Xenophon

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An Ancient Quest
The Real Deal!
brilliant story
Greatest Story Ever Told?
Incredible Classic

Anabasis (Loeb Classical Library)
Xenophon
Manufacturer: Loeb Classical Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Xenophon: Memorabilia. Oeconomicus. Symposium. Apologia. (Loeb Classical Library No. 168)
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ASIN: 067499101X

Book Description

Xenophon (ca. 430 to ca. 354 BC) was a wealthy Athenian and friend of Socrates. He left Athens in 401 and joined an expedition including ten thousand Greeks led by the Persian governor Cyrus against the Persian king. After the defeat of Cyrus, it fell to Xenophon to lead the Greeks from the gates of Babylon back to the coast through inhospitable lands. Later he wrote the famous vivid account of this 'March Up-Country' (Anabasis); but meanwhile he entered service under the Spartans against the Persian king, married happily, and joined the staff of the Spartan king, Agesilaus. But Athens was at war with Sparta in 394 and so exiled Xenophon. The Spartans gave him an estate near Elis where he lived for years writing and hunting and educating his sons. Reconciled to Sparta, Athens restored Xenophon to honour but he preferred to retire to Corinth.</p>

Xenophon's Anabasis is a true story of remarkable adventures. Hellenica, a history of Greek affairs from 411 to 362, begins as a continuation of Thucydides' account. There are four works on Socrates (collected in Volume IV of the Loeb Xenophon edition). In Memorabilia Xenophon adds to Plato's picture of Socrates from a different viewpoint. The Apology is an interesting complement to Plato's account of Socrates' defense at his trial. Xenophon's Symposium portrays a dinner party at which Socrates speaks of love; and Oeconomicus has him giving advice on household management and married life. Cyropaedia, a historical romance on the education of Cyrus (the Elder), reflects Xenophon's ideas about rulers and government; the Loeb edition is in two volumes.</p>

We also have his Hiero, a dialogue on government; Agesilaus, in praise of that king; Constitution of Lacedaemon (on the Spartan system); Ways and Means (on the finances of Athens); Manual for a Cavalry Commander; a good manual of Horsemanship; and a lively Hunting with Hounds. The Constitution of the Athenians, though clearly not by Xenophon, is an interesting document on politics at Athens. These eight books are collected in the last of the seven volumes of the Loeb Classical Library edition of Xenophon.</p>

Customer Reviews:

An Ancient Quest.......2006-11-03

This exciting battle story also is a meditation on leadership as the Greeks first attack and then retreat from the Persians across Tigris and Euphrates geography all too familiar at the present time.

The Real Deal!.......2006-07-24

I confess that I have heard of this classic for years and never made an attempt to read it until recently. It is a classic because it has stood the test of time. It is an outstanding account of the Greek Mercinaries who fought with Cyris in the 5th century BC. Although it reads much differently than a novel it is much more fascinating when you know that the words are written by the man who really participated in this epic adventure and survived to tell his story. I highly reccomend it to anyone who is interested in classsical warfare of just likes a good adventure story of men enduring extreme hardship and winning the battle in the end. You will not be disappointed.

brilliant story.......2006-04-03

It's a brilliant story, an epic hard to be found in other forms of literature throughout the world. Enjoyable, readable.

On a secondary note, I noticed the references to the absence of a movie. I'm writing a screenplay for this book, I'm an amateur writer in my free time and apart from poetry, fiction and short stories I'm interested in making screenplays from a few famous Classical stories. One of these is the battle of Marathon and the Anabasis itself. If you're interested my email is keltic_chi@yahoo.fr

Back to the story itself, I believe it's one of the few classical books that can be read by anyone, even if you're not particularly interested in the ancient world.

Jan

Greatest Story Ever Told?.......2005-07-18

Arguably the greatest military memoir ever written as well as the one of the greatest adventure stories ever told. Xenophon shows himself to be both a strong, fair leader and a humble person as he recounts the retreat from enemy territory. I understand there was a time when this was part of a mandatory curriculum in schools. How far we have fallen. Anabasis is a great story for all ages and would be a wise choice as a gift for young readers ( even if the younger ones need some help from their parents).

