Thucydides--Between Myth and History

Author: (English) Kanglefu, translated by Sun Yanping
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-05-01
Features: The myths and history involved in this book seem to be the product of two almost incompatible plans. Thucydides originally planned to write a textbook on military science and politics in the form of a diary. In fact, people usually don’t see it as anything else. However, as the work progressed, it gradually abandoned this dull and tedious plan and took on a different outline. Then, this outline was disrupted by the interference of old patterns and routines, making it incoherent; like a series of volcanic islands emerging from the sea, they can only be seen by birds from an angle or distance but cannot be spotted by cruising sailors, as they appear no different from submerged mountains. Thucydides (c. 471 BC – c. 400 BC), an ancient Greek historian, was born into a wealthy and noble family in Athens. In 424 BC, he was elected as a general. That same winter, the Spartan general Brasidas attacked the Athenian stronghold of Amphipolis on the northern coast of the Aegean Sea, and Thucydides commanded the Thracian fleet to relieve the besieged, but his efforts were ineffective. After the city fell, he was sentenced to exile for 20 years. He returned to Athens after the end of the Peloponnesian War. The Annals of the Peloponnesian War, which has survived to this day, is an unfinished work written by Thucydides over more than 30 years, covering events up to 411 BC. The book consists of 8 volumes. Thucydides skillfully uses speeches delivered by historical figures in the book, written by him with a keen sense of timing, to elaborate on various issues related to the Peloponnesian War.