The Complete Works of Xenophon

by Xenophon

Celebrated for his stirring historical accounts and insightful philosophical treatises, Xenophon’s works have enlightened readers across the world for almost two and a half thousand years. For the first time in digital publishing history, readers can now own the complete works of Xenophon in English and the original Greek. This comprehensive eBook presents the complete works with beautiful illustrations, rare texts, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1)

* Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Xenophon's life and works
* Features the complete works of Xenophon, in both English translation and the original Greek
* Concise introductions to the historical and philosophical works
* Includes all the translations previously appearing in Loeb Classical Library editions of Xenophon’s works
* All texts are provided with chapter and section numbers – ideal for students
* Images of famous paintings that have been inspired by Xenophon’s works
* Excellent formatting of the texts
* Easily locate the sections or works you want to read with individual contents tables
* Includes the Pseudo-Xenophon rare work CONSTITUTION OF ATHENS, first time in digital print
* Features two bonus biographies, including Diogenes Laërtius’ original biography - discover Xenophon's ancient world
* Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres

Please note: some Kindle software programs cannot display Greek characters correctly; however the characters do display correctly on Kindle devices.

CONTENTS:

Historical works
ANABASIS
CYROPAEDIA
HELLENICA
AGESILAUS

Socratic Works
MEMORABILIA
OECONOMICUS
SYMPOSIUM
APOLOGY

Minor Treatises
ON HORSEMANSHIP
ON THE CAVALRY GENERAL
ON HUNTING
HIERO
WAYS AND MEANS
CONSTITUTION OF THE LACEDAEMONIANS
CONSTITUTION OF ATHENS

The Greek Texts
LIST OF GREEK TEXTS

The Biographies
LIFE OF XENOPHON by Diogenes Laërtius
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF XENOPHON by Edward Spelman

Genres: Philosophy, History, Classics, Greece, Biography, Nonfiction, Reference

2813 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 30, 2008

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

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anabasis / Persian Expedition:

A concise, clearly written account of a Greek mercenary army's march into the heart of the Persian empire under the banner of a potential usurper, and its march back out when the usurper had the bad taste to die in battle. Anabasis has often been cited as a classic on leadership and rightly so. Not only does it contain many nuggets of wisdom for military leadership in particular, but it covers a range of issues from logistics to Xenophon's handling of scheming peers, subordinates, and rivals. Anyone interested in leadership could gain from reading this book. Its historical detail is also very interesting, for providing a glimpse of life in different parts of the Near East in classical times. A great read.

Cyropaedia:

The editor describes it as a "political romance" vice biography, and so it is well-described. Xenophon likely imposes a number of things on Cyrus the Great and Persia under his leadership from his own ideas or contemporary environment. Nonetheless, given Xenophon's success in fighting his way out of the Persian domains, recorded in Anabasis, he is something of an authority on leadership. Therefore one can glean a number of leadership lessons from it, whether they be accurately factual about Cyrus or drawn from Xenophon's own ideas.

Xenophon emphasizes a number of ideals, such as the importance of gratitude, the need for absolute integrity and justice in dealings between people, the benefit of austere living and liberal giving to others. And of course, the famous admonition, "Knowing thyself...thus shalt thou live and be happy." (location 7698-7699)

He gives practical advice and makes observations still relevant today, such as, "generals who were seldom to be seen often neglected much that needed to be done." (location 7949-7950) Though Adam Smith is credited with understanding the benefits of the division of labor and specialization, Xenophon was way ahead of him: "he who devotes himself to a very highly specialized line of work is bound to do it in the best possible manner." (location 8253-8254)

His leadership lessons are interesting. For one, "people are only too glad to obey the man who they believe takes wiser thought for their interests than they themselves do." (4540) This seems to validate those from Plato to modern-day Progressives who feel they know better than others what is good for them. Xenophon takes pains to note how Cyrus rewards people on the basis of merit and how all the institutions he founded persisted until Xenophon's own day. Yet he also illustrates how corrupted those institutions became and how inferior Persian leaders and people were in Xenophon's day. This raises the issue of nature vs. nurture in terms of leadership (I happen to believe, like most things, there is a mix of the two). Despite all of Xenophon's "how-to" type observations, one must possess skill and discernment equal to Cyrus' to successfully reward merit rather than just surround oneself with sycophants. In the long run, while some may truly be able to look out for the interests of the many successfully, far more prove incapable to the task and, as Xenophon's sad history of post-Cyrus Persia demonstrated, giving one or a few such power over the many works against all their interests in most cases.

While Anabasis may be considered Xenophon's classic work, anyone with an interest in leadership would benefit from reading this as well.