Incredible Classic.......2005-02-22

Although not as well known by the general populace as other great classics, Xenophon's Anabasis is both an exciting read and classic work of literature. Anabasis tells the tale of 10,000 Greek hoplites in western Persia (modern day Turkey and Iraq), and is a real page- turner. It provides valuable insight into hoplite warfare and the state of Greece and Persia during the time period in which the book was written (circa 400 B.C.).

Some knowledge of Greek warfare is required to fully appreciate Anabasis. Also, numerous Greek units of measurement are used throughout the book, but their modern equivalents can be found in footnotes in the book.

The Loeb edition is excellent, and the actual book is of the highest quality. An ancient Greek translation is provided, and hundreds of footnotes provide valuable information to today's reader.
P.S.- A helpful map is included.

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In the name of Iran
Xenofreak
What exactly are you buying here?
A Brilliant Read
The opposite of xenophobia

The Education of Cyrus (Agora Editions)
Xenophon
Manufacturer: Cornell University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0801487501

Book Description

Xenophon's masterpiece The Education of Cyrus--a work admired by Machiavelli for its lessons on leadership--is at last available in a new English translation for a new century. Also known as the Cyropaedia, this philosophical novel is loosely based on the accomplishments of Cyrus the Great, founder of the vast Persian Empire that later became the archrival of the Greeks in the classical age. It offers an extraordinary portrait of political ambition, talent, and their ultimate limits.

The writings of Xenophon are increasingly recognized as important works of political philosophy. In The Education of Cyrus, Xenophon confronts the vexing problem of political instability by exploring the character and behavior of the ruler. Impressive though his successes are, however, Cyrus is also examined in the larger human context, in which love, honor, greed, revenge, folly, piety, and the search for wisdom all have important parts to play.

Wayne Ambler's prose captures the charm and drama of the work while also achieving great accuracy. His introduction, annotations, and glossary help the reader to appreciate both the engaging story itself and the volume's contributions to philosophy.

Customer Reviews:

In the name of Iran.......2006-08-24

This book was indepth research of King of kings Cyrus the Great with respect how did He became the King of Persia/Iran.

Interestingly, Cyrus the Great became the King of Iran not by having large army but by hard work, and relying on His good allies and friends to establish His empire.

If English is your second language or if you are first time reader of Cyrus the Great you may wish to read this book "Xenophon's Cyrus The Great" by Larry HEDRICK in order to grasp King of kings Cyrus the Great very well.

Ahura Mazda be with you.

Xenofreak.......2005-09-28

This truly is one of the most remarkable books I've ever read and I would encourage anyone with an interest in military science, government or leadership to take the time to read it. This book requires commitment and a quiet place to read and savor its thought-provoking passages. The investment of time and effort is dwarfed by the magnitude of the lessons this book has to offer. Make the commitment and you'll see why this book was a favorite of men like Alexander the Great, Scipio Africanus, Caesar and Machiavelli.

What exactly are you buying here?.......2003-12-09

This book is not in the style of a Platonic dialogue, or a play (whether a tragedy or comedy), a Homeric epic (but if you're careful, you'll note parallels), or a history (like Herodotus).

No, Xenophon - a contemporary of Plato's, a student of Socrates - was considered a philosopher way back when. He tells a story and you might think it is a history that is meant to be accurate. There is nothing accurate about Xenophon's use of history in this book; however, the story is well-told and funny, and the prose moves fast in this edition. (Which was your primary concern, of course: that this was a good read.)

He does teach philosophy - ancient philosophy concerned with ethics and politics - in an interesting way. The plot of the book is as follows: Cyrus of Persia receives an education unlike any of his peers. With that education, and a considerable bit of ruthlessness, he attempts to take over the world.

It's difficult to write a story where different philosophical viewpoints define characters and events. Somehow, Xenophon pulls this off, and manages to entertain his reader with tales of battles, lots of humorous exchanges between characters, and even some love stories strewn throughout.

(If you do Classics, you probably want to get acquainted with Xenophon, fast.)

