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bcjoneschrist's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
Occasionally, reading old Thucydides' writings--with his slow, plodding, matter-of-fact pace--starts to feel as arduous as the decades-long turmoil in most of the Hellenic world all those thousands of years ago, but once you become more familiar with the people, places, and names of things that existed way back when. A fascinating look at how humans have been fighting with, murdering, making treaties with, and once again murdering each other for thousands of years. A comforting thought.
msgtdameron's review against another edition
challenging
informative
slow-paced
5.0
I started this tome because I wanted to know what Athens did with the Tyrants that were forced on Athens at the end of the Peloponnesian War. Unfortunately Thucydides died before he finished his epic work. Xenophon, who tried to complete the history, did not write as well and tells nothing of what Athens di with there tyrants. But the work does go into detail as to what happened to those colonies that revolted and had Tyrants and or Oligarchs installed as the colonial government. When Athens reclaimed and/or freed her colonies from Spartan installed Oligarchs the standard punishment was execute 1000 of the citizens that were the direct muscle of the oligarchs. Think of these people as Hitlers Brown Shirts. Then the Oligarchs themselves and their families were banished from Athenian territory. Banishment is really slow death. When Sparta Banished the Athenian's from Chiros the Athenians asked to take a cloak pert person. Sparta granted this and shocked most of the ancient world by granting such a boon to the conquered peoples. Banishment, 2500 years ago, was mostly just what you had on your back irregardless of the time of year, the weather, wounds, sickness, etc, and it included all your family, none of your slaves. Also heralds were sent along all the roads out to inform the next towns, villages, and Hamlets that you might come by and they were not to assist you in any way. Slow death by any other name.
This leads to what do we, Americans, do with the power hungry Oligarchs that back the MAGATS of Trumpism? I suggest that we will have to, after the Counter Revolution wins back the country for the Constitution of the Founding Fathers. We will have to look at execution of the leadership as banishment today is not going to lead to the Oligarchs death, just to their comfortable life's over seas.
Executions will be a must. Not just of the leadership but also of the supporters of the Oligarchs and that question will depend on how many the Administration feels it will have to execute to get the point across that the Constitution is invulnerable to the MAGATS. I would say that number is around 250K to 300K and includes all 382 families that control 90 percent of our economy. And the politicians they have bought. Also Athenian/Spartan banishment confiscated ALL the banished property. This should also be the standard for those traitors who want to destroy our Constitution and have absolute power. These are thoughts based on critical reading of both Thucydides and histories of the French Revolution and how these two ancient and old Republics and Democracies reacted to the threats to their way of life, and Trumpism is a definite threat to the Constitution of our country.
This leads to what do we, Americans, do with the power hungry Oligarchs that back the MAGATS of Trumpism? I suggest that we will have to, after the Counter Revolution wins back the country for the Constitution of the Founding Fathers. We will have to look at execution of the leadership as banishment today is not going to lead to the Oligarchs death, just to their comfortable life's over seas.
Executions will be a must. Not just of the leadership but also of the supporters of the Oligarchs and that question will depend on how many the Administration feels it will have to execute to get the point across that the Constitution is invulnerable to the MAGATS. I would say that number is around 250K to 300K and includes all 382 families that control 90 percent of our economy. And the politicians they have bought. Also Athenian/Spartan banishment confiscated ALL the banished property. This should also be the standard for those traitors who want to destroy our Constitution and have absolute power. These are thoughts based on critical reading of both Thucydides and histories of the French Revolution and how these two ancient and old Republics and Democracies reacted to the threats to their way of life, and Trumpism is a definite threat to the Constitution of our country.
erincataldi's review
2.0
Here's another audiobook review for the Library Journal. It's written according to the journal's standards so it doesn't have my usual quirkiness, but oh well.
Written nearly half a millennium before the birth of Christ, Thucydide’s, The History of the Peloponnesian War continues to be one of the most powerful and influential works of our time. This masterpiece brings to life a convincing account of the struggle between the empires of Athens and Sparta over expansion, shipping, and trade and in the process combines myth, romance, and history to create a painstakingly factual record of the catastrophic conflict that eventually ended the Athenian empire. Neville Jason, renowned voice actor and winner of multiple Audiofile awards and the coveted diction prize beautifully brings to life a long forgotten era and fills the listener with an overwhelming sense of urgency and passion. For lovers of history; past and current.
Written nearly half a millennium before the birth of Christ, Thucydide’s, The History of the Peloponnesian War continues to be one of the most powerful and influential works of our time. This masterpiece brings to life a convincing account of the struggle between the empires of Athens and Sparta over expansion, shipping, and trade and in the process combines myth, romance, and history to create a painstakingly factual record of the catastrophic conflict that eventually ended the Athenian empire. Neville Jason, renowned voice actor and winner of multiple Audiofile awards and the coveted diction prize beautifully brings to life a long forgotten era and fills the listener with an overwhelming sense of urgency and passion. For lovers of history; past and current.