Ελληνικά Α-Δ

Ελληνικά #1

by Xenophon, Ξενοφών

Xenophon (ca. 430-354) was a wealthy Athenian friend of Socrates. He left Athens in 401 to join an expedition including 10,000 Greeks led by the Persian governor Cyrus against the king. After Cyrus' defeat, it fell to Xenophon to lead the Greeks from the gates of Babylon back to the coast thru inhospitable lands. Later he wrote a vivid account of the Anabasis; but meanwhile he entered service under Sparta against the Persian king, married happily & joined the staff of King Agesilaus II. Athens was at war with Sparta in 394 & so exiled him. Sparta gave him an estate near Elis where he lived for years writing, hunting & educating his sons. Reconciled to Sparta, Athens restored him to honor but he preferred retiring to Corinth. Xenophon's Hellenica, a history of Greek affairs from 411 to 362, continues Thucydides' account. There are four works on Socrates (Xenophon 4). Memorabilia adds to Plato's picture of Socrates from a different viewpoint. The Apology complements Plato's account of Socrates' defense at his trial. Symposium portrays a dinner party at which Socrates speaks of love. Oeconomicus has him giving advice on household management & married life. Cyropaedia, a historical romance on Cyrus the Elder's education, reflects Xenophon's ideas about rulers & government; the Loeb edition is in two volumes. We also have his Hiero, a dialog on government; Agesilaus, praising that king; Constitution of Lacedaemon on the Spartan system; Ways & Means on Athenian finances; Manual for a Cavalry Commander; a manual of Horsemanship & Hunting with Hounds. The Constitution of the Athenians, not by Xenophon, is a document on Athenian politics. These eight books are collected in the last of the seven volumes of the Loeb Classical Library Xenophon.

Genres: History, Classics

415 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 351

About the author

Xenophon (Ancient Greek Ξενοφῶν, Modern Greek Ξενοφώντας; ca. 431 – 355 BC), son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, was a soldier, mercenary and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates. He is known for his writings on the history of his own times, preserving the sayings of Socrates, and the life of ancient Greece.

Historical and biographical works:
Anabasis (or The Persian Expedition)
Cyropaedia
Hellenica
Agesilaus

Socratic works and dialogues:
Memorabilia
Oeconomicus
Symposium
Apology
Hiero

Short treatises:
On Horsemanship
The Cavalry General
Hunting with Dogs
Ways and Means
Constitution of Sparta

Reviews

[Koit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Xenophon is, for many, a name that has come at least a few times. For the most, this is because of the ‘Anabasis’ and adventures in Persia. For others, however, the history that is ‘Hellenica’ and forms a continuation on top of Thucydides is the point of reference. I have waded through ‘Anabasis’ a long time ago, but Thucydides relatively recently. As such, this was the perfect continuation from that history.

The style — as it comes across in English after translations through other languages — is good and readable; the topic complex. It’s not so much that war is difficult in itself, but what seems to have happened in the period Xenophon covers here is that the intrigues which used to emanate from Sparta and Athens now have sourced in those places but also tens of smaller cities.

As such, the range of characters we come across is huge and the geography they cover in their activities does not border itself with Hellas proper, but extends well into the Black Sea, Persia, Sicily, and also Southern Mediterranean. Sometimes, this makes for a complex enough story to want to delineate all moves specifically on a map as they happened. Nevertheless, even if the places disappear from memory, certain events stay with the reader.

This review was originally posted on my blog.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tales of the Greeks.

[Leez Matías · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pongo las manos al fuego jurando y perjurando que Jenofonte estaba enamorado de Ciro y Tucídides.

[Emira]

Well, I have read a big part of the prototype of Hellenica and the Anabasis, in untranslated ancient greek although not by this very volume. I truly admire Xenophon's ability to describe such affairs, while slightly commenting, and by using such simple language. He isn't, of course, handling the ancient greek language with the poetic and complex way Thucydides did, so I do not really regard Xenophon as his successor but he doesn't even need that, as he is special in his own way.

[Jeff Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Herodotus and Thucydides, reading Xenophon seems to be a bit of a let down. This translation of his "continued" history of Greece is exemplary and the story is fascinating...just not as much as the other historians contributing to the same topic. Regardless of that however this period in history is a must-read topic for everyone.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is boring unless you are interested in the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides’ version is much better.