Thucydides: The Peloponnesian War Book VI

By: Pelling, Christopher

Book Overview

In Books 6 and 7 Thucydides' narrative is, as Plutarch puts it, 'at its most emotional, vivid, and varied' as he describes the Sicilian Expedition that ended so catastrophically for Athens (415-413 BCE). Book 6 features tense debates both at Athens, with cautious Nicias no match for risk-taking Alcibiades, and at Syracuse, with the statesmanlike Hermocrates confronting the populist Athenagoras. The spectacle of the armada is memorably described; so is the panic at Athens when people fear that acts of sacrilege may be alienating the gods, with Alcibiades himself so implicated that he is soon recalled. The Book ends with Athens seeming poised for victory; that will soon change, and a sister commentary on Book 7 is being published simultaneously. The Introduction discusses the narrative skill and the part these books play in the architecture of the history. Considerable help with the Greek is offered throughout the Commentary.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1316630218
• ISBN13: 9781316630211
• Release Date: January 2022
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 370 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Quite fascinating, but it needed time to trudge through.

When you buy by the volume, be sure they are the same set. I once was in the U.S. Army. As part of our job, we were always encouraged to study history to see how people thought and how wars were executed. No war is ever the same, so what we are reading to learn is the why. There are also how people responded to different tactics and strategies. I found this easy to read as the translation made it appear like we were reading today’s news. Not just the actions but the politics of the time. There are great descriptions of the time and place. The only thing that is missing is visual maps to put the places in perspective. Luckily, you can get maps of the time off the net as a supplement. There is enough detail that it may require a second reading after you have digested the first. I am also looking for some good books to tell me what I would have noticed in this book. Be aware that translation is also very important, and you may want to read some different translations to get a better picture of the war.