This book shows, with enormous clarity, the glory that was Greece,
especially the most beautiful one hundred years, in particular,
which created nearly all that is and was beautiful about the Western mind, life and culture ever since. In the author''s view, that time and place shine with a pure light, in contrast to the darkness of other centuries -- a precious and beautiful time whose legacy is nearly everything we are and think and feel in modern times.
This book is essentially a book of critical evaluations of the major writers and scholars of Periclean Athens, in the context of their history and origins -- poets, playwrights, philosophers, historians and others; tangentially or indirectly, many more. It is the second edition of this book. The first was written in 1930; this one in 1942. It includes several writers, such as Pindar, who were omitted in the first edition.
After the Preface and a general introduction to Greek history and civilization, she discusses each of the following major writers (in a full chapter each):
PINDAR
PLATO
ARISTOPHANES
HERODOTUS
THUCYDIDES
XENOPHON
AESCHYLUS
SOPHOCLES and
EURIPIDES.
There are comparisons and contrasts given between East and West, mind and spirit, the ancient Greeks and the modern world. There are also discussions on the Greek way of writing generally and of the idea of
tragedy particularly. Finally, at the end of the book, there is a list of footnotes, containing references to material mentioned by the author, and some longer quotations and explanations of certain points in the text.
I first heard of this book while I was in High School. I have mightily resisted reading it, then and ever since. I regret that deeply -- it is one of the most inspirational books I''ve ever read,
especially to me as a writer. If I had read this book earlier, my life would have been very different; it will certainly never be the same again, from this day forward.