What do you think?
Rate this book
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: Vols. 5-8
1574 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
13 people are currently reading
578 people want to read
About the author
Edward Gibbon
1,995 books601 followersEdward Gibbon (8 May 1737 – 16 January 1794) was an English historian and Member of Parliament. His most important work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788. The Decline and Fall is known for the quality and irony of its prose, its use of primary sources, and its open criticism of organised religion.
Gibbon returned to England in June 1765. His father died in 1770, and after tending to the estate, which was by no means in good condition, there remained quite enough for Gibbon to settle fashionably in London at 7 Bentinck Street, independent of financial concerns. By February 1773, he was writing in earnest, but not without the occasional self-imposed distraction. He took to London society quite easily, and joined the better social clubs, including Dr. Johnson's Literary Club, and looked in from time to time on his friend Holroyd in Sussex. He succeeded Oliver Goldsmith at the Royal Academy as 'professor in ancient history' (honorary but prestigious). In late 1774, he was initiated a freemason of the Premier Grand Lodge of England. And, perhaps least productively in that same year, he was returned to the House of Commons for Liskeard, Cornwall through the intervention of his relative and patron, Edward Eliot. He became the archetypal back-bencher, benignly "mute" and "indifferent," his support of the Whig ministry invariably automatic. Gibbon's indolence in that position, perhaps fully intentional, subtracted little from the progress of his writing.
After several rewrites, with Gibbon "often tempted to throw away the labours of seven years," the first volume of what would become his life's major achievement, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published on 17 February 1776. Through 1777, the reading public eagerly consumed three editions for which Gibbon was rewarded handsomely: two-thirds of the profits amounting to approximately £1,000. Biographer Leslie Stephen wrote that thereafter, "His fame was as rapid as it has been lasting." And as regards this first volume, "Some warm praise from David Hume overpaid the labour of ten years."
Volumes II and III appeared on 1 March 1781, eventually rising "to a level with the previous volume in general esteem." Volume IV was finished in June 1784; the final two were completed during a second Lausanne sojourn (September 1783 to August 1787) where Gibbon reunited with his friend Deyverdun in leisurely comfort. By early 1787, he was "straining for the goal" and with great relief the project was finished in June. Gibbon later wrote:
It was on the day, or rather the night, of 27 June 1787, between the hours of eleven and twelve, that I wrote the last lines of the last page in a summer-house in my garden. ... I will not dissemble the first emotions of joy on the recovery of my freedom, and perhaps the establishment of my fame. But my pride was soon humbled, and a sober melancholy was spread over my mind by the idea that I had taken my everlasting leave of an old and agreeable companion, and that, whatsoever might be the future date of my history, the life of the historian must be short and precarious.
Volumes IV, V, and VI finally reached the press in May 1788, their publication having been delayed since March so it could coincide with a dinner party celebrating Gibbon's 51st birthday (the 8th). Mounting a bandwagon of praise for the later volumes were such contemporary luminaries as Adam Smith, William Robertson, Adam Ferguson, Lord Camden, and Horace Walpole. Smith remarked that Gibbon's triumph had positioned him "at the very head of [Europe's] literary tribe."
Gibbon returned to England in June 1765. His father died in 1770, and after tending to the estate, which was by no means in good condition, there remained quite enough for Gibbon to settle fashionably in London at 7 Bentinck Street, independent of financial concerns. By February 1773, he was writing in earnest, but not without the occasional self-imposed distraction. He took to London society quite easily, and joined the better social clubs, including Dr. Johnson's Literary Club, and looked in from time to time on his friend Holroyd in Sussex. He succeeded Oliver Goldsmith at the Royal Academy as 'professor in ancient history' (honorary but prestigious). In late 1774, he was initiated a freemason of the Premier Grand Lodge of England. And, perhaps least productively in that same year, he was returned to the House of Commons for Liskeard, Cornwall through the intervention of his relative and patron, Edward Eliot. He became the archetypal back-bencher, benignly "mute" and "indifferent," his support of the Whig ministry invariably automatic. Gibbon's indolence in that position, perhaps fully intentional, subtracted little from the progress of his writing.
