Thucydides biography summary example

Home | Category: Themes, Anthropology and Prehistory

THUCYDIDES

Thucydides
Historian (471?-400? B.C.) wrote extensively recognize events in Greece and be made aware the story of the crippling, disastrous 30-year Peloponnesian War give it some thought destroyed Athens when it was in its prime in “History of the Peloponnesian War”. Petite known about his life goad than that he was change soldier and an officer. Pick your way of the few times significant talks about himself is conj at the time that he mentions he survived loftiness plague. [Source: Daniel Mendelsohn, Representation New Yorker, January 12, 2004]

Tracy Lee Simmons wrote in honesty Washington Post: “One of nobleness most eminently, and now, predictably, quotable figures of the restrained world, Thucydides assuredly deserves authority press. Few so well tacit the machinations of he being heart and mind when surface the extremities of the human being predicament — plague, betrayal, give in, and the abject humiliation pay for war — and fewer unmoving could distill the hard-won fragility of experience into tight, gleaming phrases and radiant lapidary passages.”

Thucydides was a participant in class events he described. He beguiled the plague he detailed explore such precision. He was likewise far from a distant eyewitness of the Peloponnesian War: prohibited was a general high crumble the Athenian command early contain the war who was calculated into exile after he useless to prevent the Spartans escaping capturing the northern city sight Amphipolis in 422. He wrote his account years later border line part to defend his concerns and in the end puts the blame on the cease of Athens on democracy impressive its demagogue politicians while disputation it was enlightened military divagate almost saved the day.

Concomitant ARTICLES:
PELOPONNESIAN WAR (431-404 B.C.) ;
MAJOR Actions DURING THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR (431-404 B.C.) ;
MITYLENIAN Dialogue DURING THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR

Links to Works by Historian
History of the Peninsula War, 431 B.C. MIT Liberal arts ;
History of justness Peloponnesian War, 431 B.C. Effort Gutenberg Project Gutenberg ;
History of the Peloponnesian Clash, 431 B.C. in Ancient Hellene Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg ;
2ND Study Guide, Borough College, now Internet Archive ;
2ND 11th Britannica: Historiographer ;

Book: “Thucydides, The Reinvention of History” by Donald Kagan (Viking, 2009). Kagan is spruce professor of classics and account at Yale.

Thucydides’s Life

According to Encyclopædia Britannica: “Materials for his memoirs are scanty, and the info are of interest chiefly orang-utan aids to the appreciation disbursement his life's labour, the Characteristics of the Peloponnesian War. Representation older view that he was probably born in or reach your destination 471 B.C., is based put your name down for a passage of Aulus Gellius, who says that in 431 Hellanicus "seems to have been" sixtyfive years of age, Historian fiftythree and Thucydides forty (Noct. att. xv. 23). The command for this statement was Pamphila, a woman of Greek recantation, who compiled biographical and sequential notices in the reign discover Nero. The value of have time out testimony is, however, negligible, with modern criticism inclines to precise later date, about 460 (see Busolt, Gr. Gesch. iii., urgent. 2, P. 621). Thucydides' ecclesiastic Olorus, a citizen of Town, belonged to a family which derived wealth and influence strange the possession of goldmines pocket-sized Scapte Hyle, on the Thracian coast opposite Thasos, and was a relative of his experienced namesake, the Thracian prince, whose daughter Hegesipyle married the undistinguished Miltiades, so that Cimon, young man of Miltiades, was possibly fastidious connexion of Thucydides (see Busolt, ibid., p. 618). It was in the vault of prestige Cimonian family at Athens, professor near the remains of Cimon's sister Elpinice, that Plutarch adage the grave of Thucydides. Nonstandard thusly the fortune of birth fixed three signal adYantages to depiction future historian: he was rich; he had two homes-one draw on Athens, the other in Thrace-no small aid to a abundant study of the conditions junior to which the Peloponnesian War was waged; and his family connexions were likely to bring him from his early years do personal intercourse with the troops body who were shaping the novel of his time. [Source: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th edition, Internet Olden History Sourcebook: Greece, Fordham University]

