• The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1

  • By: Edward Gibbon
  • Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
  • Length: 41 hrs and 2 mins
  • 3.7 out of 5 stars (488 ratings)

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The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1  By  cover art

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1

By: Edward Gibbon
Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
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Publisher's summary

Considered one of the finest historical works in the English language, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is lauded for its graceful, elegant prose style as much as for its epic scope. Remarkably accurate for its day, Gibbon's treatise holds a high place in the history of literature and remains an enduring subject of study.

Gibbon's monumental work traces the history of more than 13 centuries, covering the great events as well as the general historical progression. This first volume covers A.D. 180 to A.D. 395, which includes the establishment of Christianity and the Crusades.

©Public Domain (P)1992 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[Gibbon] stood on the summit of the Renaissance achievement and looked back over the waste of history to ancient Rome, as from one mountain top to another." (Christopher Dawson)

What listeners say about The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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Performance
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Bad recording of a great book

Let me put it this way: Do you remember boring old history professor, reading the same old sheaf of papers he used to read year after the year, not once lifting his eyes from the text, not noticing every single student is asleep, or drawing something or talking. Well, it looks they sacked him, and now he’s recording books. Only difference is, that in classroom it was “live” performance, and this book sounds like it was recorded in early thirties. I’ve tried listening to this book couple of times, at home, in the car, hoping that horrible crackle would mix with engine and traffic noises, yet without success. So, my advice is: if you really want to read Gibbons “Decline ...”, you would have to READ it. This audio book just isn’t worth trying. Listen to the sample, you don’t have connection or speakers problems, whole book is like that.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great for history buffs

Very long and detailed, but well narrated. You do have to focus and pay attention, otherwise you'll lose track. Only issue is he tends to skip around a bit, so sometimes it's difficult to tell which emperor or time period he is talking about. Excellent thesis on early Christianity.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A Tea Kettle Narrator

The book is great. But I couldn't get through it. The narrator whistles on his S's and it became unbearable. There were times my shoulders popped up to my ears as I tried to follow sentences like "some soldiers in the service of Caesar were sent to Sicily...." OUCH lol. I'll just have to read this one the old fashion way.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Bad Narrator

The way the narrator whistles his "S" just becomes too unbearable to listen too.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Some books are meant to...

Some books are more suitable for the medium of audiobooks than others, just as some books are meant to be read while others are meant to stand on the shelf testifying the learned sophistication of the owner. In printed form, Edward Gibbon's masterpiece makes fabulous sleeping aid, in audiobook form, it has lost even that, the recording sounds like it comes from outdated dictaphone, and the content, well, it's "decline and fall of the roman empire..."

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Magnificent version of a classic

The decline and fall is generally seen as a forbidding Everest that the intellectually ambitious must surpass in order to qualify for cultured status (rather like the Divine Commedy, of the History of Herodotus or the 6 Jane Austen novels). But although formidable (and not just in extension, but also in breadth of learning), this first volume of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is also a great story. Not only does it prove that the hereditary principle doesn't work as a way to run governmental affairs (from Augustus to Constantine there isn't even one example where acted wisely by leaving the empire to his son), it also shows that great architecture and art doesn't necessarily mean civilization as we understand it. Volume I also has the deservedly infamous chapters about the origins and spread of the Christian religion. Although they retain a power to offend believers, they are also very funny. This narration by Bernard Mayes (who is a former anglican priest, teacher and scholar, and quite a character in his own right- look him up in Wikipedia) is perfect. His perfect ennunciation and languid delivery are perfect for this work. I am looking forward to hearing the other 5 volumes.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

How did I ever order this

When I realized Audible had Decline and Fall on file I was thrilled - I have always wanted to read it. However, either Edward Gibbon or the narrator makes this history so tedious to listen to that I simply quit after the first part.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very Poor Sound Quality

It's a shame, because the narrator has just the right voice and accent to do Gibbons. But this sounds like it was recorded off a tape-to-tape transfer, with some parts too low to understand and others too loud.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Very Valid Info - Very Dry Read

I'm a history buff and REALLY wanted to enjoy this, but I'm afraid I just can't finish it. There's a lot of information and it's great facts, but it's also a VERY dry read - I just can't keep up with it.

The narration isn't bad, although I do think there are narrators that might do better with it. But I think the material is just very dry stuff and any narrator would have a hard time keeping your attention.

It might be better in small chunks.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Bravo Bernard Mayes!

If you could sum up The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1 in three words, what would they be?

sublimely written classic

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1?

Caracalla murdering his younger brother, Geta, in front of their mother and then murdering near 20,000 people who might possibly have had anything to do with Geta. As foul and loathsome as humans can get. The bloodbaths of imperial regime changes must rank as one of the darkest moments of the human experience.

What does Bernard Mayes bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It would be my hope that he pronounced names and words correctly. I have heard other readers who mispronounced words that appeared regularly in the text. The usually excellent reader of the Patrick O'Brien Aubrey/Maturin series, Patrick Tull, mispronounces "bowsprit." This important and frequently referred to "bowsprit" is the "mast" that protrudes horizontally from the front of the ship, referred to as the "bow", pronounced like "bough" of a tree...or as dogs say, in "bow-wow." Alas, Mr. Tull pronounces "bow" as in "bow and arrow." Generally, my friends very much applaud Patrick Tull's reading.

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

This classic work is notable that the reader may open the work just about anywhere, read and be entertained, delighted, enlightened. It doesn't get better than this.

Any additional comments?

The decision of over two centuries is pretty much in: It is a classic. The depth of Gibbon's research, study, eloquence, and philosophical wisdom has won this work the just praise of thoughtful readers and will continue to do so. As long time resident of Frostbite Falls, MN, Mr. Bullwinkle J. Moose, observed to his pal, Rocky, "Ya just can't beat the classics!" Amen!

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3 people found this helpful