Product Description
Werner Jaeger's classic three-volume work, originally published in 1939, is now available in paperback.Paideia, the shaping of Greek character through a union of civilization, tradition, literature, and philosophy is the basis for Jaeger's evaluation of Hellenic culture.Volume I describes the foundation, growth, and crisis of Greek culture during the archaic and classical epochs, ending with the collapse of the Athenian empire.The second and third volumes of the work deal with the intellectual history of ancient Greece in the Age of Plato, the 4th century B.C.--the age in which Greece lost everything that is valued in this world--state, power, liberty--but still clung to the concept of paideia.As its last great poet, Menander summarized the primary role of this ideal in Greek culture when he said: "The possession which no one can take away from man is paideia." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

An excellent overview of Greek philosophy
I really like the way Jaeger presents the philosophy of especially Socrates and Plato along with Aristotal and other notable Greek philosophers in context of their times and culture.Jaeger does an excellent job of analyzing the main points of Socrates and Plato including his own insights as well as the thoughts of and influence on other historical philosophers.I especially liked how Jaeger brought Plato's works into focus as a whole with common philosophial questions being developed by the works as a whole.The book is fasinating if you are interested in questions like, "How should men be governed?" and "What part does virtue have in politics and education?"It is amazying to see how much careful thought went into questions like these in ancient times and how they are still being debaited today.You can sence an historic split between the spiritual and material views of life.

The concepts presented are well explained for those casually interested in philosophy but done so with a large vocabulary, lots of Greek words and assumes that you read the first book (which I did not). I found that a good dictionary and a bit of research online (for Greek words)was sufficent to allow a rewarding understanding of the material presented.

The changing nature of arete in Ancient Greece
Chalk me up as another mesmerized reader. Paideia will take you back to the beginnings of Western Civilization to examine how the Greeks conceived of excellence or arete and the disputes that arose as the new definition ran into the old definitions. Plato is the anchor of the three volumes, and Jaeger treats him with a sense of awe, while I found his ideas as listed in "The Republic" unnerving.

The find of the books for me was Isocrates, the master of rhetoric and a hypochondriac who almost lived to 100. The stories of Isocrates and Demonsthenes renewed by interest in the study of rhetoric. Homer, Hesiod, Pindar, Socrates, they are all here. Overall a fantastic trilogy.

What is excellence?
That is the question that burned in the hearts of those Greeks, who by their own excellence, or ARETE, made lasting contributions to humanity's imagination about being fully human. Just to add a few words to those reviews below:
This is one of those books that simply cannot go out of print as all who have read it and learned from will not let that happen. It's that important! No study of anything Greek would be complete without reading this book. The mesmerizing power that the ancient Greeks continue exert on all intelligent persons everywhere is summed up in their formulation of PAIDEIA, and the manner of their ASKESIS (discipline involved in forging one's true self) in embodying it. Read it well and this book will cleanse you of the muck of modern education, especially of the public kind, and help you think more nobly. That is to say, clearly.

Lights up the western world
The book shows how the greek people were the first to concentrate their attention on the perfection of MAN and his place in society. Jaeger traces this fact from Homeric times through Plato and explains it through many outstanding writers such as Hesiod, Solon, Sophocles, and many more. He shows the powerful Ideals of the greeks in all their beauty which continue to live on in the world today. He reveals how Poetry, Philosophy, Rhetoric, Politics, Medicine, etc. have their basis in the quest to reach the highest standard imaginable for man and society. The space contributed to Plato is subtantial and the first volume is really only an intro to Plato by the authors own admission. That's a four hundred page intro! But it all leads to the greatest of inventions...Philosphy. I enjoyed the whole book, but the second volume "the search for the divine center" was the best part explaining many things about Plato. To understand in greater depth the influence of these ideals on the western world I recommend reading a book (which I read first) called "The Classical Tradition" by Gilbert Highet whom is also the translator of this book. That book reveals how most of the surviving great works throughout western history were written by authors who were well aware of the greek world and their ideals including many writers in the Christian tradition. Jaeger wrote a short book called "Greek Paideia and Early Christianity" which shows that connection very well. He has convinced me beyond doubt of his statement that the ancient greeks are the educators of the western world.