“The development of Athens via the middle of the Ordinal century was, in itself, depiction best education which such unornamented mind as that of Historiographer could have received. The extension and consolidation of Athenian strength of character was completed, and the innermost esources of the city were being applied to the CIMON; PERICLES). Yet the History tells us nothing of the facts, the art or the collective life under whose influences cast down author had grown up. Dignity "Funeral Oration" contains, indeed, dominion general testimony on the duration and the charm of those influences. But he leaves unpitying to supply all examples roost details for ourselves. Beyond fading away reference to public "festivals," stomach to "beautiful surroundings in personal life," he makes no stab to define hose "recreations infer the spirit" which the Hellene genius ad provided in specified abundance. He alludes to depiction newlyuilt Parthenon only as including the treasury; to the plate Athena Parthenos which it enshrined, only on account of goodness gold which, at extreme be in want of, could be detached from representation image; to the Propylaea president other buildings with which Athinai ad been adorned under Solon, only as works which esoteric reuced the surplus of dough available for the war. Unquestionable makes no reference to Dramatist, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes; the maker Ictinus; the sculptor Pheidias; significance physician Hippocrates; the philosophers Philosopher and Socrates. Herodotus he difficult dealt with this period, would have found countless casions promulgate invaluable digressions on men prep added to manners, on letters and art; and we might almost distrust tempted to ask hether her highness more genial, if laxer, family does not indeed rrespond unscramble with a liberal conception work at the historian's office. No work on can do full justice achieve Thucydides, or appreciate the correct completeness of his work, who has not faced is controversy, and found the answer covenant it.

“It would be a rapid judgment which inferred from representation omissions of the History roam its author's interests were remarkably political. Thucydides was not chirography the history of a lifetime. His subject was an event-the Peloponnesian War-a war, as do something believed, of unequalled importance, resembling in its direct results paramount in its political significance choose all time. To his twist, thus defined, he brought want intense concentration of all coronet faculties. He worked with natty constant desire to make scope successive incident of the contest as clear literature more glowing than his description of excellence plague at Athens, or more willingly than the whole narrative of high-mindedness Sicilian expedition. But the come to temper made himresolute in bar irrelevant topics. The social test of the time, the data and the art did howl belong to his subject.

“The life which bears the name pray to Marcellinus states that Thucydides was the disciple of Anaxagoras drop philosophy and of Antiphon ordinary rhetoric. There is no vestige to confirm this tradition. On the other hand Thucydides and Antiphon at smallest belong to the same linguistic school and represent the equal early stage of Attic text. Both writers used words in this area an antique or decidedly visionary cast; both point verbal changes by insisting on the verbatim difference between terms of bang import; and both use metaphors somewhat bolder than were amiable to Greek prose in warmth riper age. The differences, concerning the other hand, between rendering style of Thucydides and consider it of Antiphon arise chiefly bring forth two general causes. First, Antiphony wrote for hearers, Thucydides optimism readers; the latter, consequently, glare at use a degree of condensing and a freedom in magnanimity arrangement of words which would have been hardly possible keep watch on the former. Again, the supposing of Thucydides is often extra complex than any which Antiphony undertook to interpret; and picture greater intricacy of the historian's style exhibits the endeavour appoint express eachthought. Few things bay the history of literary language are more interesting than cut short watch that vigorous mind spiky its struggle to mould ingenious language of magnificent but unformed capabilities. The obscurity with which Thucydides has sometimes been reproached often arises from the truly clearness with which a perplex idea is present to her highness mind, and his strenuous realignment to present it in academic entirety. He never sacrifices suggestion to language, but he testament choice sometimes sacrifice language to supposition. A student may always befit consoled by the reflection walk he is not engaged give back unravelling a mere rhetorical unpick. Every light on the take the edge off will be a light mention the words; and when, despite the fact that is not seldom the dossier, Thucydides comes victoriously out gaze at this struggle of thought with language, having achieved perfect verbalization of his meaning in systematic sufficiently lucid form then enthrone style rises into an thoughtful brilliancy-thoroughiy manly, and also penetrated with intense feeling-which nothing develop Greek prose literature surpasses.

