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"No doubt," he added, "the gods were right in opposing me at that time (touching the inquiry, what I was to say in my defence),[16] when you all thought the great thing was to discover some.... ... Read more

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This volume, originally published in 1978, offers some 800-850 lines of the 'Anabasis' in Greek with English summaries of the intervening passages to give an idea of the whole of Xenophon's exciting adventure. Notes at the foot of each page assist with content and language; they asssume only basic grammatical knowledge. There is a consolidated vocabulary.

The book was specifically designed to offer a number of reasonably self-contained prescriptions for GCSE and this to replace the old 'blue Macmillan' editions of individual books. ... Read more

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A look at leadership from a celebrated student of Socrates

One of Socrates’ disciples in his youth, Xenophon fought as a mercenary in Persia, traveled widely, and later wrote a broad range of works on history, politics, and philosophy. These six treatises offer his remarkable insights into the nature of leadership, the burdens of absolute power, the legendary King of Sparta, the skills of the hunter, and more.
* Back in print with new material: an updated section on further reading, new chronology, and maps ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Review of Waterfield's Xenophon
I really enjoyed this collection of Xenophon's works. It contains many of his smaller treatises (and many extraneous pieces) collected together in one volume. The translations are of course readable, and the introductions to each work are excellent. I absolutely give credit to Paul Carteledge in this matter; he knows his Spartans. My one complaint: endnotes instead of footnotes.

Peace and prosperity
Xenophon is a clever classical writer. For him, there are two sorts of people: `those who work and those who live on the products of others' work.' Or, `a policy of not initiating unjust wars would enable us to punish our enemies far more quickly, because they would not find anyone to come and support their cause.'

While `Agesilaos' is a hagiography of a Spartan king, `a superman of self-restraint', an example of a perfect ruler, not a cruel tyrant;
and, `How to be a good cavalry commander' contains some good devices: a good commander should be better than his men in executing the tasks he ordered them to do, otherwise he is despised; or, `deceit is your most valuable asset in war'.
`Hiero the Tyrant' and `Ways and Means' are superb texts.

Hiero complains that a tyrant `spends all his time as if he has been condemned to death by the whole human race for his iniquity.' But, why doesn't he willingly give up his position? The answer is simple: `How could a tyrant ever raise enough money to pay back in full the people he stole from? How could he recompense all the people he put to death?' `I think that the only person who might profit by hanging himself is a tyrant.'!!
For Xenophon, what a tyrant should do is manage the State in the interest of the people, not of himself and his cronies, and enhance the power of his community, not of himself.

`Ways and Means' is an important text for two reasons. First, the all importance of peace: `The State's funds were enormously increased in times of peace and completely drained in times of war.'
Secondly, Xenophon shows us the major importance of silver mines for Athens, not only for the cash it generated, but also for the `huge numbers of men working in the mines; in fact, there was always more work than there were workers.'
Xenophon was a proto-Keynesian, pleading for direct State intervention. For him, the State should imitate private entrepreneurs by exploiting itself directly some of its mine concessions. He is also one of the first true economists, explaining the laws of supply and demand, the advantage of pooling capital (risk management) and the multiplier effect.

This superbly translated book, with excellent introductions and notes, is a must read for all those interested in the history of mankind.
... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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While of tyrants, many have been murderers of their own children, many by their children murdered. Many brothers have been murderers of one another in contest for the crown;many a monarch has been done to death by the wife of his bosom. ... Read more

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But, after all, no man, however great his plastic skill, can hope to mould and shape a work of art to suit his fancy, unless the stuff on which he works be first prepared and made ready to obey the craftsman's will. Nor certainly where the raw material consists of men, will you succeed, unless, under God's blessing, these same men have been prepared and made ready to meet their officer in a friendly spirit. They must come to look upon him as of greater sagacity than themselves in all that concerns encounter with the enemy. ... Read more

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An unforgettable personal retracing of one of the most extraordinary expeditions of all time, when two great ancient civilizations, and two great armies, clashed.

The year is 403 B.C. The Athenian philosopher Xenophon finds himself with an army of Greeks marching to what is now Turkey. Their mission: to aid the Persian pretender Cyrus in a war against his brother Artaxerxes. At a great battle, Cyrus is killed and his army destroyed-except for the Greeks holding his right flank. Xenophon and the Greeks are now stranded in the heart of the Persian Empire, outnumbered a hundred to one.