Hellenica

The work picks up where Thucydides' The History of the Peloponnesian War leaves off, recording how the war after Sicily was prosecuted, completed, and how the peace was established by Sparta/Persia and lost again, then finally friendship established between Athens and Sparta. For those with romantic notions of Sparta derived from the movie "300," the end of the war is instructive, as it has Sparta acting as Persia's paid agent and patsy in reducing the cities of Asia Minor on behalf of Persia. However, once Sparta defeats Athens' fleets and imposes its peace with the backing of Persia, it turns to freeing Greek cities once again from Persia, giving Persia an opportunity to provoke other Greek cities against Sparta yet again. Time and again, truces are established on the basis of independence for Greek cities, while time and again, they are broken as larger cities seek to maintain or reestablish their traditional hegemony over their smaller neighbors. Near constant fighting and the rise of Thebes and Thessaly finally unite Athens and Sparta and lead to a peace sufficient for Xenophon to end his account.

Xenophon, though a partisan of the Spartans, tends to admire good leaders of any side, and does not withhold his criticism of poor leadership, again regardless of its allegiance. For those interested in leadership, this. like all of Xenophon's works, is a good read. For instance, Xenophon notes, "to attack under the influence of anger and not with judgment is an absolute mistake." (location 11613) While Xenophon observes "most people define as good men their own benefactors" (location 12972) he does a nice job of not falling into the trap himself.

Agesilaus

Xenophon engages in a brief biography of his contemporary, Spartan King Agesilaus II, precisely because he holds Agesilaus in very high esteem as a leader. Such praise coming from a successful leader like Xenophon is not to be taken lightly. Many of his praises will be familiar to readers of Xenophon's other works, as he looks for bravery, courage, modestly, self-sacrifice, leadership by example, morality, good judgment, and intelligence in leaders. A great read for those interested in leadership.

Memorabilia

Xenophon records his own interactions with and impressions of Socrates, to include those he witnessed between Socrates and others. His main point was to defend Socrates' reputation from the allegations against him that led to his execution. So Xenophon does not only present the wisdom of Socrates like Plato (though there is some of that as well), but also points to Socrates' character. He especially highlights Socrates' piety, his belief in the gods and his practice of sanctioned worship. Socrates admonished his followers to become knowledgeable generalists, learning enough to be useful in the various arts, but not so much as could consume a lifetime, and leaving the mysteries to the gods and to divination. He even mocks the natural sciences, questioning whether those who understand natural phenomenon can change them one whit. Meanwhile, Socrates continually emphasizes the importance of friendship, and how to make and keep good friends.

One of Socrates' main goals was the pursuit of virtue, both in knowledge and in practice, though he noted the importance of its continuing pursuit and the ease with which one can fall away from virtue despite a lifetime of it. He notes, "they who cultivate wisdom and think they will be able to guide the people in prudent policy never lapse into violence: they know that enmities and dangers are inseparable from violence, but persuasion produces the same results safely and amicably." (location 13832)

Socrates also encourages his followers to train themselves to direct the state (advice he might have saved his life had he followed it himself), pointing out the dangers of not being in charge: "the stronger have a way of making the weaker rue their lot in public and in private life, and treating them like slaves. You cannot be unaware that where some have sown and planted, others cut their corn and fell their trees, and in all manner of ways harass the weaker if they refuse to bow down, until they are persuaded to accept slavery as an escape from war with the stronger." (location 14270) So Socrates' solution to the problem of Leviathan is not to tame it but command it.

Socrates accepts utilitarian relativism in his assessment of what is good and beautiful, insofar as it is useful. He also accepts that people are innately unequal, but that all can improve through study and practice. In many respects, Xenophon's depictions are consistent with Plato's, though Xenophon only mentions Plato once, whereas other of Socrates' followers seem much more important. Xenophon's Socrates, like the one in Plato's The Republic, was in favor of eugenics and believed in rule by the best. He argued that whatever the government decreed in law was the very definition of justice, and the law decided right worship as well. Socrates left no room for the possibility of unjust laws or for any kind of civil disobedience. In this, Xenophon's Socrates (like Plato's), seems a proto-Progressive, a justifier and advocate of Leviathan, and not really interested in the rights or interests of common people as determined by themselves (see his admonition to pursue the leadership of the state, above).

