A definitive and refreshingly readable new translation of Thucydides’s History of the Peloponnesian War, paired with a brilliant introduction on how to read and understand Thucydides.
Thucydides called his work a “possession for all time,” and his History of the Peloponnesian War has been essential reading for generals and politicians for centuries.
Robin Waterfield’s translation of Thucydides’s sweeping narrative vividly depicts the events of the war between Athens and Sparta that began in 431 BCE and would continue until 404, a conflict that embroiled not only mainland Greece but Greek states from the eastern Mediterranean and as far west as Italy and Sicily. The only extant contemporary narrative of this conflict, Thucydides’s History brims with military, moral, and political reflections, offering critical commentary on challenges that still dominate our world today, from the strife of civil war to the devastation of widespread plague to the nature of political power.
Thucydides died before completing the account-it ends in 410-but his legacy is timeless. One of the great masterpieces of classical Greece, The History of the Peloponnesian War offers an incisive and timely window into the conflicts of the past.
Thucydides called his work a “possession for all time,” and his History of the Peloponnesian War has been essential reading for generals and politicians for centuries.
Robin Waterfield’s translation of Thucydides’s sweeping narrative vividly depicts the events of the war between Athens and Sparta that began in 431 BCE and would continue until 404, a conflict that embroiled not only mainland Greece but Greek states from the eastern Mediterranean and as far west as Italy and Sicily. The only extant contemporary narrative of this conflict, Thucydides’s History brims with military, moral, and political reflections, offering critical commentary on challenges that still dominate our world today, from the strife of civil war to the devastation of widespread plague to the nature of political power.
Thucydides died before completing the account-it ends in 410-but his legacy is timeless. One of the great masterpieces of classical Greece, The History of the Peloponnesian War offers an incisive and timely window into the conflicts of the past.
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Reviews
Athenian historian (if that's what he was) Thucydides is a notoriously gritty and gristly writer. Even his fellow ancient Greeks found translating him hard going. For a happy combination of accuracy (prime Thucydidean quality), literary fluency, and interpretative skill, this new translation by super-experienced Robin Waterfield with the assistance of distinguished ancient historian Polly Low will be far more than a transient showpiece of the sort Thucydides abhorred
Waterfield has a track record of marvelous translations of Herodotus, Plato, and others, and now his Thucydides is just as good, extremely readable and accessible without any dumbing down of this demanding author. It is enhanced by the introduction and notes by Polly Low, telling readers exactly what they need to know to make the most of a perpetually engrossing text
Waterfield's elegant, modern translation of Thucydides will serve both scholars and general readers exceptionally well, while Low's introduction and notes offer just the right amount of context and explanation, illuminating the text rather than weighing it down. In their hands Thucydides' great work shows the same 'bloom of perpetual newness' that Plutarch once saw in the Parthenon
Waterfield's translation of a bold and powerful writer brimming with creative ideas on matters of language and politics is crisp, readable, and true to the author's diction. Polly Low's introduction is accessible and expansive without being pedantic . . . Thucydides is a writer for the ages: Waterfield and Low, his interpreters today
A magnificent achievement, making ancient history live in a vernacular for our time