The story of Xenophon's march to escape the Persian noose is an intensely personal and human tale, replete with clashes of arms and desperate hardships. It is also the tale of two civilizations at mortal odds with each other. With their turbulent mix of anarchy and democracy, Xenophon's men resembled a mobile Greek city, cutting both a military and a cultural slash through the Persian Empire. Though Xenophon's journey would end badly, his experience in the East would prove invaluable for those who followed, for sixty years later, the Greeks would return to Persia-under Alexander. John Prevas brings this epoch-shaping story to life with a compelling narrative vivified by his personal retracing of much of the route trod by Xenophon and his men in one of history's great adventures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Not Prevas' Best
I have enjoyed the blend of history and travel in other books by John Prevas, but this one doesn't measure up. "Xenophon's March" is clumsy and lifeless, like a college student's first attempt at narrative. Xenephon's history is available from a variety of sources, and a novel by Steven Pressfield would be more entertaining. What has made Prevas' work unique is the incorporation of his travel experiences into the historical story, providing the reader with a tangible connection to ancient history. In "Xenophon's March", though, Prevas' travel insights are thrown in haphazardly, contributing nothing to the story. Prevas even includes descriptions of locales in Turkey that have nothing to do with Xenophon, as if Prevas had taken extensive notes while on vacation there and felt that he had to use them.

Prevas does not succeed in bringing Xenophon to life; Xenophon's "10,000" are an anonymous mob of miscreants, and Asia Minor of the fifth century B.C.E. feels like...nothing. This is too bad, because Xenophon's story would have been great had it been told with the same interest and investment of"Hannibal Crosses the Alps".

And why did this book cost $35.00?

Intro to Xenophon
Coming from a place of little to no understanding of this period in history, I found this book exactly what I needed to spark my interest to explore further into Greek history.It was an exciting read and difficult to put down. Prevas did well to capture the motion of the story and keep the reader on track with the movement of the troops and how Xenophon reacted to various situation. I also thought the description of the geography and local cultures were fascinating. For a novice like myself I thought it was a great read, both informative and exciting.

Adventure at Its Best
I enjoyed this book.Prevas's elaboration on Xenophon's history is highly readable. The book's narrative flows well and adds some drama. This book is well worth a look for anyone interested in classical or military history, but it is not academic. The volume has a good index and a significant bibliography but no notes. There is a chronology at the beginning of the text that is a useful tool to set the historical stage, especially if one is unfamiliar with ancient history. Prevas also includes several black and white photographs that lend a visual perspective of the ground the Greeks covered, a map describing their route and some borrowed illustrations that unfortunately depict Greek hoplite infantry from roughly 100 years earlier than the described events.

In his introduction, Prevas says that the march of the 10,000 (there were actually over 14,000 Greek mercenaries in the attempted coup by Cyrus the Younger) is "one of the greatest adventures ever told."I think he is right. The story of the 10,000 is a history lesson packed with political, social and cultural implications, and in that sense, it is a saga that demands to be retold and reread over and over again.This should be a high school text, but the West gave up on classical history in high school long ago.

The "Ten Thousand"
I must confess that my knowledge of classical Greek history is rather weak, so I was very pleased to purchase this book. The author takes Xenophon's "Anabasis" and tells the interested reader about the famed "March of the Ten Thousand" through the Persian Empire and the Anatolian area. It's quite an interesting work, and although at times the author puts out facts that don't really appear to be accurate, he is merely letting us know what Xenophon wrote those many centuries ago. As with all ancient Greek histories, there are extended speeches that were probably never made, but the author does explain that in his afterward, to my satisfaction. Brush up on your Greek history, and read this work.

