Difference between revisions of "Xenophon"
Jeremiah4-22 (Talk | contribs) (New page: '''Xenophon''' was a Greek historian and a disciple of Socrates. He lived from 427 to 355 BC. Xenephon was the primary historian of the last days of Greece's freedom. He wrote a detai...) |
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| − | '''Xenophon''' | + | '''Xenophon''' (435-354 B.C.) the pupil and friend of [[Socrates]], was an ancient Greek historian, [[philosopher]], and military commander. |
| − | + | =Personal Life= | |
| + | Born at [[Athens]] in 435BC as the son of an Athenian of good position he later joined the expedition of [[Cyrus the Younger]] against his brother [[Artaxerxes II Mnemon|Artaxerxes II]]. This campaign ended badly when [[Cyrus the Younger]] died on the battlefield leaving [[Xenophon]] and his troops stranded in hostile territory to fend for themselves as they returned to the [[Bosphorus]]; as told in his work ''March of the Ten Thousand''. Xenophon later served in several military adventures, brought himself under the ban of his fellow-citizens in Athens, and retired to Elis where he spent twenty years of in the pursuits of country life and in the prosecution of literature. | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | =Literary Career= |
| + | Xenophon's exemplary works have become the epitome of "good Greek" in his mastery of the Attic style of the 5th century commanding clear and unpretentious prose; which many others such as [[Arrian]] modeled themselves upon<ref>The Complete Works of Arrian, translated by Robison, E. Iliff, ''Anabasis of Alexander'', Preference, Delphi Classics, 2014</ref>. | ||
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| + | The principal of Xenophon's literary works (which seem to all have survived unto this day) are the “Anabasis,” being an account in seven books of the expedition of [[Cyrus the Younger]] and Xenophon's conduct of the retreat; the “Memorabilia,” in four books, being an account of the life and teaching and in defense of his master Socrates; the “Helenica,” in seven books, being an account of 49 years of Grecian history in continuation of Thucydides to the battle of Mantinea; and “Cyropædeia,” in eight books, being an ideal account of the education of Cyrus the Elder. Xenophon wrote pure Greek in a plain, perspicuous, and unaffected style, had an eye to the practical in his estimate of things, and professed a sincere belief in a divine government of the world .<ref>{{Nuttall|Xenophon}}</ref> | ||
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| + | ==The Cyropædia== | ||
| + | ''Help Conserservapedia by enlarging this section'' | ||
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| + | ==March of the 10,000== | ||
| + | the "[[Anabasis]]" or "Upland March", which describes the march of the 10,000 Greek mercenaries through [[Anatolia]] to get back to Greece. It is read as a basic text in ancient [[Greek language|Greek]]. | ||
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| + | ==The Helenica== | ||
| + | ''Help Conserservapedia by enlarging this section'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Memorabilia== | ||
| + | Xenophon was the primary historian of the last days of [[Ancient Greece|Greece]]'s freedom. His ''Memorabilia'' depicts [[Socrates]] as a teacher of virtue who balanced reason and faith in order to attain the truth.<ref>Xenophon. E. C. Marchant (Translator), O. J. Todd (Translator). Xenophon: Memorabilia. Oeconomicus. Symposium. Apologia. (Loeb Classical Library No. 168)</ref> He wrote a detailed account ''Hellenica'' which picked up where [[Thucydides]]'s ''History of the [[Peloponnesian War]]'' left off. | ||
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| + | =References= | ||
| + | <references/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:Ancient Greek Historians]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Ancient Greek Philosophers]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Ancient Greece]] | ||
Latest revision as of 17:57, November 13, 2020
Xenophon (435-354 B.C.) the pupil and friend of Socrates, was an ancient Greek historian, philosopher, and military commander.
Contents
Personal Life
Born at Athens in 435BC as the son of an Athenian of good position he later joined the expedition of Cyrus the Younger against his brother Artaxerxes II. This campaign ended badly when Cyrus the Younger died on the battlefield leaving Xenophon and his troops stranded in hostile territory to fend for themselves as they returned to the Bosphorus; as told in his work March of the Ten Thousand. Xenophon later served in several military adventures, brought himself under the ban of his fellow-citizens in Athens, and retired to Elis where he spent twenty years of in the pursuits of country life and in the prosecution of literature.
Literary Career
Xenophon's exemplary works have become the epitome of "good Greek" in his mastery of the Attic style of the 5th century commanding clear and unpretentious prose; which many others such as Arrian modeled themselves upon[1].
The principal of Xenophon's literary works (which seem to all have survived unto this day) are the “Anabasis,” being an account in seven books of the expedition of Cyrus the Younger and Xenophon's conduct of the retreat; the “Memorabilia,” in four books, being an account of the life and teaching and in defense of his master Socrates; the “Helenica,” in seven books, being an account of 49 years of Grecian history in continuation of Thucydides to the battle of Mantinea; and “Cyropædeia,” in eight books, being an ideal account of the education of Cyrus the Elder. Xenophon wrote pure Greek in a plain, perspicuous, and unaffected style, had an eye to the practical in his estimate of things, and professed a sincere belief in a divine government of the world .[2]
The Cyropædia
Help Conserservapedia by enlarging this section
March of the 10,000
the "Anabasis" or "Upland March", which describes the march of the 10,000 Greek mercenaries through Anatolia to get back to Greece. It is read as a basic text in ancient Greek.
The Helenica
Help Conserservapedia by enlarging this section
Memorabilia
Xenophon was the primary historian of the last days of Greece's freedom. His Memorabilia depicts Socrates as a teacher of virtue who balanced reason and faith in order to attain the truth.[3] He wrote a detailed account Hellenica which picked up where Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War left off.
References
- ↑ The Complete Works of Arrian, translated by Robison, E. Iliff, Anabasis of Alexander, Preference, Delphi Classics, 2014
- ↑ Nuttall Encyclopedia of General Knowledge, article on Xenophon originally published in 1907 written by Reverend James Wood
- ↑ Xenophon. E. C. Marchant (Translator), O. J. Todd (Translator). Xenophon: Memorabilia. Oeconomicus. Symposium. Apologia. (Loeb Classical Library No. 168)