A Brilliant Read.......2003-02-24

Herodotus' Histories is often considered the gold standard of knowledge pertaining to the Persian empire. Little is made of the fact that this Ionian had certain political grudges against his political masters and had never visited Persia or had entry into Persian society. Xenophone however was a nobleman who lived amongst the Persians and the Medes and was acquaianted with their ways and histories. Xenophone's observations on Persian society and religion are far closer to modern scholarship than Herodotus. Furthermore even the chronological inaccuracies of Cyropaedia are in the Persian tradition. As evidenced by Sassanian histories, the Persians had the habit of attributing the conquests of dynasties to their founders. However the most fascinating and thrilling aspect of reading this book is that the educational stories attributed to Cyrus are identical to the stories found in Adab or the Persian courtly literature of Islamic era. Given that Xenophone was not translated into Persian or Arabic, this confirms the authenticity of the materials used by Xenophone. I love this book and have read it twice already. I recommend it to anyone who wants to have a closer look at the realities of Persia.

The opposite of xenophobia.......2000-10-02

Xenophobia is the fear of foreigners. Yet Xenophon's greatest book was a biography of the most hated foe of the greeks, Cyrus.

Cyrus was the greatest emperor of the Persian empire, and the antecedent (see what a great scholar I am? I can't remember all the exact facts like a real student should; I read this stuff for fun) of the Persian emperor who Alexander defeated right before Alexander went crazy and decided to conquer the rest of the world while he was on a streak.

In today's Jingoistic anti-Iran & Iraq climate, it's illuminating to get the Persian perspective on world history, and since I haven't found any Persian histories written from the ancient Persian viewpoint, this book is the best I've read.

Conversations of Socrates (Penguin Classics)
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Against the government-clique of President Perikles ...

Against the government-clique of President Perikles ...

A Revelation

Underrated

Second to Plato

Conversations of Socrates (Penguin Classics)
Xenophon
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 014044517X

Customer Reviews:

Against the government-clique of President Perikles ..........2005-07-26

Perikles pushed Athens into risky power politics, those led into the Peloponnesi war (431-404 before Chr.). The second woman of Perikles, Aspasia, participated in the philosophical discussions of Socrates and became highly estimated by him. She was accused like Sokrates of being not as religious as they should be. Of course the boring-questioner Socrates became a feedback not only ironically (e.g. by the comedy poet Aristophanes) but also others with heavy rage: started by the government clique around President Perikles. To awaken the people from their sleep of propaganda-smeared opinions, - this had to provoke counter actions. In his defense speech at court Socrates didn't own much time. The limit was set by a pot of water, having a whole. The moment, all the water had run out, that was the very moment he had to stop his speech. The jury of 500 Athenians didn't like to listen at all - and they were happy, to bring that thing quickly to an end. The three prosecutors of Socrates by the way had been lynched a few weeks later. Probably the thoughts become accepted to which Socrates had wanted to inflame: "... perhaps you might possibly be offended, like the sleeping who are awakened, striking me, you might easily kill, then the rest of your lives you might continue sleeping..." - Socrates maintained his integrity as hero until the end. His radical critique of the Athenians fundamental values is the starting point of western philosophy, of the modern debate over civil disobedience (compare Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr., Jane Fonda and so on...). Today it's still amusing to follow the way, how the master shredded the weaknesses in faulty arguments. Socrates had tried to make publicly, what later should be named as "try-and-error procedures of thinking". And he didn't allow the mighty ones to intimidate him. There are cultural fluctuations with regard to the allowance to think opposite. Jesus or Spartacus (or the American Socrates-scientist Vlastos, notified by the FBI and threatened with deportation to Canada because he didn't agree to the VietNam-war), Angela Davis, Sinead o'Connor or Michael Moore - they had their special versions of trouble. Today we don't need a death-sentence, there are smaller and more effective tricks, to produce a YES to nearly everything. So we still need such a hero of dissidence like Socrates - or should we stop thinking self-confidently? Nearly 500 years before Christ this Socrates gave an unforgettable sign of a solid character. He didn't beg the judge committee, to stop the death penalty, he didn't agree to accept exile - in the contrary he made a request for the highest honor in Athens at that time: the daily free meal-supply in the city hall. He was an ironic man and he knew, this request had been a little too much for the nervous jury ...

