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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!dartvax!chip
From: chip@dartvax.UUCP (Brig )
Newsgroups: net.books
Subject: Re: Greek and Roman Classics
Message-ID: <557@dartvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 30-Dec-83 15:09:21 EST
Article-I.D.: dartvax.557
Posted: Fri Dec 30 15:09:21 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 31-Dec-83 01:05:26 EST
References: <633@ihuxw.UUCP>
Organization: Dartmouth College
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I'd like to cast a vote for the histories.  They are, in general,
less "objective" (dry) than our current histories, and full of
fascinating odds and ends.

By far the best is Herodotus, who travelled all over the world
picking up local tales and customs--which were then organized into
an account of how the Greeks ganged up to beat the Persians, who
at that point ruled "the rest of the world".  Herodotus takes
all his stories with a grain of salt, but unlikely as they are,
he passes them on.

Thucydides is also good.  Plutarch's Lives were a bit too long
and too occupied with obscure folks for me--but an interesting
browse.  I hope to read Sallust and Pliny in the next year or
two...  But I think everyone ought to try out Herodotus.