Thucydides and the Shaping of History (Classical Literature and Society)

"This book approaches the shaping of history from three different angles. It examines the way in which Thucydides shaped history and how his narrative shapes our experience as readers of the History. In addition, it also examines the relationship between Thucydides' work and contemporary institutions, such as the theatre, which shaped his approach to his subject. Thirdly, this book also explores the role that ancient readers and modern scholars have played in shaping how we perceive the History."--Jacket. Read more... Abstract: Thucydides' work was one of the most exciting creations in the cultural history of Greece in the fifth century BC and it still poses fresh and challenging questions about the writing of history. Read more... Thucydides' work was one of the most exciting creations in the cultural history of Greece in the fifth century BC - one of only two monumental prose works to have survived - and it still poses fresh and challenging questions about the writing of history. In the twenty-first century, it still challenges the reader: there is a marked tension in Thucydides' History between his aim to write about contemporary events and his desire that his work should outlast the period in which he composed it. Thucydides and the Shaping of History addresses two important issues: how contemporary was the History when it was written in the fifth century, and how 'contemporary' is it now? This book approaches the shaping of history from three different angles: the way in which Thucydides shaped history and how his narrative shapes our experience as readers of the History; the relationship between Thucydides' work and contemporary institutions, such as the theatre; and the role that ancient readers and modern scholars have played in shaping how we perceive the History. This book combines a close analysis of Thucydides' narrative with a discussion of its intellectual motivation; it examines how the historian attempted to determine the way in which readers would respond to his conception of the events of the Atheno-Peloponnesian War, and to ensure the continuing influence of his ideas. The author addresses two issues: how contemporary was Thucydides' work when it was written in the 5th century and how 'contemporary' is it now? She combines a close analysis of the narrative with a discussion of its intellectual motivation and examines how the historian ensured the continuing influence of his ideas. Thucydides' work was one of the most exciting creations in the cultural history of Greece in the fifth century BC and it still poses fresh and challenging questions about the writing of history. There is a marked tension in Thucydides' History between his aim to write about contemporary events and his desire that his work should outlast the period in which he composed it. Thucydides and the Shaping of History addresses two important issues: how contemporary was the History when it was written in the fifth century, and how 'contemporary' is it now? This book combines a close analysis of Thucydides' narrative with a discussion of its intellectual motivation; it examines how the historian attempted to determine the way in which readers would respond to his conception of the events of the Atheno-Peloponnesian War, and to ensure the continuing influence of his ideas MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Cover 1 Contents 6 Editor's Foreword 8 Preface 10 Abbreviations 12 1. Whose Contemporary? 14 2. Point of View and Vantage Point 32 3. Temporal and Spatial Perspectives 55 4. Speaking the Truth 70 5. New Theatres of War: Book 8 and Sophocles' Philoctetes 96 6. Reading Thucydides with Lucian 122 Notes 143 Appendices 174 1. Timeline 174 2. Structure of the History 178 3. Maps 183 Bibliography 185 Index of Passages 197 A 197 D 197 G 197 H 197 L 197 P 197 S 197 T 197 General Index 199 A 199 B 199 C 199 D 199 E 199 F 199 G 199 H 200 I 200 J 200 K 200 L 200 M 200 N 200 O 200 P 200 R 201 S 201 T 201 V 201 W 201 X 201 Y 201 Z 201 "This book approaches the shaping of history from three different angles. It examines the way in which Thucydides shaped history and how his narrative shapes our experience as readers of the History. In addition, it also examines the relationship between Thucydides' work and contemporary institutions, such as the theatre, which shaped his approach to his subject. Thirdly, this book also explores the role that ancient readers and modern scholars have played in shaping how we perceive the History."--BOOK JACKET. 'An artist is a historical individual, but you are quite right, he is a historical individual.