Against the government-clique of President Perikles ..........2005-07-26

A Revelation.......2004-06-28

Very few extant works remain on the life of Socrates: mainly the works of Xenophon and Plato. In "Conversations of Socrates" Xenophon writes extensively on the philosophical thought of the master in a forthright and simple manner. Xenophon has not always been praised for his writing style but he covers the Socratic principles thoroughly. The subjects aren't organized particularly well with examples of Socrates' views on certain virtues scattered throughout the text. Nevertheless, since Socrates didn't write his own thoughts we are very fortunate that we have these works.

Xenophon divided his works into four books: Socrates' Defense; Memoirs of Socrates; the Dinner-Party; and the Estate-Manager. Xenophon writes in the second and third person so that we "hear" the Socratic Method throughout the text. We see how Socrates used questions of his followers to teach them to think. His method thoroughly flushed out the truth and often revealed the flaws in the arguments his opponents and followers made.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Xenophon. One could almost imagine being right there with the master as he shredded the weaknesses in faulty arguments and uncovered hidden truths. His opinions on virtues may be dated to Twentieth Century people but one must remember that it was largely his teachings that had such a great influence on Western thought and ideas.

Underrated.......2004-06-25

While not as competent a writer as Plato, Xenophon's 'Socrates' is the historically more accurate (I refer to the chapter of Memoirs in this book.)The Dinner-Party was my favorite dialogue, there are also several brilliant vignettes throughout the memoir chapter. This is not to say that it doesn't 'drag' in parts, it does. The Estate-Manager, which is the last dialogue, terribly weighs down this volume; there Socrates is more a bystander than participant.

But I give this 5 stars, as its an indespensible volume for the Socratic enthusiast.

Second to Plato.......2000-06-30

Good source to compare and contrast Plato's accounts. Significant part of this book is concerning 'the dinner party' converstaions of Socrates. I enjoyed this book because I was conducting research on Socrates and his 'ture' ideology rather than what we know from text books. Thus, it might not be very interesting to a reader who has not read Socrates prior to this.

The Persian Expedition (Penguin Classics)

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fascinating narrative
ROMP AND STOMP
Naration a matter of taste but timeless material
History, Culture and Leadership
The thrill is in the translation

The Persian Expedition (Penguin Classics)
Xenophon
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140440070

Customer Reviews:

fascinating narrative.......2007-01-28

A very interesting story about the expedition of ten thousands Greek mercenary soldiers who were motivated by financial rewards by Cyrus the younger for war against his brother, Atraxerexes II.
Cyrus was killed in Cunaxa battle and Greek army negotiated with the Persian satrap Tissaphernes about returning back to Greece but the satrap had the intension to destroy the invading army and made it very hard for them to return from the same root and they had to divert towards Armenia first and then to southern coast of Black Sea.
They faced great difficulties on their march through hostile territories and were attacked several times by natives.
What is most interesting about this edition of "the Persian Expedition" is its first 48 pages of introduction by George Cawkwell and he is specialized in Greek history from sixth to fourth century and in his fantastic introduction and foot notes he explains about Xenophon's Pan-Hellenic motives and disputed narratives about victory of ten thousands Greek army against 1.2 millions Persian army!! And how villages were plundered on their root to Persia and people were taken as hostages and were sold as slaves later.
Persian history is indebted to some Great scholars for their research and for exposing the true about the history.

ROMP AND STOMP.......2006-11-03

This is the book that inspired all the swash-buckler adventures. A true escape coutresy good old boy XENOPHON...LOTS OF FUN

Naration a matter of taste but timeless material.......2006-09-12

The narator is not one of my favorite Blackstone narators but that seems more a matter of personal taste. The content/translation of the material is where the value lies in this recording. Xenophon's tact and humor in telling this legendary tale makes it poetry as much as history and the narator gives it a good rendition.