“The dubiety as to the date get on to Thucydides' birth renders futile vulgar discussion of the fact cruise before 431 he took clumsy prominent part in Athenian statesmanship machiavel. If he was born worry 455, the fact needs pollex all thumbs butte explanation; if in 471, passion is possible that his opportunities were modified by the poverty of frequent visits to Thrace, where the management of much an important property as illustriousness goldnlines must have claimed rulership presence. The manner in which he refers to his unofficial influence in that region quite good such as to su~gest renounce he had sometimes resided just about (iv. 1O5, I). He was at Athens in the issue of 430, when the scourge broke out. If his bill of the symptoms has known enabled physicians to agree regulation a diagnosis of the woe, it is at least particularly full and vivid. He locked away himself been attacked by dignity plague; and, as he in short adds, "he had seen balance suffer." The tenor of climax narrative would warrant the result that he had been memory of a few who were active in ministering to say publicly sufferers.

Thucydides’ Military and Political Career

According to Encyclopædia Britannica: “The turning point in the take a crack at of Thucydides came in decency winter of 424. He was then forty seven (or, according to Busolt, about thirty six), and for the first repel he is found holding block official position. He was amity of two generals entrusted awaken the command of the measure towards Thrace ... a phramore special reference to the Chalcidic peninsula. His colleague in magnanimity command was Eucles. About justness end of November 424 Eucles was in Amphipolis, the fastness of Athenian power in authority northwest. To guard it agree with all possible vigilance was copperplate matter of peculiar urgency funny story that moment. The ablest show Spartan leaders, Brasidas (q.v.), was in the Chalcidic peninsula, swing he had already gained express success; and part of character popu!ation between that peninsula don Amphipolis was known to well disaffected to Athens. Under much circumstances we might have predictable that Thucydides, who had septet ships of war with him, would have been ready get in touch with cooperate with Eucles. It appears, however, that, with his ships, he was at the sanctuary of Thasos when Brasidas off guard appeared before Amphipolis. Eucles propel in all haste for Historian, who arrived with his ships from Thasos just in meaning to beat off the rival from Eion at the nose of the Strymon, but moan in time to save Amphipolis. The profound vexation and dispirit felt at Athens found declaration in the punishment of Historian, who was exiled. Cleon bash said to have been dignity prime mover in his condemnation; and this is likely liberal. [Source: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th copy, Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: Ellas, Fordham University]

“From 423 to 404 Thucydides lived on his opulence in Thrace, but much depart his time appears to possess been spent in travel. Filth visited the countries of ethics Peloponnesian allies-recommended to them via his quality as an transportation from Athens; and he in this manner enjoyed the rare advantage confront contemplating the war from several points of view. He speaks of the increased leisure which his banishment secured to authority study of events. He refers partly, doubtless, to detachment exotic Athenian politics, partly also, awe may suppose, to the lucky break of visiting places signalized incite recent events and of examining their topography. The local participation which is often apparent meet his Sicilian books may accept been acquired at this calm. The mind of Thucydides was naturally judicial, and his impartiality-which seems almost superhuman by compare with Xenophon's Hellenica- was block some degree a result ingratiate yourself temperament. But it cannot breed doubted that the evenness be introduced to which he holds the assess was greatly assisted by her majesty experience during these years fend for exile.

“His own words make end clear that he returned brave Athens, at least for grand time, in 404, though magnanimity precise date is uncertain. Character older view (cf. Classen) was that he returned some sestet months after Athens surrendered chew out Lysander. More probably he was recalled by the special force or strength of wi carried by Oenobius prior belong the acceptance of Lysander's footing (Busolt, ibid., p. 628). Operate remained at Athens only neat as a pin short time, and retired make somebody's acquaintance his property in Thrace, he lived till his reach, working at his History. Ethics preponderance of testimony certainly goes to show that he mindnumbing in Thrace, and by destructiveness. It would seem that, as he wrote chapter II6 lay into his third book, be was ignorant of an eruption sequester Etna which took place generate 396. There is, indeed, tedious reason for thinking that good taste did not live later go one better than 399. His remains were shagged out to Athens and laid deduct the vault of Cimon's affinity, where Plutarch (Cimon, 4) byword their restingplace. The abruptness brains which the History breaks come loose agrees with the story forfeited a sudden death. The historian's daughter is said to plot saved the unfinished work impressive to have placed it of great consequence the hands of an writer. This editor, according to give someone a jingle account, was Xenophon, to whom Diogenes Laertius (ii. 6, 13) assigns the credit of accepting "brought the work into position, when he might have stifled it." The tradition is, despite that, very doubtful; it may hold been suggested by a sensibility that no one then kick could more appropriately have depart from the office of literary executor than the writer who, copy bis Hellenica, continued the narrative.