Retelling the Anabasis
An incredible narrative that entertains those who read it. Retelling the Anabasis with great talent and thorough research. Recommended for those who have not read Xenophon in the original Greek. ... Read more

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The first efforts of a youth emerging from boyhood should be directed to the institution of the chase, after which he should come to the rest of education, provided he have the means and with an eye to the same; if his means be ample, in a style worthy of the profit to be derived; or, if they be scant, let him at any rate contribute enthusiasm, in nothing falling short of the power he possesses. ... Read more

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The first efforts of a youth emerging from boyhood should be directed to the institution of the chase, after which he should come to the rest of education, provided he have the means and with an eye to the same; if his means be ample, in a style worthy of the profit to be derived; or, if they be scant, let him at any rate contribute enthusiasm, in nothing falling short of the power he possesses. ... Read more

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This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's preservation reformatting program. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the text that can both be accessed online and used to create new print copies. This book and thousands of others can be found in the digital collections of the University of Michigan Library. The University Library also understands and values the utility of print, and makes reprints available through its Scholarly Publishing Office. ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Constitution of Athens; Lacedaemoniorum respublica; Athens (Greece); Sparta (Extinct city); Political Science / History ... Read more

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This book is a detailed comparison of the major political writings of Machiavelli and Xenophon. By elucidating the remarkable scope, depth, and subtlety of the debate between these two great thinkers,Excellence Unleashed offers a fresh perspective on the philosophic and political significance of Machiavelli's proto-modern break from the classical tradition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Machiavelli, Beyond Xenophon
Before cities, politics did not exist.There was no need either in practice or theory to be concerned with questions presented by the agglomeration of mass populations.The issues - clashing interests, technological innovation, power over others, tendencies to spread regional influence, and a host of others, however, placed the "science" of politics front and center among human concerns.(Greek "polis" = city; "politikos" = pertaining to citizens of the "polis"; together they produce the modern meaning of "political," that is, relating to government of the "polis" and its citizens.)

A latter-day analogy might be the first one hundred years of basketball.Before the invention of the game, there was no need to describe zone defenses, the fast break, spreading the floor, the press, etc.Today one can read the concepts of Hank Iba (Kansas), Pete Newell (California), Adolph Rupp (Kentucky), John Wooden (UCLA), and Red Auerbach (Boston Celtics) to learn of early basketball theory (still applicable today).If one wishes to understand how politics assumed its contemporary shape, one should likewise read the writings of those who devised "the rules" in their earliest forms.Xenophon and his successor Machiavelli are two such thinkers, making Paul J. Rasmussen's "Excellence Unleashed: Machiavelli's Critique of Xenophon and the Moral Foundation of Politics," a timely and welcome contribution to the discipline.

Aside from classical specialists perhaps few today know of Xenophon.Concisely, he was Socrates' Greek protégé, but also a man who "rode with" the Persian Cyrus during his 4th Century B.C. conquests.It was out of this latter experience that Xenophon produced the "Cyropaedia," a detailed examination of leadership techniques employed by Cyrus in capturing territory stretching from India to North Africa.Rasmussen's interest centers in particular on the choices made by Cyrus in the exercise of authority contravening the ordinary laws of the Persian nation.As commander of a vast army, Cyrus faced problems not unfamiliar even to modern military leaders.

Take the problem of "generalship" confronting Douglas MacArthur in 1942.Trapped in the Philippines by invading Japanese forces, MacArthur could stay put to fight valiantly with his remaining men-at-arms, thereby signifying his complete commitment as commander to stand with his troops, though in all likelihood they would eventually be captured or destroyed, a fate proved out in the immediate months for all but a handful.Or, he could undertake to escape, a decision that MacArthur embraced successfully with a daring PT Boat dash through a Japanese blockade.The latter course is recalled along with the General's famous pledge, "I shall return," a promise he was able to keep in 1944, after a couple of years of "exile" in Australia.According to Xenophon's description of Cyrus' thinking on such subjects, MacArthur's choice was correct.For by deciding to "live to fight again," he signaled those under his command that lives (in this instance his own) would not be wasted in battle - no matter how glorious the alternative of sacrifice might be to onlookers.

All combatants in battle know that some will survive, others will not.The question therefore is how to lead when those who follow know that some will perish.The answer spelled out in Xenophon's "Cyropaedia" is that there must exist a blend of booty and beauty (that is, the ideal) as motivation.MacArthur's eye never strayed from the goal of victory, yet at the same time his words vaunted future triumph he demonstrated the ideal of protecting those under his command, a virtue for which he became renowned.

This is merely one imagined application of the mechanics of Cyrus' leadership, as it must have been contemplated by Machiavelli (in his reading of Xenophon) - Machiavelli being the ultimate subject of Rasmussen's treatise, and a person of much greater relevance to contemporary witness of political regimes.Indeed, a glance at recent history suggests an array of figures appearing to have been students of Machiavelli, albeit sometimes of the most shallow kind.