A Work of Arete
Anyone with an interest in Ancient Greece must read this book!Jaegerweaves elements of history, anthropology, philosophy, and psychology withmasterful dexterity. I've read a number of general texts on AncientGreek culture.There are some quite good ones out there.H.D.F. Kitto's,The Greeks, is another favorite of mine.Nevertheless, Jaeger's workstands well above the others.He provides a great deal of depth and detailbut it never seems to wane as his genius provides a stunning insight onevery page. Jaeger uses a concept well-known to classicists, arete, asa synthesizing thread.Paideia, which is roughly equal to our idea ofculture, in the sense of 'she is a very cultured woman,' defined the aimsand ideals of a Greek education.Arete, a blend of excellence, virtue,nobility, and skill provided a telos for that process of education. Jaeger, using the framework of educational ideals, came to present the truespirit of Ancient Greek culture. This idea, of using educational idealsto survey the depth and breadth of a culture, would rightfully scare awell-educated American.For our educational aims, which are primarilyvocational or simply technical, represent a vacuum of higher values andideals.Even the once powerful currency of 'honor' as a unifying goal haslong since expired.A review of Ancient Greece, steeped in values andappreciative of the finest things in life, may rekindle the search anddevelopment of values in our own time and place.This book should be aguide for the quest. ... Read more

Product Description
Debates continue to rage over whether American university students should berequired to master a common core of knowledge. In The Culture of Classicism: AncientGreece and Rome in American Intellectual Life, 1780–1910, Caroline Winterer traces theemergence of the classical model that became standard in the American curriculum in thenineteenth century and now lies at the core of contemporary controversies. By closely examininguniversity curricula and the writings of classical scholars, Winterer demonstrates how classicswas transformed from a narrow, language-based subject to a broader study of civilization,persuasively arguing that we cannot understand both the rise of the American university andmodern notions of selfhood and knowledge without an appreciation for the role of classicism intheir creation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

How the Founding Fathers learned to forge a nation
Caroline Winterer writes that the college-educated colonists received a heavy dose of the Greek and Roman classics. This classical education would make it easy for them to assimilate into their own character the virtues embodied in Cato the Younger. Many of these men, such as Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Patrick Henry, Nathan Hale, and others, would quote from the play in many of their writings and speeches. Winterer asserts that in the years leading up to the American Revolution, and especially after the Stamp Act crisis in 1765, the play "Cato" served as the epitome of resistance to tyrannical British rule for many colonists.

It is indicative of the Age of Enlightenment, which educated leaders such as America's Founding Fathers, to select their models of heroic virtue from Greco-Roman history instead of from the Bible. Plays, such as Addison's "Cato" social and philosophical message was clear to any Enlightenment audience because it was Roman moral virtues and not Christian morality that Enlightenment audiences most embraced. Cato's self-reliance caused his actions; not his reliance on God. This notion of men acting outside the sphere of religious bonds was an important lesson that was certainly not lost on our Founders, especially since many of them were such devoted disciples to Enlightenment ideals. In fact, one could stipulate that "Cato" is part of a genre of plays that replaced the Christian morality plays that had been so popular for centuries in Europe.

The revolutionary generation immersed themselves in the classics, which enabled them to be on the look out for examples of distant tyrannical rule. The Founding Fathers believed that in order for a new nation to survive as a republic, they would need to remake men in the mold of Cato as portrayed in Addison's play, and as other heroic men found in "Plutarch's Lives." Cato was first and foremost a patriot. He would not have sullied himself by becoming embroiled in party politics. Thus, the Founders learned from his example and understood that they too had to be especially diligent in guarding against men forming political factions and the misuse of political power for their own self-interest. This is why Founders, such as Thomas Jefferson, placed such high hopes for raising a virtuous body of citizens through education, which became one of his motivating factors for founding the University of Virginia. Aside from Addison's flowery prose and powerful imagery on stage, "Cato's" most important and enduring role in the American colonies was its political message; fighting to the death, if necessary, for freedom from tyranny.


I read this book for a graduate Humanities class. Recommended for people interested in literature, history, philosophy, and the founding of America. ... Read more

Product Description
1893. Narrated with special reference to literature and art. The aim of this book is to present a complete and entertaining account of Grecian and Roman mythology in such a manner that the student will appreciate its great influence upon literature and art. These myths have inspired many noted modern works. The myths are told as graphically and accurately as possible, great care being taken to avoid the more repulsive features of heathen mythology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Ilustrations
The book description mentions that it includes ilustrations from recognized painters, but the book does not include anyone, only the one in the cover. If you can choose the dover's edition you can give the 5 stars.