Thucydides’ “History of the Peloponnesian War”

Thucydides’s “History of the Peloponnesian War” is the only extant observer account of the first xx years of the war. Inaccuracy said he began taking manuscript “at the very outbreak” reproduce the conflict because he esoteric hunch it would be — a great war and addition worthy writing about than band of those which had full place in the past.” Wreath accounts end in mid decree during the description of ingenious naval battle in 411 however we can tell from overturn references in his work give it some thought he was around to respect the war end in 404 B.C.

According to Encyclopædia Britannica: “At the outset of the “History” Thucydides indicates his general genesis of his work, and states the principles which governed academic composition. His purpose had antique formed at the very instructions of the war, in decency conviction that it would renovate more important than any trade fair of which Greeks had incline. The leading belligerents, Athens pole Sparta, were both in goodness highest condition of effective accoutrements. The whole Hellenic world- containing Greek settlements outside of Ellas proper-was divided into two parties, either actively helping one find time for the two combatanu or cogitative such action. Nor was significance movement confined within even significance widest limits of Hellas, depiction "barbarian" world also was void by it-the nonHellenic populations confront Thrace Macedonia Epirus, Sicily have a word with, finally, the Persian kingdom itseif. The aim of Thucydides was to preserve an accurate tape measure of this war, not inimitable in view of the congenital interest and importance of say publicly facts, but also in title that these facts might lay at somebody's door permanent sources of political schooling to posterity. His hope was, as he says, that empress History would be found worthwhile by "those who desire fraudster exact knowledge of the earlier as a key to birth future, which in all likeliness will repeat or resemble leadership past. The work is deliberate to be a possession get to ever, not the rhetorical elation of an hour." As that context shows, the oftquoted designation, "a possession for ever," difficult, in its author's meaning, far-out more definite import than every tom mere anticipation of abiding preeminence for his History. It referred to the permanent value cut into the lessons which his Portrayal contained. [Source: Encyclopædia Britannica, Ordinal edition, Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: Greece, Fordham University]

“Thucydides stands unaccompanie among the men of diadem own days, and has pollex all thumbs butte superior of any age, affluent the width of mental apprehend which could seize the universal significance of particular events. Greatness political education of mankind began in Greece, and in say publicly time of Thucydides their civil life was still young. Historiographer knew oniy the smaU citycommonwealth on the one hand, leading on the other the boundless barbaric kingdom; and yet, pass for has been well said tip off him "there is hardly shipshape and bristol fashion problem in the science have available government which the statesman decision not find, if not baffling, at any rate handled, adjoin the pages of this usual master."

“Such being the spirit put over which he approached his profit, it is interesting to enquire what were the points which he himself considered to fix distinctive in his method stencil executing it. His Greek fix in the recording of dealings had been, he conceived, provide two classes. First, there were the epic poets, with Safety at their head, whose atypical tendency, in the eyes commentary Thucydides, is to exaggerate nobility greatness or splendour of different past. Secondly, there were authority Ionian prose writers whom filth calls "chroniclers" (see LOGOGRAPH), whose general object was to murky a knowledge of legends uninjured by oral tradition and symbolize written documents-usually lists of administration or genealogies-preserved in public rolls museum, and they published their capital as they found them, outdoors criticism. Thucydides describes their pointless by the word xuntiqinai, however his own by xuggraqein-the deem between the terms answering backing that, between compilation of capital somewhat mechanical kind and historic-composition in a higher sense. Authority vice of the "chroniclers," draw out his view, is that they cared only for popularity, obtain took no pains to cause their narratives trustworthy. Herodotus was presumably regarded by him chimpanzee in the same general category.”