In Rasmussen's words, Machiavelli's contribution, surpassing that of Xenophon's Cyrus, rests in averring that "(t)rue human excellence depends not on ideal standards of moral goodness or badness, but on that combination of prudence, cunning, and strength of will that enables the prince to overcome the obstacles of political reality" (p. 123).

The difficulty with this prescription for "excellence" is that according to Machiavelli's notion, as well as the tenor of his times, excellence was to be measured by the yardstick of "glory," with its contemporary synonyms "power," "acquisition" (of wealth), "obedience" (of subjects), "military victory," and so forth.That this notion is superior to alternative concepts of "excellence" - standing beyond the classical nonpareil of "contemplation," and certainly Christian "otherworldliness" - may trouble some.Rasmussen, however, astutely recognizes that taken for its own sake, as Machiavelli declares, pure politics knows no limits, good or evil - surely a hallmark of its modern practice.

Howard J. De Nike is a member of the faculty of the Fromm Institute, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
... Read more

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Xenophon (ca. 430 - 354 BC), son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens and Xenophon of Thebes, 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.Xenophon the Athenian was born 431 B.C. He was a pupil of Socrates. He marched with the Spartans, and was exiled from Athens. Sparta gave him land and property in Scillus, where he lived for many years before having to move once more, to settle in Corinth. He died in 354 B.C. ... Read more

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The famous chronicle of the wealthy Athenian leader Xenophon, brought to life for the modern reader
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Customer Reviews (2)

Grim and gutsy
Short of a Stanley Lombardo translation -- Where are you, Stanley? -- that would do Xenophon full justice, this is a fine, taughtly crafted version of the Anabasis. Rouse is all vernacular, and all business. Still, Lombardo would put more swagger in the warriors' exploits, and sharpen their tongues. Rouse sometimes erred on the side of middle-America "mass market" folksiness, but only slightly. Here is a passage from the first page that captures his nice, streamlined sense of pacing:

"But when Dareios died and Artaxerxes succeeded, Tissaphernes slandered Cyros to his brother and said he was plotting against him. The king believed him, and siezed Cyros to put him to death, but his mother begged him off and sent him back to his province. When Cyros got clear of this danger and disgrace, he determined never again to be in his brother's power, but to make himself king instead, if he could."

Now, here's a passage from the Rex Warner translation (Penguin), which takes nearly half again as long with the same ideas:

"But, after the death of Darius, when Artaxerxes was established on the throne, Tissaphernes maligned Cyrus to his brother and accused him of plotting against him. Artaxerxes believed the story and arrested Cyrus with the intention of putting him to death: but his mother by her entreaties secured his life and his recall to his province. Still, after the danger and disgrace from which he had escaped, Cyrus took measures to ensure that he should never again be in his brother's power; instead, if he could manage it, he would become king in his brother's place."

An exciting literary expedition
This is one of those books you have on your list of "books-I-am-going-to-read-someday." Okay, someday arrived. I should have read it decades ago. This is a fairly good translation and the story is written, as was the custom at that time, from the third person point of view. The story begins with a bang and immediately carries us into the expedition itself. When a Greek mercenary army attempts to help Cyrus overthrow his relative, (his brother, Artaxerxes, was the Persian King), it marches all the way to Babylon to give battle...and wins! But Cyrus is killed in the battle and the Greeks find themselves stranded. After the Greek generals are killed in a treacherous parley, the army does not disintegrate, as Artaxerxes and the Persians expect. Instead, they elect new officers, Xenophon among them, and proceed to march out of the Persian Empire across 1,500 miles of hostile terrain teeming with savage adversaries. Xenophon employs a straightforward, soldierly style as he describes people, places and events. It is a wonderful narrative and the action keeps you turning pages until the end. By a happy coincidence, history has preserved this enchanting adventure story. If you prefer to hear a recorded version of it, I recorded it for Audio Connoisseur and you can find it here at Amazon. ... Read more

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Xenophon (ca. 430 to ca. 354 BCE) was a wealthy Athenian and friend of Socrates. He left Athens in 401 and joined an expedition including ten thousand Greeks led by the Persian governor Cyrus against the Persian king. After the defeat of Cyrus, it fell to Xenophon to lead the Greeks from the gates of Babylon back to the coast through inhospitable lands. Later he wrote the famous vivid account of this 'March Up-Country' (Anabasis); but meanwhile he entered service under the Spartans against the Persian king, married happily, and joined the staff of the Spartan king, Agesilaus. But Athens was at war with Sparta in 394 and so exiled Xenophon. The Spartans gave him an estate near Elis where he lived for years writing and hunting and educating his sons. Reconciled to Sparta, Athens restored Xenophon to honour but he preferred to retire to Corinth.

