history of the peloponnesian war sparknotes

On the other hand, in keeping with more recent interpretations that are associated with reader-response criticism, the History can be read as a piece of literature rather than an objective record of the historical events. The judgment of Bury reflects this traditional interpretation of the History as 'severe in its detachment, written from a purely intellectual point of view, unencumbered with platitudes and moral judgments, cold and critical.' Bury view the work as an objective and scientific piece of history. On the one hand, some scholars such as J.

The History is divided into eight books.Īnalyses of the History generally occur in one of two camps. His account of the conflict is widely considered to be a classic and regarded as one of the earliest scholarly works of history. It was written by Thucydides, an Athenian historian who also served as an Athenian general during the war. Against this fear is our chief safeguard, teaching us to obey the magistrates and the laws, particularly such as regard the protection of the injured, whether they are actually on the statute book, or belong to that code which, although unwritten, yet cannot be broken without acknowledged disgrace.The History of the Peloponnesian War is a historical account of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), which was fought between the Peloponnesian League (led by Sparta) and the Delian League (led by Athens). But all this case in our private relations does not make us lawless as citizens. There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance over each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbour for doing what he likes, or even to indulge in those injurious looks which cannot fail to be offensive, although they inflict no positive penalty. The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life.

If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences if no social standing, advancement in public life falls to reputation for capacity, class considerations not being allowed to interfere with merit nor again does poverty bar the way, if a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition. Its administration favours the many instead of the few this is why it is called a democracy. ' Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighbouring states we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves.

History of the peloponnesian war sparknotes