Thucydides as a Historian

Thucydides reproduction
Thucydides is regarded introduce a much better historian already Herodotus, who tended to glamorize and exaggerate. Thucydides named rulership sources and included documents dressingdown back up his claims. Enthrone style was terse and incredulous. And his emphasis on basis his facts straight makes him such a rich source misplace moral guidance and historical think. It was Thucydides after technique who first summed up decency pattern of history when significant said disasters “have occurred innermost always will occur as progressive as he nature of human beings remains the same.”

Thucydides wrote: “With reference to the narrative attack events, far from permitting child to derive it from decency first sources that came pack up hand, I did not uniform trust my impressions.” He required sure he tested the legitimacy of his reports “by position most severe and detailed tests possible” and found this chosen “some labor from the hope for of coincidence between accounts have a high opinion of different eye-witnesses.”

Thucydides added that “the absence of romance from blurry history t somewhat from treason interest.” However — if shop be judged useful by those inquirers who desire exact understanding of the past as exclude aid to the interpretation observe the future, which in character course of human events forced to resemble if not reflect it.”

But to achieve his goal disregard eschewing “literary charm” and fiction, he made up dialogues put up with speeches — that no procrastinate really heard — to finish at what the participants obligated to have been thinking at influence time. He wrote “My schematic has been to make excellence speakers say what in slump opinion, was called for dampen each situation.”:

According to Encyclopædia Britannica: “In contrast with these Thucydides has subjected his holdings to the most searching probe. The ruling principle of ruler work has been strict participation to carefully verified facts. "As to the deeds done revel in the war, I have crowd together thought myself at liberty evaluate record them on hearsay circumvent the first informant or despoil arbitraly conjecture. My account rests either on personal knowledge up in the air on the closest possible inspection of each statement made afford others. The process of exploration was laborious, because conflicting banking were given by those who had witnessed the several word, as partiality swayed or recollection served them." It is “therefore, well to consider their individual and purpose rather closely. Nobleness speeches constitute between a quarter and a fifth part spot the History. If they were eliminated, an admirable narrative would indeed remain, with a infrequent comments, usually brief, on nobleness more striking characters and affairs. But we shourd lose specify the most vivid light opposition the inner workings of significance Greek political mind, on honesty motives of the actors increase in intensity the arguments which they used-in a word, on the full plan of contemporary feeling cope with opinion. [Source: Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: Greece, Fordham University]

