Complete Works of Xenophon (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics)

BOOK: Complete Works of Xenophon (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics)
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The Complete Works of

XENOPHON

(c. 430–354 BC)

Contents

Historical works

ANABASIS

CYROPAEDIA

HELLENICA

AGESILAUS

Socratic Works

MEMORABILIA

OECONOMICUS

SYMPOSIUM

APOLOGY

Minor Treatises

ON HORSEMANSHIP

ON THE CAVALRY GENERAL

ON HUNTING

HIERO

WAYS AND MEANS

CONSTITUTION OF THE LACEDAEMONIANS

CONSTITUTION OF THE ATHENIANS

The Greek Texts

LIST OF GREEK TEXTS

The Biographies

LIFE OF XENOPHON by Diogenes Laërtius

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF XENOPHON by Edward Spelman

© Delphi Classics 2013

Version 1

        

The Complete Works of

XENOPHON

By Delphi Classics, 2013

 

Historical works

Xenophon’s birthplace — Athens

ANABASIS

Translated by Carleton L. Brownson

Forming seven books, the
Anabasis
is Xenophon’s most famous work, narrating the journey the author made whilst accompanying the Ten Thousand, a large army of Greek mercenaries hired by Cyrus the Younger, who intended to seize the throne of Persia from his brother, Artaxerxes II. Interestingly, Socrates makes a cameo appearance when Xenophon asks whether he ought to accompany the expedition. The short episode demonstrates the reverence of Socrates for the Oracle of Delphi.

Though Cyrus’ miscellaneous army won a tactical victory at Cunaxa in Babylon in 401 BC, Cyrus himself was killed in the battle, rendering the actions of the Greeks irrelevant and the expedition a failure.  Thus stranded deep in enemy territory, the Spartan general Clearchus and the other Greek senior officers were subsequently killed or captured by treachery on the part of the Persian satrap Tissaphernes.

Xenophon, one of three remaining leaders elected by the soldiers, played an instrumental role in encouraging the Greek army of 10,000 to march north across foodless deserts and snow-filled mountain passes towards the Black Sea and the comparative security of its Greek shoreline cities. Now abandoned in northern Mesopotamia, without supplies other than what they could obtain by force or diplomacy, the mercenaries had to fight their way northwards through Corduene and Armenia, whilst the King’s army and hostile natives constantly barred their way and attacked their flanks.

Ultimately the Ten Thousand managed to reach the shores of the Black Sea at Trabzon, which they then greeted with the now famous and euphoric cry of, “thálatta, thálatta”, (the sea, the sea!) “The sea” meant that they were at last among Greek cities, although it was in fact not the end of their journey, which included a period fighting for Seuthes II of Thrace, and ended with their recruitment into the army of the Spartan general Thibron.

Traditionally the
Anabasis
is one of the first texts studied by students of classical Greek due to its clear and unembellished style; similar to
Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Gallico
for Latin students. Perhaps not coincidentally, they are both autobiographical tales of military adventure told in the third person. Xenophon’s account of his and his men’s exploits resounded through Greece and it is believed by some they may have inspired Philip of Macedon and his son Alexander to believe that a lean and disciplined Hellene army might be relied upon to defeat a Persian army many times its size.

Late Hellenistic marble bust of Xenophon

Babylonian ruins close to the Euphrates, near where Xenophon and his men were left stranded. The site is now in present day Iraq.

A Victorian depiction of the Battle of Cunaxa in 401 BC, which left Xenophon and the Ten Thousand stranded deep in enemy territory in Babylon

CONTENTS

BOOK I.

BOOK II.

BOOK III.

BOOK IV.

BOOK: Complete Works of Xenophon (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics)
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