The Peloponnesian War

By: Thucydides

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

Historians universally agree that Thucydides was the greatest historian who has ever lived, and that his story of the Peloponnesian conflict is a marvel of forensic science and fine literature. That such a triumph of intellectual accomplishment was created at the end of the fifth century B.C. in Greece is, perhaps, not so surprising, given the number of original geniuses we find in that period. But that such an historical work would also be simultaneously acknowledged as a work of great literature and a penetrating ethical evaluation of humanity is one of the miracles of ancient history. For in the pages of Thucydides we find examples of every ethical and political problem ever faced by democratic governments in the last 2,400 years. And it was all organized and written with a breathtaking skill and dramatic intensity which have never been equalled.

Thucydides was an Athenian noble born around 455 B.C. whose antecedents could be traced back to the great Peisitratus and Cimon. In 424 B.C., Thucydides was in command of naval forces attempting to defend Amphipolis in Thrace. Although unsuccessful through no fault of his own, his enemies in Athens blamed him for failure and engineered his exile. It was a fortunate event, for it was upon this accident of history that Thucydides gained the opportunity to become the chronicler of events in Greece. In complete contrast to the furious passions which raged around him, he described events with a cool detachment and an absolute impartiality that is little short of miraculous. He is believed to have died violently, perhaps while writing, in about 400 B.C. His manuscript simply breaks off in mid paragraph.

The Peloponnesian War is organized into eight parts (“books”). This recording uses the highly esteemed translation of Benjamin Jowett. There are several essays preceding and following the work.

Public Domain (P)2012 Audio Connoisseur

A reminder for Western Civilization: it can be lost

Return to ancient Greece and be witness to the strength, beauty, and wisdom of the Athenian heroes. While there, readers may find striking parallels to modern times. Thucydides' history will expand your mind, and snag it on timeless questions. Is modern Western Civilization at the end of its own history? Only time will tell.

amazing

What an amazing interpretation and beautiful story. I very much enjoyed listening to this.

Remarkable Work of History; Difficult but Worth It

This is an amazing work of history written centuries ago. It is not easy to read, but it is worth it if you can get through it.

Unless you are very familiar with ancient Greece, this is going to be a chore to read. The many names and places are hard to keep up with. To be honest, there are going to be many names and places referenced that you won't know anything about and you just have to accept that.

The great thing is that there are several introductions to the book which help give you an idea of what's going on. I would encourage everyone to listen to all of the introductions and the afterward.

The narration is perfect. Perhaps the best narrating job I've come across on Audible.

Well read, fascinating look into ancient Greeks

Very consistent and engaging reading. Fascinating the parallels in politics to today. We can learn from their failures with oligarchies.

Drama and History

Would you consider the audio edition of The Peloponnesian War to be better than the print version?

The audio version was much better than the print version for me. For some reason I just couldn't keep track of who was who with the print. The audio version with the narration kept me on track to the happenings for the most part.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Peloponnesian War?

The most memorable moment for me was the attempted breakout from Sicily by the Athenian army, which turned into a disaster of epic proportions.

What about Charlton Griffin’s performance did you like?

He was subtle in his voice inflections. I think the "Britishness" of his voice helped give the entire affair a slightly foreign feel... but not too foreign.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The killing of numerous civilians was difficult to hear about, but necessary to tell the story.