Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Secret History (Classics S.) by G. A. Williamson, Procopius ISBN: 0-14-044182-4 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 March, 1982 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.13 (15 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Entertaining Yet Incomplete
Comment: I am not qualified to opine on Procopius as historian, being no more than a lay reader. As a lay reader, however, I will say that The Secret History does not disappoint, even after having already heard most of the scuttlebut second-hand through Gibbon and Norwich. Procopius tells us in the beginning that he is writing for us, readers of a distant generation, and the effect of a writer trying to communicate across the centuries is remarkable. What we hear about Justinian and his wife Theodora is surprising to those who only Justinian through their introductory history classes - the emperor who restored the Eastern Roman Empire to its great glory, codified laws, etc., etc. But Procopius shows a different side to the Imperial couple, one that should not be surprising at all considering their on-again, off-again relationship with Belisarius. Indeed, the megalomania described by Procopius accords perfectly well with Justinian's war efforts - constant changes of leadership and refusal to recognize anything but his own suzerainty doomed the Byzantine reconquests.
The three star rating is not a reflection on Procopius, but, rather, on the packaging. Procopius tells us that The Secret History should be read as an appendix to his Histories of the wars. Indeed, his text constantly says, "as I described earlier," or, more poignantly, "here's what I said before, now let me tell you the *real* story." In other words, The Secret History does not stand by itself. It truly needs to be published together with The Histories.
Rating: 5
Summary: NOT SO HOLY AN EMPEROR ?
Comment: This is a good translation of Procopius most controversial opus, by G.A.Williamson, Senior Master of Classics at Norwich School (from 1922 to 1960). Whilst The Histories and Buildings are recognized as Procopius politically correct works, The Secret History tells a stunning tale of greed, corruption and destruction under Justinian and Theodora's empire.
Undoubtedly Procopius (A.D. 500?-565) was a qualified witness (having been private secretary to the greatest of Byzantium generals, Belisarius), although modern historians are at odds with the contradictions between what he wrote before and after this History, and still wonder what true motivations lie at the bottom of this work. But in my opinion, for anyone interested in a different , more private, assessment of Justinian and Theodora's deeds and character, this is a book that requires to be read. With caution, but with interest.
The architect of the Corpus Juris Civilis, the Codex Constructionum and the Digest, normally viewed as a "great conqueror, a great lawgiver, a great diplomat, and a great builder" (J.B. Bury) is screened in its defects by the author. The History mainly revolves around Justinian, Theodora, Belisarius and Antonina, their deeds, defects and personal motivations.
Justinian is portraited as a man of infinite greed and vicious cruelty. Theodora is exposed as a harlot, with a mind perpetually fixed upon inhumanity, constantly meddling in the affairs of the state.........
But let's not spoil the juicy tidbits. Let me just say that after one sorts out the mess created by this book, a more clear picture of the causes of the demise of the Roman Empire, the workings of the Imperial Court under Justinian and corruption of the mores will remain.
Rating: 5
Summary: "The Secret History," written by Procopius?
Comment: While this "scandle sheet" is extremely interesting, the question of how authentic it is seems to be completely ignored. Didn't someone try recently to pen "The Hitler Diaries?"
Some sort of analysis ought to go into finding if this is more than a fanciful tale, a forgery, or whether it was written by an actual, reputable, historical figure of the day.
 |
Title: The Alexiad of Anna Comnena (The Penguin Classics) by Anna Comnena, Edgar Robert Ashton Sewter ISBN: 0140442154 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 June, 1979 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
 |
Title: Fourteen Byzantine Rulers: The Chronographia of Michael Psellus (Classics S.) by Michael Psellus ISBN: 0140441697 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 June, 1979 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
 |
Title: The Later Roman Empire: A.D. 354-378 (Penguin Classics) by Ammianus Marcellinus ISBN: 0140444068 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 February, 1995 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
 |
Title: History of the Byzantine State by Georgije Ostrogorski ISBN: 0813511984 Publisher: Rutgers University Press Pub. Date: 01 July, 1986 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
 |
Title: A History of the Byzantine State and Society by Warren Treadgold, Treadgold ISBN: 0804726302 Publisher: Stanford University Press Pub. Date: 01 November, 1997 List Price(USD): $37.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
