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The Greeks
A concise yet wide-ranging introduction to the culture of ancient Greece, The Greeks is a lucid survey that:
*covers all the key elements of ancient Greek civilization from the age of Homer to the end of the classical period
*provides detailed discussions of the main trends in literature & drama, philosophy, art & architecture
*places ancient Greek culture firmly in its political & historical context.
Including 45 illustrations, chronological chart, maps & suggestions for further reading, The Greeks is an indispensable introduction for all students of classics & an invaluable guide for students of other disciplines who require a grounding in Greek civilization.
*covers all the key elements of ancient Greek civilization from the age of Homer to the end of the classical period
*provides detailed discussions of the main trends in literature & drama, philosophy, art & architecture
*places ancient Greek culture firmly in its political & historical context.
Including 45 illustrations, chronological chart, maps & suggestions for further reading, The Greeks is an indispensable introduction for all students of classics & an invaluable guide for students of other disciplines who require a grounding in Greek civilization.
232 pages, Paperback
First published October 17, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 3, 2013
The world might benefit from another introduction to Greek culture, but this is neither among the best nor does it justify its existence by any special merits. It is not original. It lacks any explanatory conception, any special insight. It is not particularly well-written. It is not well-edited. It even fails in adequately covering its ostensible subject.
Sowerby, classicist and English teacher, does not promise much. He only claims to be addressing "those enquiring into the Greek legacy for the first time" (ix). Judging by the standards of Classics 101, he does a fair job of representing the conventions and limitations of classicism. In other words, he represents an approach to the ancient Greek world that goes back to the late eighteenth century. He evinces no awareness of any advances in research since the early part of this century. The book may as well have been written then.
For Sowerby, apparently, and for his unfortunate students, Greek culture is a unique flowering, an extraordinary and ultimately inexplicable thing. It may be glowingly described, but not critically explained. His history is sketchy at best, focussing on the Persian through Peloponnesian Wars. Herodotus is more fun to read as regards the former. Thucydides is not improved upon, but virtually parroted, as regards the latter. Geographical, climactic, economic considerations?--Sowerby hardly addresses them or anything materially pertinent to the matrix out of which this culture arose. This is a sketch without a background or shadows, an immediately familiar caricature. Greek culture is a plant without roots.
The writing, while adequate, is pedestrian. There is no engagement, no charm, no humor--nothing to involve or challenge the reader. There are no surprises. The editing, however, is atrocious. The Academy, we are informed, was "situated in the grave of a hero named Academus" (129). Herodotus' "work" for foreigner is, we are told, barbaroi (41). The substitution of a dash for a hyphen makes nonsense of a sentence (22). Pylos is located on the wrong coast (54). Clytemnestra's family relations are expressed ambiguously (2).
Most damning of all, this book is not about the Greeks, not even about several generations of Greeks. It is about the Athenians in general and about their few short decades as successful imperialists in particular. That is the focus, that the frame of reference. The book should have been titled The Golden Age of Athens and put out, with better pictures, by Time/Life. But they've already done that, haven't they?
The hypothetical first-year student will come out of this thoughtless confirmation of a hackneyed canon with all the stock prejudices and studied ignorance of well-schooled liberal politicians who, seeing the United States as the new Athens, would make us and our institutions just as insufferable to the rest of the world as the Athenians under Pericles were to theirs.
Sowerby, classicist and English teacher, does not promise much. He only claims to be addressing "those enquiring into the Greek legacy for the first time" (ix). Judging by the standards of Classics 101, he does a fair job of representing the conventions and limitations of classicism. In other words, he represents an approach to the ancient Greek world that goes back to the late eighteenth century. He evinces no awareness of any advances in research since the early part of this century. The book may as well have been written then.
For Sowerby, apparently, and for his unfortunate students, Greek culture is a unique flowering, an extraordinary and ultimately inexplicable thing. It may be glowingly described, but not critically explained. His history is sketchy at best, focussing on the Persian through Peloponnesian Wars. Herodotus is more fun to read as regards the former. Thucydides is not improved upon, but virtually parroted, as regards the latter. Geographical, climactic, economic considerations?--Sowerby hardly addresses them or anything materially pertinent to the matrix out of which this culture arose. This is a sketch without a background or shadows, an immediately familiar caricature. Greek culture is a plant without roots.
The writing, while adequate, is pedestrian. There is no engagement, no charm, no humor--nothing to involve or challenge the reader. There are no surprises. The editing, however, is atrocious. The Academy, we are informed, was "situated in the grave of a hero named Academus" (129). Herodotus' "work" for foreigner is, we are told, barbaroi (41). The substitution of a dash for a hyphen makes nonsense of a sentence (22). Pylos is located on the wrong coast (54). Clytemnestra's family relations are expressed ambiguously (2).
Most damning of all, this book is not about the Greeks, not even about several generations of Greeks. It is about the Athenians in general and about their few short decades as successful imperialists in particular. That is the focus, that the frame of reference. The book should have been titled The Golden Age of Athens and put out, with better pictures, by Time/Life. But they've already done that, haven't they?
The hypothetical first-year student will come out of this thoughtless confirmation of a hackneyed canon with all the stock prejudices and studied ignorance of well-schooled liberal politicians who, seeing the United States as the new Athens, would make us and our institutions just as insufferable to the rest of the world as the Athenians under Pericles were to theirs.
October 1, 2019
I could not get through this. Although it was structured like a textbook, it reads more like a set of opinionated short essays - and not good essays.
December 18, 2019
Informative book. Didn't grab me though.
June 30, 2015
I read the 3rd edition of this book and found it to be really clear and concise. Apparently it's a big improvement from the 2nd edition. The author did assume that the reader had prior knowledge of Greek myths and stories, but overall it was a good read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews