Including the works of more than thirty authors, this edition of early Greek writings on social and political issues includes the origin of human society and law; the nature of justice and good government; the distribution of power among genders and social classes.
Dionysus, god of wine and ecstasy, has come to Thebes, and the women are streaming out of the city to worship him on the mountain, drinking and dancing in wild frenzy. The king, Pentheus, denouces this so-called 'god' as a charlatan. But no mortal can deny a god and no man can ever stand against Dionysus. This stunning translation, by the award-winning poet Robin Robertson, reinvigorated Euripides' devastating take of a god's revenge for contemporary readers, bringing the ancient verse to fervid, brutal life.
Thucydides was the first ancient Greek historian to double as a social scientist. He set out to understand human events entirely in human terms, without recourse to myth. He sought to know why people go to war and how they are affected by its violence. He studied the civil war in Corcyra, which began when radicals burst into the council house and killed leaders who favored democracy. The strengths and weaknesses of democracy are a major theme of his History. Its larger story shows how the Athenians tried to expand their empire too far and came to a crushing defeat. Here are vivid stories of land and sea battles, interspersed with fascinating and disturbing debates about war and policy. All of Thucydides's History is here, either in summary or translation, in a volume short enough for a wide readership. This Second Edition is expanded to include all the important debates and battle scenes, and the entire translation has been revised in accord with the latest scholarship. The Essential Thucydides (Hackett, fall 2021) is the second edition of Paul Woodruff's On Justice, Power, and Human Nature: Selections from The History of the Peloponnesian War (first published by Hackett Publishing Company in 1993, paperback ISBN 978-0-87220-168-2, cloth ISBN 978-0-87220-169-9).
Jedna z nejdokonalejších a nejznámějších antických tragédií, o neodvratné síle osudu, vychází v klasickém překladu Ferdinanda Stiebitze jako 65. svazek edice D. Král Oidipus se z věštírny dozví, že mor, který sužuje Théby, má konkrétní příčinu. Žije tu totiž vrah předchozího krále Laia. Oidipus se rozhodne, že vraha vypátrá, ale věštec označí za vraha jeho. Oidipus nevěří, ale po dalším pátrání zjistí krutou pravdu. Po narození měl být Oidipus usmrcen, protože věštba určila, že v dospělosti zabije svého otce a za manželku si vezme svou matku; tak se však nestalo.
Paul Woodruff's Living Toward Virtue gives ethics a new start that is practical and down to earth, while resting on a foundation of ancient wisdom. Woodruff draws on the ancient wisdom of Socrates to develop a new approach to an ethical life - one that shows how we can nurture our souls, enjoy a virtuous happiness, and avoid moral injury.
In a world where CEOs award themselves hefty bonuses amid bankruptcies and layoffs, and athletes earn millions while teachers struggle, the distribution of rewards often feels unjust. Paul Woodruff explores this pressing moral issue, questioning how to honor those whose contributions are vital to success without undermining social cohesion. He examines the fairness of rewarding superstars at the expense of diligent workers and seeks to differentiate between impartial fairness and true justice. Woodruff frames his discussion around the ancient conflict between Ajax and Odysseus over Achilles' armor, where King Agamemnon's speech contest leads to Ajax's loss and subsequent despair. Ajax's tragic fate reflects the resentment of overlooked workers in favor of those with more celebrated skills. Addressing the "Ajax dilemma," Woodruff suggests that while a perfect system for just rewards is unattainable, we can emphasize the importance of wisdom, compassion, moderation, and respect to restore a sense of justice in communities. This concise, insightful work delves into some of today's most divisive issues, showcasing Woodruff's elegant writing style.