After several rewrites, with Gibbon "often tempted to throw away the labours of seven years," the first volume of what would become his life's major achievement, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published on 17 February 1776. Through 1777, the reading public eagerly consumed three editions for which Gibbon was rewarded handsomely: two-thirds of the profits amounting to approximately £1,000. Biographer Leslie Stephen wrote that thereafter, "His fame was as rapid as it has been lasting." And as regards this first volume, "Some warm praise from David Hume overpaid the labour of ten years."
Volumes II and III appeared on 1 March 1781, eventually rising "to a level with the previous volume in general esteem." Volume IV was finished in June 1784; the final two were completed during a second Lausanne sojourn (September 1783 to August 1787) where Gibbon reunited with his friend Deyverdun in leisurely comfort. By early 1787, he was "straining for the goal" and with great relief the project was finished in June. Gibbon later wrote:
It was on the day, or rather the night, of 27 June 1787, between the hours of eleven and twelve, that I wrote the last lines of the last page in a summer-house in my garden. ... I will not dissemble the first emotions of joy on the recovery of my freedom, and perhaps the establishment of my fame. But my pride was soon humbled, and a sober melancholy was spread over my mind by the idea that I had taken my everlasting leave of an old and agreeable companion, and that, whatsoever might be the future date of my history, the life of the historian must be short and precarious.
Volumes IV, V, and VI finally reached the press in May 1788, their publication having been delayed since March so it could coincide with a dinner party celebrating Gibbon's 51st birthday (the 8th). Mounting a bandwagon of praise for the later volumes were such contemporary luminaries as Adam Smith, William Robertson, Adam Ferguson, Lord Camden, and Horace Walpole. Smith remarked that Gibbon's triumph had positioned him "at the very head of [Europe's] literary tribe."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 28, 2012
The greatest book ever written, no one can claim to be educated who has not read this wonderful book. It is that good. It covers Roman history from about 100 AD to about 1450 AD. The reader will learn not only about history that will inform him about current events, but also obtain the wisdom from the author and Rome.
May 5, 2015
As Rome falls to the Germanic pillager Odoacer, Gibbon flees eastward for the second half of his monumental work. Constantinople is the backdrop for the next thousand years. New Rome's struggles in Asia begin to dominate the history. Wars with the Sassanids, the Arabs, and the Seljuk Turks. However, the West is not completely ignored. Byzantine expeditions attempt to stave off Goth control, the Normans sweep down and Frankish kings establish dominance. However, time erodes the hulls of both. Both the Roman West and East frantically attempt to stay afloat amongst the "shipwreck of nations."
Condensing Gibbons' eight volumes is pointless. It's a sprawling history because... it's sprawling. One does not read Gibbon for a Wikipediaesque summary. This history is the product of 20 years of toil. You can almost hear the love, and hate, of the task at times. I'm sure there are countless history books which present the history of Rome in a more digestible format. One that does not require countless cross-referencing to chronologically gauge the sequence of events. One that does not require a thousand or more footnotes. But I suspect you will not find a history written with more devotion or splendid prose.
Having spent several months working through this eight volume set, I was expecting to have plenty to write about. With the likes of Alp Arslan and Manuel I, there is no shortage of inspirational stories. However, unless one is willing to write a thesis, a few paragraph review seems self-consciously inadequate. As I try to think of how to persuade whoever is reading this to dedicate their time to Gibbon, I am reminded of one of Gibbon's most astute warnings: "Persuasion is the resource of the feeble; and the feeble can seldom persuade." VIII, Ch. 68, pg. 210. So, be bold and just begin.
Condensing Gibbons' eight volumes is pointless. It's a sprawling history because... it's sprawling. One does not read Gibbon for a Wikipediaesque summary. This history is the product of 20 years of toil. You can almost hear the love, and hate, of the task at times. I'm sure there are countless history books which present the history of Rome in a more digestible format. One that does not require countless cross-referencing to chronologically gauge the sequence of events. One that does not require a thousand or more footnotes. But I suspect you will not find a history written with more devotion or splendid prose.
Having spent several months working through this eight volume set, I was expecting to have plenty to write about. With the likes of Alp Arslan and Manuel I, there is no shortage of inspirational stories. However, unless one is willing to write a thesis, a few paragraph review seems self-consciously inadequate. As I try to think of how to persuade whoever is reading this to dedicate their time to Gibbon, I am reminded of one of Gibbon's most astute warnings: "Persuasion is the resource of the feeble; and the feeble can seldom persuade." VIII, Ch. 68, pg. 210. So, be bold and just begin.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews