CL 101 (World of Greece) Prof.

Steve Esposito Boston University 3-16-24

Thucydides: Study Questions, CLASS #1 Homework for Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Thucydides: On Justice, Power, and Human Nature (translated by Paul Woodruff)

Do NOT worry if you have the old 1993 edition of Woodruff’s book (= 172 pages) rather
than the 2nd revised / expanded edition (2021 = 242 pages); I’ve provided below the page
numbers for BOTH editions as well as the Book and Chapter numbers.

READING ASSIGNMENT: The editor’s fine introduction (about 30 pages); he outlines nicely
Thucydides’ key thoughts on justice, power, and human nature. The rest of your reading from
Thucydides’ text amounts to only about 20 pages. So the whole reading assignment for class #1 is
about 50 pages.

Introduction: Thucydides is the greatest historian of the ancient world and arguably the greatest
historian ever; he basically invented Political Science. His book on the Peloponnesian War between
Athens and Sparta which ended in Athens’ stunning defeat after 27 years (431-404 BCE), is still taught
in U.S. war colleges because his analysis of this a-symmetrical war (a naval power vs. a land power; cf.
the Vietnam War) is unsurpassed. Athens (a democracy), had lots of money, a massive navy (300 war
ships), a spectacular triple harbor (the ‘Piraeus’), a huge army (some 50,000 soldiers), a walled city, and
a famous leader (Pericles). Sparta (an oligarchy) had NONE of those things. So why did Athens lose
this war? Thucydides’ History is a very long book that explains that; our excellent anthology (translated
by Paul Woodruff for Hackett Press) gathers together the most important passages .

1. Why did Thucydides chose to write a history of the war between Athens and Sparta?
(Book 1, chapter 1 = OLD edition page 1 = NEW edition page 1)

2. There are some 141 speeches in Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War which is about 25%
of his 500-page text. On what key principles did he compose those speeches? And do you find those
principles of his historical method credible? One of his primary assumptions is that human nature is
constant through time. Do you agree or not? Why, or why not? Evidence?
(Book 1, chapter 20.2-22 = OLD edition pages 12-13 = NEW edition pages 12-13)

3. According to Thucydides what were the immediate causes of the Peloponnesian War? And what
was the real cause? Can you think of other historical instances where this distinction between
immediate vs. real causes of war is relevant and important? (Bk 1, chapter 21 = OLD edition pp.
15-16 = NEW edition page 14; also Bk 1, chapter 88 = OLD edition p. 28-29 = NEW edition pp 37-
39)
4. In the famous ‘Debate at Sparta’ held in 432 BCE, what are the main differences between the
Spartans and the Athenians according to the Corinthians (who hated Athens) in book I.68-70? What
accounts for those differences? And what are the motives that compelled the Athenians to acquire
their empire?
(Book 1, chapters 68-79 = OLD edition pages 16-25 = NEW edition pages 23-34)
5. Pericles was the powerful leader of Athens at the time of the Peloponnesian War. in 431 BCE. What
are his main reasons for wanting to go to war against Sparta? And who is the audience of his first
speech and how might that be important?
(Book 1, chapters 140-146 = OLD edition pages 31-37 = NEW edition pages 41-46)