History, Culture and Leadership.......2006-08-20

The Persian Expedition or the "Anabasis" is a history of the expedition of a Greek Mercenary Army into the heart of the Persian empire to install Prince Cyrus upon the Persian throne. After success in battle against the Persian Emperor Artaxerxes, Cyrus is killed in battle and subsequently the Greek commanders are treacherously killed during truce negotiations. Despite being trapped in enemy territory, a thousand miles from assistance, the Greeks rally and retreat through Turkey to Byzantium via Armenia and the Black sea's coast despite determined opposition from Persian forces and tribal groups and natural dangers such as the mountains and rivers which threatened to halt the Greek retreat.

Xenophon was an Athenian who joined the expedition without rank, but following the Persian execution of the officers, was elected to the rank of General based upon his arguments that the Persian could no longer be trusted and that the Greeks only hope for survival and freedom was extricate themselves from there predicament. By the end of the march Xenophon has become one of the most respected of the Greek leaders and after successfully returning to Europe, he leads the survivors in the service of Seuthes II to secure the Thracian throne.

The Persian Expedition at its most simple a rip roaring tale of survival in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds. But it also provides a is a fascinating picture of the Greek city state culture and religion and how both of these factors impacted on the Greek military forces and endeavours constantly creating frictions within the various factions which made up the Greek force. Also the Persian Expedition provides an interesting analysis of the Persian empires strengths and weakness, an analysis which would later form the basis of the Alexander's campaigns "Indeed an intelligent observer of the Kings empire would form the following estimate "It is strong in respect to the extent of its territory and number of inhabitants ; but it is weak in respect of its lengthened communications and the dispersal of its forces"

However on a more universal basis the Persian Expedition is worth reading for Xenophon's insights on leadership, with much detailed analysis of the personality and styles of the various leaders of the expeditions and how the soldiers reacted to these personalities.

The thrill is in the translation.......2006-07-07

This is one of my favorite Classical texts--a thrilling "true" story of Xenophon and the 10,000's roundabout retreat out of what is now Iraq and Turkey from an angry Persian army. However, kudos to Rex Warner's translation which makes it a thrilling narrative that will hold a Grecophile on the edge of their seat better than, say, a lot of other academic translations of Classical authors. The hardest thing to get used to at first is Xenophon referring to himself in the 3rd person. This passes; however, I wonder why some bold translator has never just gone ahead and translated Xenophon in the 1st person. What difference could it possibly make?

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A "Must" For The Serious Horse Owner's/ Trainer's Library
The Art of Horsemanship by Xenophon
The great-great-great-grandfather of dressage.
An ancient but still modern book on dressage
THE ART OF HORSEMANSHIP BY XENOPHON

The Art of Horsemanship
Xenophon
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486447537

Book Description

Among the earliest known works on choosing, caring for, and riding horses, this book is still hailed — 2,300 years after it was written — as one of the most complete, thoughtful, and accessible guides of its type. Morris H. Morgan's fluid translation features 38 illustrations of this classic's practical tips and enlightened observations.

Customer Reviews:

A "Must" For The Serious Horse Owner's/ Trainer's Library.......2005-09-23

The first ever book of it's kind on selecting, training and riding horses, eloquently written by an articulate ancient Greek horseman. A quick read but entertaining and enlightening. This English translation is very fluid and easy to understand. Xenophon covers all the basics of horse husbandry that are still followed 2500 years later. If you are thinking of owning or training a horse, this work is a good place to start.

The Art of Horsemanship by Xenophon.......2005-09-19

Well translated version of the first book written on horsemanship. Translator has added interesting facts in a separate chapter concerning horses in Greek times 2500 years ago.For a student of horsemanship this book is highly recommended as the nature of the horse is considered as an important factor in his training.

The great-great-great-grandfather of dressage........2003-12-06

Before there was dressage there was Xenophon. He was a general and horseman, though it's hard to tell which he was first. It doesn't take a genius to realize that the man knew what he was talking about - otherwise we wouldn't be reading his words MILLENIA after he wrote them. I wonder if his horses felt they were lucky he was their rider - I know I feel lucky that we can still read his ideas.

An ancient but still modern book on dressage.......2003-02-06

There are two masters in dressage during history that not only teached their pupils but also made an effort to write down their knowledge in a book, Xenofon and de la Gueriniere. Xenofon took many things as given and he put the focus on how to handle the horse in a gentle way. Now that many of the knowledge he took for given have been lost still his teaching is modern and when compared to a lot of 20th century books on dressage I would call him revolutionary!

