Beskrivning
Beskrivning
A continuation of Thucydides.Xenophon (ca. 430 to ca. 354 BC) was awealthy Athenian and friend of Socrates. He left Athens in 401 andjoined an expedition including ten thousand Greeks led by the Persiangovernor Cyrus against the Persian king. After the defeat of Cyrus, itfell to Xenophon to lead the Greeks from the gates of Babylon back tothe coast through inhospitable lands. Later he wrote the famous vividaccount of this “March Up-Country” (Anabasis); but meanwhile heentered service under the Spartans against the Persian king, marriedhappily, and joined the staff of the Spartan king, Agesilaus. But Athenswas at war with Sparta in 394 and so exiled Xenophon. The Spartans gavehim an estate near Elis where he lived for years writing and huntingand educating his sons. Reconciled to Sparta, Athens restored Xenophonto honor, 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 ofThucydides’ account. There are four works on Socrates (collected in LCL168). 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), reflectsXenophon’s ideas about rulers and government; the Loeb edition is in twovolumes. 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 politicsat Athens. These eight books are collected in the last of the sevenvolumes of the Loeb Classical Library edition of Xenophon.