Socrates' criticism of those who sought to lead the state without first applying themselves to wisdom and virtue led him to the following facetious stump speech, which, unfortunately one could imagine any of this year's or recent electoral candidates also making:

Men of Athens, I have never yet learnt anything from anyone, nor when I have been told of any man's ability in speech and in action, have I sought to meet him, nor have I been at pains to find a teacher among the men who know. On the contrary, I have constantly avoided learning anything of anyone, and even the appearance of it. Nevertheless, I shall recommend to your consideration anything that comes into my head. (location 15383-15386)

Like Plato's Socrates, Xenophon's is never challenged by a rival more than one or two hostile questions before the would-be opponent is blithely agreeing with Socrates in everything, even when Socrates makes assertions that his own method could knock down with ease. In this respect, Socrates is not so much the opponent of the Sophists as just another brand of them. Xenophon's depictions of Socrates may be the most complete next to Plato's and are well worth reading whether to better know Socrates and his wisdom and character, or to further plumb Xenophon's own priorities when it comes to issues of character.

Oeconomicus

Xenophon records Socrates' teaching on economics, which, unlike his politics, are quite in favor of liberty and personal responsibility. While in other matters Socrates favors a heavy-handed, paternalistic state taking a primary role not only in legislating religion and morality, but child-rearing and education and even human breeding (eugenics), anticipating modern Progressivism and totalitarianism. However, in economic matters, he seems to anticipate free market arguments; too bad no one (in either Xenophon or Plato) ever presses Socrates on the contradictions inherent in these conflicting lines of reasoning.

The chief argument against third-party (to include government) intervention in personal affairs is given by Socrates himself, "he who gains most by the preservation of the goods and loses most by their destruction, is the one who is bound to take most care of them." (location 16519-16520) While Socrates lambasts the "illiberal arts" (vocations, trades, crafts) excepting agriculture, he still admires their works and those who produce them.

Although he shares the typical Western bias against money and productivity and in favor of the "nobility" of command, still he recognizes the importance of the profit motive: "'And what about the men who have a passion for lucre? Are they also incapable of being trained to take charge of the work of a farm?' 'Not at all; of course not. In fact, they very easily qualify for the work. It is merely necessary to point out to them that diligence is profitable.'" (location 16667-16669) Not to mention, "all men naturally love whatever they think will bring them profit." (location 17016-17017) And what of those who are not productive? "For no one persuades himself that man could live without bread; therefore if a man will not dig and knows no other profit-earning trade, he is clearly minded to live by stealing or robbery or begging--or he is an utter fool." (location 16978-16980) Maybe Socrates should suggest politics as an alternative?

In terms of motivating workers or subordinates, Xenophon's Socrates unsurprisingly displays a good understanding of leadership: "it is very disheartening to good servants, Socrates, when they see that they do all the work, and others who are not willing to work hard and run risks when need be, get the same as they." (location 16709-16710) Further, "For one man in ten by working all the time may easily make a difference." (16982)

Symposium

An amusing recounting of a dinner party Socrates gets invited to and banters with his fellows while engaging in uncharacteristic drinking, feasting, and levity. It's not unlike some of the banter recorded in Cyropaedia. A relatively quick and definitely entertaining read, though Socrates still finds ways of teaching his fellows in virtue and so on. Perhaps one of the more memorable lines for me was, "For any one who applies force merely discovers his rascality, but he who uses persuasion corrupts the soul of the one upon whom he prevails." (location 17636)

Apology

A restatement and expansion on Xenophon's description of Socrates' defense during his trial. Xenophon mostly reiterates points he makes elsewhere, but it is an interesting, brief account.

Other Works

A variety of short pieces, with a special emphasis on horses and horsemanship (go figure). Included is a criticism of Athens' constitution that the publisher does not even believe is Xenophon's own work, but is included anyway (I suppose because some have at one time or another attributed it to him). I found his interview with a tyrant both enjoyable and edifying.

Half the work is the original Greek text, so don't panic, it's only half as big as it looks. Overall it is well worth reading; at least read Anabasis, and if you like it, try the rest as well. I read it in bits and pieces, there is no need to read each chapter in quick succession. As with most of the true classics, it remains in many ways as current as ever.

[Markus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another of my favorites on ancient Greece

[Lloyd Earickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first in a series of several reviews of Xenophon's works that I will be posting on the site in the coming weeks. Although they are all packaged in one volume for the edition I have (pictured above), and each review will cover what was presented originally by the author as several books, this arrangement should neatly divide the works by the topics they cover. Unlike the multiple books contained in Herodotus's Histories, which could be thought of as installments in a series, or even as sections within a book, many of Xenophon's works are much less connected, and therefore it made sense to split them up across multiple reviews. Since together they are also quite lengthy, this also means that I won't get too far behind in my review schedule by applying myself to finally finishing these works. If none of that makes any sense, don't worry: all of the reviews for the next few weeks can simply be thought of as independent reviews. Now that I've made something relatively simple sound incredibly complicated, let's get into the actual review, which for this week is for perhaps Xenophon's most famous work, referenced here as The Ten Thousand.

