Agesilaus

Xenophon, 431 BCE-350？ BCEProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.7

Word count: 80K words
Chapters: 9

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Agesilaus by XenophonAuthor: Xenophon, 431 BCE-350? BCE,Language: English, Class: PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature, Release Date: Jan 1, 1998

Editor's review

Agesilaus is a short encomiastic biography by Xenophon of the Spartan king Agesilaus II, and though brief it concentrates the author's understanding of the ideal monarch and of Spartan virtue. The work is structured around the events of his life—his origins, accession, campaign in Asia, return to fight at home, and later years—with emphasis on his self-control, courage, piety, and obedience to the city. Unlike Thucydides' cool analysis, Xenophon's tone is openly moralizing, so the book is better read as a "demonstration of virtue" than as a strict modern historical biography. Its value lies in offering a sample of Spartan political culture from the perspective of a participant and friend, and in showing how a classical author shaped a political figure through praise. As you read, notice which events the author selects and which he omits; that selection is itself good material for understanding ancient biographical writing. The English translation is short, making it suitable as an introduction to classical biography and for reading alongside the Anabasis to observe the same author's narrative strategies in different genres.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Spartan politics and the classical biographical genre
Readers who want a short work to understand Xenophon's encomiastic style
Teachers and students needing supplementary material for courses on classical civilization
Readers interested in ancient discussions of monarchical virtue

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a complete history of Sparta or a systematic analysis of its institutions
Readers who prefer objective, critical biography and dislike an encomiastic tone

Reading tips

Learn the background of Agesilaus' era first; the events will then be easier to grasp.
As you read, note which qualities the author praises and observe how the encomium argues.
Read it alongside the Anabasis to compare Xenophon's narrative choices in different genres.
After finishing, revisit what the author omits or downplays and consider the question of stance in biographical writing.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this a rigorous modern historical biography?

No. It is an ancient encomiastic biography with a clear purpose of moral praise, focused on displaying the monarch's virtue rather than comprehensively verifying historical facts. Read it as an expression of Xenophon's political ethics and cross-check other sources; do not treat it as an objective record of his life.

It is short—is it suitable for beginners?

Yes, as an introductory text to classical biography. The English translation is not long and the narrative line is relatively clear. Beginners can read it once for the overall picture, then reread with background material. If you are entirely unfamiliar with Spartan institutions, supplement with basic historical knowledge first.

Do I need to read the Anabasis first?

Not necessarily. The two books can be read independently. But reading them together is more rewarding: the same author handles material differently in a long expedition narrative and a short encomium, and the comparison helps clarify Xenophon's intent and sense of genre.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Xenophon, 431 BCE-350？ BCE Author

Xenophon (c. 431–c. 350 BCE) was an ancient Greek historian, military commander and prose writer. Public information about the details of his life is limited, and his works are the main basis for understanding him and his thought. The collection holds 20 of his works, including Anabasis, Hellenica, Cyropaedia and The Memorabilia. These writings combine historical narrative, military memoir and philosophical dialogue; their style is clear and plain, their narration concrete and vivid, and they are especially notable for firsthand accounts of campaigns he experienced. His works have long circulated as important sources for the study of ancient Greek politics, warfare and thought, and have influenced later historical writing and educational ideas.