hellenika” will be considerably shorter than that.