Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2002-09-27

8/9/2019 Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2002-09-27

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Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2002.09.27

Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2002.09.27

Jonathan J. Price, Thucydides and Internal War. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 2001. Pp. xi, 410. ISBN 0-521-78018-7.

$70.00.

Reviewed by James V. Morrison, Centre College ([email protected])Word count: 2469 words

Thucydides and Internal War by Jonathan Price (hereafter "P.")argues that Thucydides views the Peloponnesian War as a stasis("civil war") between Greeks. The war from 431-404 "was mostprofoundly an internal war which brought degeneration to Helleniccivilization in much the way stasis destroys the entity which itafflicts" (77). P. uses this idea -- war as stasis -- to explain the

Archaeology, Spartan propaganda, Pericles' speeches, and Thucydides'

presentation of religion. P. effectively marshals evidence to makethis ambitious argument coherent. The book is divided into fourparts with seven chapters overall, beginning with the model of

stasis in Corcyra (3.70-83) and building from there. Every studentof Thucydides should read P., and he offers all classicists anexcellent model for how to argue from textual evidence, take account

of scholarship (while always focusing on the ancient work itself),and blend in judicious scepticism when dealing with difficult textsand multiple possible interpretations. While P. may not convince all

readers of his overall thesis, he offers valuable insights onvirtually every aspect of Thucydides' work.Part I: "The model of stasis" (1-78) includes a brief introductionand the first chapter, "Beyond Corcyra," which offers a detailed

analysis of Thucydides' account of the civil war in Corcyra andsuggests that this model is the key to understanding the rest ofThucydides' work. Thucydides' "original" definition of stasisderives from examining how people speak and act, beginning with theCorcyrean model that encapsulates how language is affected in timesof stasis. Central to this exploration is P.'s insistence thatThucydides does not say that the meaning of words have "changed"(3.82.4). Based on his translation "people exchanged the valuationof words ( ... )," P.

erpre

: "Thucyd

deme

h

dur

g

ord re

he

r greed-upo

me

g bu

hev

ue

g

ed

o

hem,

h

, ho

he

r me

g ere e

c

ed

oc

e

y, ch

ge" (41). Dur

g c

v

co

f

c

,oc

e

y'v

ue

h

ve

bee

r

formed:

he v ue of "cour

ge

rue

o

he pr

y" fore

mp

e h

ch

ged fromco

ruc

ve

ode

ruc

ve o

e,


2/6

u

r

g ho

he re

o h

p be

ee ord

d re

y, h

chre

o co ve

o ,

u derm

ed" (47).The

mode

o ch

r

c

er

zepeop

e'

c

o

: po

c

eg

ce

o fc

o

ou

e

gh

oy

y

o fm

y, per

o

dv

ceme

rump

o

her co

der

o,

e

ge ce

u

ed

o

ou

oppo

e

by v

o

g h

ru

, moder

e

re e

m

ed,

o

h

re me

ge

, v

oe ce re

g

upreme. P. e

b

he

h

Thucyd

de

"

hrough h

y

...demo

r

e

h

c

e

reorg

m

much

ff

c

ed by

d

v

du

" (26). The re

of

he book co

u

y re

ur

o

he

mode

h

he go

of

ho

g

h

he ord

dc

o

of

he He e

e

r f

he

p

er .P

r

II: "Logo

" compr

e

hree chp

er, co cer

g

hem

pu

o of ord

d

he bre

kdo of commu

c

o . Ch

p

er 2,

"The

r

v

u

o

of

ord

" (81-126), e

m

e

hree f

mou

deb

e

:

he Cor

h

d Corcyre

(1.32-43), C

eo

dD

odo

u

(3.37-48),

d

he Theb

d P

e

(3.53-67). Mo

provoc

vey, P.

ee

he P

e

deb

e

hrough

he pr

m of

: "I Boeo

e

e

hepec

c

e of

o

de

, e

ch gu

y of cr

me

, bo

h ju

fy

g

he

r

c

o

dco dem

g

ho

e of

he

r e emy u der

he gu

e of p

r

o

m

du

ver

v ue

, e

pec

y 'ju

ce.' Wh

o

prec

e

y

hoe v

ue

" (117-118). The P

e

'

ppe

h

"