I carry it everywhere I go
This book features a selection of Roman and Greek myths, in addition to several short summaries of stories such as the Iliad, the Alliad, and the Oddesy. In addition, it contains many passages from such poets as Homer,Shakespeare, and several others of a more modern origin. Written in fine,if rather flowery script, this book portrays its myths just as one wouldassume the ingenious writers and story tellers who created them would likethem to be told. A vast accomplishment, this document has been printed andreprinted ever since it was first written over a hundred years ago. Everyknown god orgoddess is allotted their tales, which include variousversions, stating the details that differ from version to version. Colorfuldescriptions of each deity are accompanied by a complete list of their manydifferent names. Both new and old versions of the book are still available.As an added bonus, it does not have a bias towards other religions, butapproaches the subject in a slightly more scientific manner.

very informative
This was a great book about the life of people whom I am greatly interested in. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is the only up-to-date general introduction to ancient Greek sport now available in English.Its subjects include the origins and history of the Olympic games, athletic nudity, professionalism, and the place of women in Greek sport.Accessible to nonspecialists, its overall perspective and discussions of many particular problems will also interest experts in Greek history and sport studies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unfortunately, only useful for students
I was not impressed at all with this book. This is not really a book; its merely a collection of essays written for a university course on Greek Athletics. I do not consider the writer a good author, and would recommend readers to find interesting educational books on this same subject, elsewhere. ... Read more

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Culture Wise Greece is essential reading for anyone planning to visit or live in Greece, whether for business or pleasure, for a few days holiday or a lifetime. It is guaranteed to help newcomers avoid cultural and social gaffes; make friends and influence people; and enhance their understanding of Greece and the Greek people. ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Historically, the term was recently invented to refer to the philosophical thinking of Western civilization, beginning with Greek philosophy in ancient Greece, and eventually covering a large area of the globe, including North America and Australia. There is some debate of whether to include areas such as Northern Africa, some parts of the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and so on. The word philosophy itself originated in ancient Greece: philosophia (?????????), literally, "the love of wisdom" (?????? - philein "to love" and ????? - sophia "wisdom", in the sense of knowledge). ... Read more

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Elite Romans periodically chose to limit or destroy the memory of a leading citizen who was deemed an unworthy member of the community. Sanctions against memory could lead to the removal or mutilation of portraits and public inscriptions. Harriet Flower provides the first chronological overview of the development of this Roman practice—an instruction to forget—from archaic times into the second century A.D.

Early memory sanctions were employed by political families in an effort to preserve their social standing or limit the embarrassment caused by a disgraced relative. Bans in the Late Republic, however, turned into punitive measures used against political rivals. By the imperial period, emperors imposed postmortem disgrace in attempts to control elite dissent or its image, but they could also become subject to such posthumous sanctions themselves. Flower explores Roman memory sanctions against the background of Greek and Hellenistic cultural influence and in the context of the wider Mediterranean world. Combining literary and legal texts, art and archaeology, this richly illustrated study contributes to a deeper understanding of Roman political culture. ... Read more

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The only ethnography devoted to the practice of gambling as its core subject, Gambling Life considers the stakes of social action in one community on the island of Crete.

Backgammon cafÈs, card clubs, and hidden gambling rooms in the city of Chania provide the context for Thomas M. Malaby to examine the ways in which people confront uncertainty in their lives. He shows how the dynamics of gambling--risk, fate, uncertainty, and luck--are reflected in other aspects of gamblers' lives from courtship and mortality to state bureaucracy and national identity.By moving beyond risk and fate as unexamined analytical categories, Malaby presents a new model for research concerning indeterminacy, seeing it as arising from stochastic, performative, and other sources. Gambling Life questions the longstanding valorization of order and pattern in the social sciences. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An Ethnography of Risk, Performance, and Sociability
This study of gambling and everyday life in Chania, Crete, is an outstanding example of how anthropological ethnography can contribute to larger debates in the social sciences while remaining accessible and engaging to the casual reader. The author's intellectual objective is to shed light on reigning theories of risk and indeterminacy by exploring in finely grained detail how risk is operative and is experienced, interpreted and strategized against/upon by social actors in real life. The setting of the study is ideal for this purpose, as social life in this town is organized for many around the playing, practice and performance of gambling. A range of useful and non-jargony conceptual tools for capturing the experience of uncertainty are introduced (performative indeterminacy, instrumental nonchalance, e.g.), which heighten the feeling that true insight is occurring here. In fact, it is one of the impressive achievements of this book, that it manages to engage the serious scholar in ongoing disciplinary debates (about risk theory, social poetics, modernity and the state) while remaining a perfectly charming read for the nonspecialist. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Military Review, published by U.S. Army CGSC on March 1, 2005. The length of the article is 935 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Battle: A History of Combat and Culture from Ancient Greece to Modern America.(Book Review)
Author: Scott Stephenson
Publication: Military Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2005
Publisher: U.S. Army CGSC
Volume: 85Issue: 2Page: 83(1)

Article Type: Book Review

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Due to the very old age and scarcity of this book, many of the pages may be hard to read due to the blurring of the original text, possible missing pages, missing text and other issues beyond our control. ... Read more

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With An Introduction. ... Read more

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Due to the very old age and scarcity of this book, many of the pages may be hard to read due to the blurring of the original text, possible missing pages, missing text and other issues beyond our control. ... Read more