This edition includes both Xenofons book but also historical essays on tacking and other things in ancient greece.

THE ART OF HORSEMANSHIP BY XENOPHON.......2001-09-26

FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE THE TWIN PASSIONS OF HORSES AND HISTORY, THIS BOOK WAS FASINATING TO READ. XENOPHON SPEAKS LIKE MANY OF THE TRAINERS TODAY WHO ARE "TRAININ GENTLE". THERE ARE DIFFERENCES OF COURSE BECAUSE HIS MAIN THRUST IS A TRUSTWORTHY MOUNT FOR A CAVALRY THAT DID NOT USE SADDLES. HIS AFFECTION FOR THE ANIMALS IS APPARENT FROM THE OPENING PAGE. THIS BOOK WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO ANYONE WHO IS IN LOVE WITH HORSES, OR WOULD LIKE A FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ANCIENT USE OF CAVALRY.

Xenophon's Cyrus the Great: The Arts of Leadership and War

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Accomplishment
In the name of Iran
Cyrus the Great a true hero and a legend
Lessons in Ethical Leadership from an Epic Tale of Success
Would be five stars, but...

Xenophon's Cyrus the Great: The Arts of Leadership and War
Xenophon
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312364695
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Book Description

In 1906, a stilted English translation of Xenophon of Athens story about Cyrus the Greats military campaigns was published. Now, a century later, a much more accessible edition of one of historys most extraordinary and successful leaders is emerging. Among his many achievements, this great leader of wisdom and virtue founded and extended the Persian Empire; conquered Babylon; freed 40,000 Jews from captivity; wrote mankinds first human rights charter; and ruled over those he had conquered with respect and benevolence.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Accomplishment.......2006-08-07

A very readable version of one of the most remarkable books ever written. Hats off to Mr. Hedrick for making this ancient text seem so contemporary, without undermining the historical integrity of the work. I am a big fan of making the classics accessible to the average reader and Mr. Hedrick has done that. This would be a great gift for the recent high school or college grad. We can only hope that he is working on something similar for Xenophon's Persian Expedition, another ancient text that is rich in contemporary lessons.

In the name of Iran.......2006-07-25

The author of this book Mr. Larry HEDRICK have done great research in order to bring into light King of kings Cyrus the Great humanitrian achievements to readers attention. Truly, King Cyrus the Great was father of Persia/Iran, and liberator of Babylonians, law giver to Greek and messiah for Jews.

I hope in today's world, a leader same as Cyrus would emerge in political world and save us from this path of destruction.

Thank you Mr. Larry HEDRICK for reflecting light on Iran's heritage and enlighten Iranians and others of this great man's virtue.

Cyrus the Great a true hero and a legend.......2006-07-16

The book is based on 1906 translation by Henry Graham Dakyns and the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament which describes the liberation of Hebrews from their Babylonian captivity.
Xenophon describes the unique character of Cyrus the Great in details and his vision to bring a new order to the world and to replace injustice with justice and balance.
He formed a government that can still serve as a model for all those who thirst for justice and the virtue that lived in him will live on in everyone who cherishes his achievements.
His faith was deep and genuine and he believed in kindness, freedom, dignity .A true hero, a champion of human right.

Lessons in Ethical Leadership from an Epic Tale of Success.......2006-05-23

As the editor of "Xenophon's Cyrus the Great," I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you a little more about my version of this amazing ancient classic. The foremost management guru of recent times, Peter F. Drucker, read my manuscript before it was published, and he wrote this endorsement for use on its dust jacket: "'Xenophon's Cyrus,' the first book on the subject, is still the best book on leadership." Here's just a touch of background: Cyrus, the founder of the Persian empire, was an enlightened monarch who flourished 2,500 years ago. A century later, Xenophon of Athens so admired Cyrus' methods that he preserved them in history's first full-fledged treatment of wise and heroic leadership. This book presents its leadership lessons in the context of an epic story--the story of a vast power struggle. In narrating the events of Cyrus' life, Xenophon shows you, the reader, how to conduct meetings, become an expert negotiator, deal efficiently with allies, communicate by appealing to the self-interest of your followers, encourage the highest standards of performance, insure that your organization has the benefit of specialists, and prove that your words will be backed by your deeds. In recounting the achievements of Cyrus the Great, Xenophon wanted above all to provide lessons in ethical leadership, for he was convinced that honest, moral leaders succeed far more often than corrupt and evasive types. The result was a captivating leadership classic with unique qualities--a classic that's distinguished both by its suspenseful story line and the priceless advice that it offers to today's business professionals and leaders in all walks of life.

