A Smaller History of Greece: from the Earliest Times to the Roman ConquestSmith, William
History
A Smaller History of Greece: from the Earliest Times to the Roman Conquest
Smith, William
Greece -- History -- To 146 B.C.
XENOPHON, the son of Gryllus, was also an Athenian, and was probably
born about B.C. 444. He was a pupil of Socrates, who saved his life at
the battle of Delium (B.C. 424). His accompanying Cyrus the younger in
his expedition against his brother Artaxerxes, king of Persia, formed a
striking episode in his life, and has been recorded by himself in his
ANABASIS. He seems to have been still in Asia at the time of the death
of Socrates in 399 B.C., and was probably banished from Athens soon
after that period, in consequence of his close connexion with the
Lacedaemonians. He accompanied Agesilaus, the Spartan king, on the
return of the latter from Asia to Greece; and he fought along with the
Lacedaemonians against his own countrymen at the battle of Coronea in
394 B.C. After this battle he went with Agesilaus to Sparta, and soon
afterwards settled at Scillus in Elis, near Olympia. He is said to
have lived to more than 90 years of age, and he mentions an event which
occurred as late as 357 B.C.
Probably all the works of Xenophon are still extant. The ANABASIS is
the work on which his fame as an historian chiefly rests. It is
written in a simple and agreeable style, and conveys much curious and
striking information. The HELLENICA is a continuation of the history
of Thucydides, and comprehends in seven books a space of about 48
years; namely, from the time when Thucydides breaks off, B.C. 411, to
the battle of Mantinea in 362. The subject is treated in a very dry
and uninteresting style; and his evident partiality to Sparta, and
dislike of Athens, have frequently warped his judgment, and must cause
his statements to be received with some suspicion. The CYROPAEDIA, one
of the most pleasing and popular of his works, professes to be a
history of Cyrus, the founder of the Persian monarchy, but is in
reality a kind of political romance, and possesses no authority
whatever as an historical work. The design of the author seems to have
been to draw a picture of a perfect state; and though the scene is laid
in Persia, the materials of the work are derived from his own
philosophical notions and the usages of Sparta engrafted on the
popularly current stories respecting Cyrus. Xenophon displays in this
work his dislike of democratic institutions like those of Athens, and
his preference for an aristocracy, or even a monarchy. Xenophon was
also the author of several minor works; but the only other treatise
which we need mention is the MEMORABILIA of Socrates, in four books,
intended as a defence of his master against the charges which
occasioned his death, and which undoubtedly contains a genuine picture
of Socrates and his philosophy. The genius of Xenophon was not of the
highest order; it was practical rather than speculative; but he is
distinguished for his good sense, his moderate views, his humane
temper, and his earnest piety.
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