Epochs of Greek and Roman BiographySather Classical Lectures, Volume Four: Epochs of Greek and Roman Biography provides an episodic yet insightful exploration of the development of biography as a literary genre in ancient Greece and Rome. Rooted in the principle articulated by Polybius, the work emphasizes the interconnectedness of history and the evolution of human ideas, particularly in the context of biographical writing. The author selects topics that address key problems and stages in the growth of biographical purpose, drawing connections between ancient and modern biographers, from Plutarch's enduring influence on psychoanalytic biographers to the continued relevance of classical ideals in contemporary biographical theory. While not attempting a complete history, the book offers a rich analysis of how biographical works reflect broader cultural and intellectual movements, and how the goals and methods of ancient biographers resonate with modern practices. This volume also stands out for its thorough academic approach, bolstered by an extensive array of footnotes and references designed not just for scholars, but for readers with a broad interest in biography. The book is the result of specialized study, offering a detailed bibliography that aims to engage those with a genuine enthusiasm for the genre. The author balances academic rigor with the intention to make ancient biography accessible and engaging, demonstrating the timeless relevance of ancient practices and offering a critical examination of their enduring influence. This makes the volume both a valuable resource for experts and an engaging read for those curious about the evolution of biographical writing. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1928. Many titles in the Voices Revived program are also newly available as ebooks, offered at a discounted price to support wider access to scholarly work. |
Contents
| 1 | |
THE FIFTH CENTURY | 30 |
THE PROSE ENCOMIUM OF HISTORICAL | 60 |
THE Pre | 91 |
ARISTOXENUS AND THE EARLY PERI | 119 |
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Common terms and phrases
Agesilaus Agricola Alcibiades ancient biography Aristotle Aristoxenus assertion Athenaeus Athenian Athens Atticus biog biographical encomium Bruns career century B.C. chapter character characterization Cicero classical commemorative composition contemporary criticism cursus honorum dead death deeds delineation Dicaearchus dirge elogium encomia encomiastic encomium epitaphios epitaphs ethical eulogist eulogy Euripides Evagoras example fact fifth century follow formal fourth century fragments funeral speech Gorgias Greek Hence Hermippus hero Homer honor human ideals individual intellectual Isocrates laudatio Leipzig Leo's literary biography literature lives ment method mind mode modern narrative nature Nepos orator original Pausanias Pericles Peripatetic personages personality Phaenias philosophers Plato Plutarch poet poetic poetry Polybius portraiture praise precedent prose encomium Pythagoras reader record rhetorical Roman Satyrus Scipio Seyffert Socrates specimens Stesimbrotus story Suetonian Suetonius Tacitus Teubner theme Thucydides tion topic tradition treatise tribute utterance virtues Vita Westermann writing Xenophon