Would be five stars, but..........2006-05-09

The author/editor of the book takes a few liberties.

1) The book is abridged.
2) He re-writes the book in first person from Cyrus' point-of-view.

Even so, it is well worth reading, although I would suggest the Loeb translations.

The Expedition of Cyrus (Oxford World's Classics)

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The Expedition of Cyrus (Oxford World's Classics)
Xenophon
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192824309

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'Men, the enemy troops you can see are all that stands between us and the place we have for so long been determined to reach. We must find a way to eat them alive!' The Expedition of Cyrus tells the story of the march of the Ten Thousand. The exploits of this famous army of Greek mercenaries in modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Iraq were described by one of their leaders, the Athenian historian and philosopher Xenophon. They were recruited at the end of the fifth century BC by a young Persian prince, Cyrus, who rose in revolt against his brother, the king of Persia. After Cyrus' death, the army was left stranded in the desert of Mesopotamia, a thousand miles from home. Their long march, across mountains and plateaux to the sight of 'The sea! The sea!', and back to the fringes of the Greek world, is the most exciting adventure story to survive from the ancient world. Xenophon's gripping narrative offers a unique insight into the character of a Greek army struggling to survive in an alien world. It is also the most sustained eyewitness account of the landscape of the vast and wealthy Persian empire.

A History of My Times (Penguin Classics)

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Independence
Read First
The Vagaries of History
The sequel to Thucydides
A Fine Translation of Xenophon's "Hellenica"

A History of My Times (Penguin Classics)
Xenophon
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Persian Expedition (Penguin Classics)
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ASIN: 0140441751

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Independence.......2007-04-29

This is by all means a heavily underrated book.
Xenophon lays bare the essential characteristics of his (and our) time and its crucial kernel, independence.

Inside the Greek cities, independence meant democracy, which was the political regime in Athens. The latter's arch-rival, Sparta, had an oligarchic rule, a government controlled by a king and the aristocracy.
When Sparta defeated Athens, it put immediately a lackey oligarchic government (the Thirty) in place. The oligarchs could `do exactly what they liked with the state.' They went on a killing spree, murdering all democratic opponents, in casu, `more Athenians than all the Peloponnesians did in ten years of war.' They confiscated illegally the property of resident aliens and when people could vote, it was in full view.
Xenophon knows perfectly the importance of education: `For I know that in Persia everybody except one man is educated to be a slave rather than stand up for himself.'

Inside the Peloponnesus, independence meant freedom for every city: `the cities must be independent, which means not to set up your own government ... what you aim at is not that they should govern in accordance with the laws, but that they should be strong enough to hold down the city by force. This makes it look like as though what gives you pleasure is dictatorship and not constitutional government.'
The Greek cities fought against each other to become `like the king of Persia ... the richest man on earth ... he gets his revenue from a continent.' The reward for control was solid tribute, but also the goldmines of Mount Pangaeum.
This continuous infighting and the relentless changes of alliances were a catastrophe for the populations. The inhabitants of the conquered cities were enslaved and sold or slaughtered, the crops and towns burned, cattle and precious metals stolen. The city was completely annihilated.
The war ended with the peace of Antalcidas in 387 B.C. on very favorable terms for Sparta.

Xenophon's book could also serve as a manual for vicious (bribery, infiltration, spying, informants) or clever diplomacy: `guard against the emergence of any single strong Greek state by seeing that they were all kept weak by constantly fighting among themselves.'
It is also an encyclopedia for military tactics: where, when and how to fight and how to keep the morale of the troops high.
He is also a fine psychologist: `people call a man `good' merely because he has been good to them.'