I've actually read this part before, but decided to re-read it in light of my recent reading of Herodotus's Histories, which covered the period about a hundred years or so before the events in The Ten Thousand, and provided a lot of valuable context for understanding what was happening in Xenophon's story. Unlike Herodotus, Xenophon is not writing about history in The Ten Thousand; he is writing a semi-autobiographical account of what happened to him and his companions during a campaign as mercenaries in a decidedly short-lived Persian civil war. Like Caesar in his Commentaries, Xenophon refers to himself in the third person, and the result is perhaps the most story-like and modern-seeming of all the ancient works that I've been reading recently. In fact, Conn Iggulden wrote a historical fiction novella primarily based upon the events in The Ten Thousand, and it was a very interesting experience to read that having already read its primary source.

Despite a generally barbaric "might makes right" kind of philosophy that makes you realize just how rare and unique the concepts of private property and rule of law and rights of the individual are in human history (even in ancient Greece, often thought of as the birthplace of many of those ideals), I find Xenophon a deeply sympathetic and compelling character. It's not just the circumstances, I think. After two readings, I now believe that I relate so much to Xenophon because he's always trying to find a way to explain himself. Over and over again in the The Ten Thousand, he finds that the soldiers for whom he has repeatedly made sacrifices and tried to aid however he could have started to believe slanderous things about him, and always he just tries to present his case in reasonable terms, justifying and framing what he did and the rumors amongst the soldiers. I guess that feels like something that would happen to me, and would be much the way I might respond.

The Greeks are often thought of as the "home team," the protagonists, the heroes of western civilization when looking at history, and it is therefore easy to either a) assume that it was inevitable that they should prevail, or b) assume that we only think of them that way because they happened to prevail. Both of these ways of thinking about the ancient Greeks fail to address what really was different about the Greeks, which may have contributed to how their ideas and culture came to influence the world for more than two millennia (I'm still reading what they wrote 2500 years ago, aren't I?) - some of those attributes are on magnificent display in The Ten Thousand. On the Persian battlefield, the ten thousand Greek mercenaries have complete freedom of maneuver and tactical superiority over the Persians, who outnumber them by more than ten to one (if Xenophon's numbers are reliable). In fact, they arguably win the battle, but lose the war because the usurper king for whom they were fighting was killed. Then the Persians try to cripple them by killing all their leaders. Now, in ancient armies, killing the leaders was a pretty good way to leave an army completely useless, but the Greeks just turned around and elected new leaders. That kind of flexibility of thought, and of action, is arguably one of the keys to the Greek cultural dominance over the entire western hemisphere, and not just to the reason that they consistently defeated numerically superior Persian forces in ~500 BCE.

Not that the Greeks were without flaw: their divisiveness is famous, and the reason there was never a Greek Empire was probably because they could only manage to get along if there was an existential threat to all of them, and even then it was a fraught thing. The Persians of this period routinely bribed, threatened, cajoled, and otherwise manipulated the Greeks into warring continually with each other so that they wouldn't be strong enough to threaten the Persians. While a nascent, unified Greek identity was beginning to exist at this time, everyone was still very much from their independent city-states, and not "Greek." That's really emphasized when the ten thousand (well, fewer than that, by the time they make the journey) finally get back to Greek territory, and their reception is, well, not the warmest. Some of them are even sold into slavery by the Spartans. I was reflecting on China and the Great State concept a few weeks ago, and it occurred to me that China and Europe responded very differently to empire. When the Mongols unified China with other territories and called it the Yuan Dynasty, that eastern civilization embraced the concept of unification and arguably continues to do so to this day - while China had feudal periods and warring states periods, it tended to come back together. Compare that with Europe, where despite occasional attempts at unification, like Rome, the various tribes, state, and cities all eventually fragmented again. Perhaps the source of this difference can be traced back to the fiercely independent and freedom-loving Greek city-states and their often violent rivalries.

Even if you don't read the rest of Xenophon's works, I at least recommend you read The Ten Thousand. It's in many ways the ancestor of all classic fantasy travelogues, and whether read from a military strategy perspective, a philosophy perspective, a leadership perspective, or just a compelling story perspective, this is well worth your time. And don't be intimidated if you get the collected version: The Ten Thousand is only the first four percent of so of the book. Consider reading The Ten Thousand soon, and we'll have a review next week for Xenophon's Cyropaedia (the education of Cyrus).

[Jason Reiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foundational reading

We are who we are because of who our ancestors were. We do well to understand them, at least in part. Xenophon deals with issues common to our day, including leadership, character development, governance, political philosophy and the like. Human nature is unchanging, making his perspective a valuable resource in understanding our own times.
Anabasis, Cyropaedia and Agesilaus are most engaging. Polity is particularly germane to our struggle between democracy and republicanism.