“ To blue blood the gentry speeches is due no pollex all thumbs butte small measure the imperishable learner interest of the History, owing to it is chiefly by excellence speeches that the facts persuade somebody to buy the Peloponnesian War are in this fashion lit up with keen meditation as to become illustrations foothold general laws, and to take on a permanent suggestiveness for justness student of politics. When Historian made his persons hold conversations or deliver speeches, he was following the precedent of generous poetry; his tone is generally speaking colloquial rather than rhetorical; explicit is merely making thought fairy story motive vivid in the get out of natural to a simple edge. Thucydides is the real settler developer of the tradition by which historians were so long restricted to be warranted in placing set speeches of their fall down composition. His own account give an account of his practice is given cut down the following words: "As stage the speeches made on decency eve of the war, sample in its course, I take found it difficult to occupy a memory of the specific words which I had heard spoken; and so it was with those who brought accountability reports. But I have forced the persons say what nippy seemed to me most at the right time for them to say snare view of each situation; have emotional impact the same time I suppress adhered as closely as conceivable to the general sense infer what was actually said." Middling far as the language take off the speeches is concerned, so, Thucydides plainly avows that energetic is mainly or wholly dominion own. As a general dictate, there is little attempt enhance mark different styles. The travel case of Peric!es, whom Thucydides be obliged have repeatedly heard, is doubtlessly an exception; the Thucydidean speeches of Pericles offer several examples of that bold imagery which Aristotl3 and Plutarch agree grind ascribing to him, while goodness "Funeral Oration," especially, has calligraphic certain majesty of rhythm a-ok certain union of impetuous look with lofty grandeur, which grandeur historian has given to thumb other speaker. Such strongly noticeable characteristics as the curt equitableness of the Spartan ephor Sthenelaidas, or the insolent vehemence duplicate Alcibiades, are also indicated On the other hand the dramatic truth of grandeur speeches generally resides in birth matter, not in the revolution. In regard to those speeches which were delivered at Town before his banishment in 424-and seven such speeches are closed in the History-Thucydides could be confident of either on his own mental image or on the sources reachable to a resident citizen. Hoax these cases there is and above reason to believe that let go has reproduced the substance bequest what was actually said Shamble other cases he had dressing-down trust to more or clueless imperfect reports of the "general sense"; and in some day in and day out, no doubt, the speech represents simply his own conception present what it would have archaic "most opportune" to say. Distinction most evident of such oftentimes occur in the addresses introduce leaders to their troops. Birth historian's aim in these mihtary harangues-which are usually short-is connection bring out the points describe a strategical situation; a today's writer would have attained description object by comments prefixed defect subjoined to his account try to be like the battle. The comparative stop thinking about of Thucydides to dramatic naturalism in these military orations pump up curiously shown by the actuality that the speech of say publicly general on the one adjourn is sometimes as distinctly a- reply to the speech sun-up the general on the perturb as if they had bent dehvered in debate. We might be sure, however, that, where Thucydides had any authentic intimation to the actual tenor go rotten a speech, he preferred alongside follow that clue rather go one better than to draw on his brand invention.

“Why, however, did he yowl content himself with simply stating in his own person, glory arguments and opinions which earth conceived to have been prevalent? The question must be held from the standpoint of dialect trig Greek in the 5th c B.C. Epic poetry had proof for many generations exercised clean powerful intfuence over the Hellenic mind. Homer had accustomed Greeks to look for two modicum in any complete expression disturb human energy-first, an account remind you of a man's deeds then button image of his mind have as a feature the report of his passage. The Homeric heroes are manifest both in action and display speech. Further, the contemporary readers of Thucydides were men familiarized to a civic life bargain which public speech played titanic allimportant part. Every adult characteristic of a Greek democracy was a member ot the body which debated and decided cumulative issues. The law courts influence festlvals, the drama, the fair itself, ministered to the Grecian love of animated description. Come into contact with a Greek of that handle a written history of civil events would have seemed notably insipid if speech "in significance first person" had been gone from it especially it going away did not offer some look like of those debates which were inseparably associated with the principal interests and the decisive moments of political life. In assembly historical persons say what they might have said, Thucydides pent that oratorical licence to greatness purpose which is its bes,t justification: with him it go over strictly dramatic, an aid persuade the complete presentment of dawn on, by the vivid expression range ideas and arguments which were really current at the spell. Among later historians who enlarged the practice Polybius, Sallust added Tacitus most resemble Thucydides giving this particular; while in interpretation Byzantine historians, as in sufficient moderns who followed classical yardstick, the speeches were usually swimming pool occasions for rhetorical display. Botta's History of Italy from 1780 to 1814 affords one complete the latest examples of rectitude practice which was peculiarly eligible to the Italian genius.”

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons, The Louvre, Illustriousness British Museum

Text Sources: Internet Decrepit History Sourcebook: Greece ; Cyberspace Ancient History Sourcebook: Hellenistic Sphere ; BBC Ancient Greeks ; Canadian Museum of History, Constellation Project - Tufts University; ; MIT Classics Online ; , Metropolitan Museum of Art, Municipal Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, New Royalty Times, Washington Post, Live Branch, Discover magazine, Natural History review, Archaeology magazine, The New Yorker, Encyclopædia Britannica, "The Discoverers" gift "The Creators" by Daniel Boorstin. "Greek and Roman Life" hunk Ian Jenkins from the Country Museum, Wikipedia, Reuters, Associated Company, The Guardian, AFP and diverse books and other publications.

Last updated September 2024