To the contrary of his joke, `even the golden plane tree was not big enough to give shade to a grasshopper', Xenophon's book puts many authors in the shadow.

A must read for all historians and lovers of classical literature.

Read First.......2006-11-03

As a continuation of thuchides its a little soft. but if you read THE PERSIAN EXPIDITIONS by XENOPHON first you'll feel me comfotable with his
lighter reading style...

The Vagaries of History.......2004-01-16

The title refers to the complete randomness of the document survival process. We know that only a small fraction of the works of Aristophanes, Euripides, Plato, Livy (the historian), Aristotle and other "greats" survived the ages. The Gospel of Mark, which both Luke and Matthew tries to supplant, survived only because the splinter group that used it was located in the desert and the dryness increased longevity.

Thucydides recorded the first part of the Peloponnesian War and Xenophon presents witness to the last few years. Remarkably, both men were participants and their history is based on first-hand knowledge of the events and people. The city-states of Thebes, Athens and Sparta vied for supremacy with shifting allegiances and no clear winner. The writing is good, very good when one considers the various replications and translations that have brought the work to this point.

Xenophon introduces speeches and comments of participants and instead of just recording battles and events, he begins the process of writing a moral history - assigning blame, making choices on good and bad, presenting justifications and the reasons why certain people acted as they did. THe author was one of the first of the new breed - those who sought to present human action that was not directed by the caprice of gods or nature. As such he succeeded admirably.

The sequel to Thucydides.......2003-08-19

For people who have read Thucydides, this is an exemplary companion to his PELOPONNESIAN WAR. There are likely to be many readers out there who were dismayed at the conclusion of this text as it is incomplete. Of course, this is not the great historian's fault; he died while writing his epic historical treatise.

Enter Xenophon. He picks up almost right where Thucydides leaves off and traces the murky Grecian politics over the next 40 years or so, after which time Thebes would assert herself as the foremost power in the Greek world.

Along the way, Xenophon painfully recounts the demise of his beloved Spartans. His distaste for the Thebans is readily evident, and one must weigh the veracity of some of his descriptions of battles against his inherent Laconian prejudice. Rex Warner, the translator, does an excellent job of point out specific places where modern scholars have called into question Xenophon's honesty as well as his aptitude as an historian.

Nevertheless, for all the Xenophon-bashing that the 20th century has accrued, I still firmly believe he is well worth reading. He is one of the very few primary sources that we have for the demise of Alcibiades, the disastrous 30 Tyrants of Athens, the campaigns of King Agesilaus, the decisive battle of Leuctra and so much more. Hence, the present text is a MUST for the modern classical historian.

A Fine Translation of Xenophon's "Hellenica".......2001-08-23

Rex Warner's translation of Xenophon's "Hellenica" is quite enjoyable. However, the problem lies with Xenophon's writing. Allegedly a continuation of Thucydides' history of the Peloponnesian War, it is really more of a memoir recounting Spartan triumphs and failures during the period of 400 to 365 BC. Indeed, it should be regarded mainly as Xenophon's apologia on behalf of his Spartan patron, the king Agesilaus. As such it is often plodding reading. It is certainly not as riveting as Xenophon's "Anabasis". Yet those interested in Greek history during this time may find it rewarding.

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Xenophon: Memorabilia (Agora Editions)
Xenophon
Manufacturer: Cornell University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0801481716

Book Description

An essential text for understanding Socrates, Xenophon's Memorabilia is the compelling tribute of an affectionate student to his teacher, providing a rare firsthand account of Socrates' life and philosophy. The Memorabilia is invaluable both as a work of philosophy in its own right and as a complement to the study of Plato's dialogues. The longest of Xenophon's four Socratic works, it is particularly revealing about the differences between Socrates and his philosophical predecessors.

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But his mode of dealing with his intimates has another aspect. As regards the ordinary necessities of life,[6] his advice was, "Act as you believe[7] these things may best be done." But in the case of those darker problems, the issues of which are incalculable, he directed his friends to consult the oracle, whether the business should be undertaken or not.

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Anabasis
Xenophon
Manufacturer: Hard Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Hellenica

ASIN: 1406945269
Release Date: 2006-11-03

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