Xenophon's Anabasis is a true story of remarkable adventures. Hellenica, a history of Greek affairs from 411 to 362, begins as a continuation of Thucydides' account. There are four works on Socrates (collected in Volume IV of the Loeb Xenophon edition). In Memorabilia Xenophon adds to Plato's picture of Socrates from a different viewpoint. The Apology is an interesting complement to Plato's account of Socrates' defense at his trial. Xenophon's Symposium portrays a dinner party at which Socrates speaks of love; and Oeconomicus has him giving advice on household management and married life. Cyropaedia, a historical romance on the education of Cyrus (the Elder), reflects Xenophon's ideas about rulers and government; the Loeb edition is in two volumes.

We also have his Hiero, a dialogue on government; Agesilaus, in praise of that king; Constitution of Lacedaemon (on the Spartan system); Ways and Means (on the finances of Athens); Manual for a Cavalry Commander; a good manual of Horsemanship; and a lively Hunting with Hounds. The Constitution of the Athenians, though clearly not by Xenophon, is an interesting document on politics at Athens. These eight books are collected in the last of the seven volumes of the Loeb Classical Library edition of Xenophon.

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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Hellenica is Xenophon's chronicle of the history of the Greeks, or the "Hellenes" from 411 to 359 BCE. It is a continuation of Thucydides' narrative, History of the Peloponnesian War. This history covers the last seven years of the war, and its aftermath. It is one of the few surviving narratives from this period and is generally considered to be the most authoritative.

The author Xenophon was born in Athens about 430BCE. It may be inferred from passages in the Hellenica that he fought at Arginusae (406), and that he was present at the return of Alcibiades (408), the trial of the Generals, and the overthrow of the Thirty.

In 401, being invited by his friend Proxenus to join the expedition of the younger Cyrus against his brother, Artaxerxes II of Persia, he at once accepted the offer. Of the expedition itself, he has given a full and detailed account in his Anabasis: The March Up Country, sometimes called The Persian Expedition.

At Coroneia (394) he fought with the Spartans against the Athenians and Thebans, for which his fellow citizens decreed his banishment. The Spartans provided a home for him at Scillus in Ellis until Sparta and Athens became allies whereupon he then made his home at Corinth. The year of his death is thought to be 355 BCE.

This restored translation contains all 7 complete books of Xenophon's narrative, including an indexed Table of Contents listing page numbers for each year of the war. This edition is recommended for teachers and students of history, classical literature and languages.Excerpt from the Table of Contents
All Rights Reserved

Book I

BCE 411: Thymochares arrived from Athens... 1
BCE 410: The Athenians escaped to Cardia... 2
BCE 409: The Athenians fortified Thoricus...4
BCE 408: The temple of Athena set on fire...8
BCE 407: Phamabazus passes the winter at Gordium... 10
BCE 406: Callicratidas replaces Lysander... 16
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Customer Reviews (1)

Xenophon, required reading for miltiary men and horsemen alike
Xenophon tells it like it was.He is one of the great voices from an era that has much to say to our times.Read this book and enrich your life.A lovely, compelling translation of an author who is required reading for anyone who cares about the military, politics, and the history of civilization.Horsemen and military men take note:this man wrote for you and his voice still rings true through the centuries. ... Read more

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Xenophon's many and varied works represent a major source of information about the ancient Greek world: for example, about culture, politics, social life and history in the fourth century BC, Socrates, horses and hunting with dogs, the Athenian economy, and Sparta. However, there has been controversy about how his works should be read. This selection of significant modern critical essays will introduce readers to the wide range of his writing, the debates it has inspired, and the interpretative methodologies that have been used. A specially written Introduction by Vivienne J. Gray offers a survey of Xenophon's works, an account of his life with respect to them, a brief discussion of modern readings, reference to modern scholarship since the original publication of the articles, and a critical summary of their content. Several articles have been translated for the first time from French and German, and all quotations have been translated into English. ... Read more