He

d

g

e em

e

" (110)

chro

c, be

o g

g

o

he

er

er erof

he Per

Wr

(118). The Theb

rgue

h

heP

e

h

ve be

ryed

d

ffere

commu

y, Boeo

, h

ch mou

o " be

r y of He

e f" (118).Ch

p

er 3, "He

e

c

e

redef

e

he commu

y of He

"(127-189),

rgue

h

pe

ker

he Peopo e

Wr "

ve

e

co cep

u

bou d

r

e

" by redef

g oppo

o

d

ff

e

.Bo

h

de

ee A

he

d

c

ve, ye

for d

ffere

re

o

. The

Pe

opo e

redef

e

he He

e

c or

d

uch

y

oe c

ude

he A

he

by equ

g

hem

h

he Per

. Sp

r

d

her

e r

cu

e

hree

heme

uppor

of

h

redef

o

:

he

ber

o

of He

(A

he

-Per

)

d

he

o re

ed

heme

of A

he

d

ffere

ce due

o

he

r

here

ure

d due

o

he

r

e

h

c

y. Th

, of cour e,

rhe

or

c --

y of def

g

he or

d --

d

or

h

o

g

h

Arch

dmu

que

o

he

de

of

here

d

ffere

ce(1.84). P.

o c

u

o

g

ee

gThucyd

de'

u

hor

comme

o

he Spr

d A

he

(8.96)

e

dor eme

of

he Cor

h

' gr

d d

cho

omy

1.70-71.So much for Pe

opo

e

k. A

he pr

c

p

poke

m

for

heA

he

, Per

ce

u

e

u

co

ve

o

rhe

or

c

d dr

grgume

oho

h

he A

he

re "

breed

p

r

." Echo

g

gu ge from

he Arch eo ogy, Per

c e ' f

r

peech "p ce

hePe

opo

e

d

c

y pr

m

ve

ge

h

or

c

co

uum";

he

r "brb

r

c bck

rd

e " m

ke

hem

e

o

he

A

he

ho re h

or

c y uper

or (177). Per

c e ' r d

c c

m

he Fu

er

Or

o

h

"by

he A

he

' o

bor

cour

ge

oc

...

d m

er of

v

g...

hey defe

oppo

e

"


3/6

(181). Ye

Per

ce

o m

pu

e

guge. Amo g Per

ce

'

"

gu

c

r

v

u

o :" h

"def

o of freedom

bo

h

he

dom

o

of o

her

d equ

y

heubord

o

ofe

f

o

hec

y" (185).P. m

ke

ere

g d

c

o . Accord

g

o Per

c

e

, bec

u

e"A

he

h

dv

ced beyo

d

he

ge recorded

he

Arch eo ogy,"

he

r c

y c

o

y be comp red

h po

e

hefu

ure. Bu

h

v

o "

f

f

ed by

v

o

o ofc

rd

pr

c

pe of

he Archeo

ogy,

me

y He

e

c u

y

d

heb

y

oc

'

commo .'" Per

ce

' f

e rhe

or

c "erve

o

y fur

her

o d

v

de A

he from

he re

of He

h

e er' m

d"

(186). Per

c

e

'

h

rd

peech reorder

he or

d by f

ou

g

heco

ve

o

c

egor

eof He

e

e

d brb

ro

; r

her hed

gu

he

be

ee A

he

d

o

her peope

d

o,

ump

g Per

d o

her Greek

he " o

-A

he

" c

egory.I deed, P.

ugge

h

"Per

c

e

'

peech come

c

o

e

o

eg

g

he very co

cep

d fc

of He

,

ce he por

ry

A

he

h

v

g

ch

eved

o

he

e

ge

He

e

c deve

opme

bu

h

or

c

deve

opme

from

rger per

pec

ve" (188).Look

g bck

o

he

mode

, P. co

cude

h

Per

ce

'

peeche

u

r

e

o fe

ureof

rhe

or

c: "

r

v

u

o of ord

d

e

bor

e re-order

g of

he

d A

he' re

o

o

" (189). The "p

hoogy" of pub

cd

cour

e, P. m

,

h

of

.

Ch

p

er 4, "The f

ure of commu

c

o " (190-204), e

m

e

heA

he

'

peech

he f

r

Pe

opo e

Co gre

(1.73-78)

d

he Me

D

ogue (5.84-116). I

he former, "

hrough

ou d

gm

percep

o "

he A

he

o

o y comp

re

heme

ve

o

he

Per

( be

f vor b y, due

o

he

r m

d ru e), bu

o, due

o "

fu d

me

d

h

rmo y

d co

p

e of

h

red v

ue

d or

d

v

e ,"

hey hve

o

heb

y

o commu

c

e

h o

her Greek

(195). I

he Me

D

ogue, he A

he

"prove

er

o

"by bru

e force,

h

become

"

mo

gro

e

que e

mp

e" of

keyfe

ure of

he

mode

:

he d

ju c

o ofogo

d ergo (198-199). Bo

h

peech

d d

ogue

re u

ed

o

uppor

P.'

co

e

o

h

he A

he

h

ve

pr

v

e v

o , "e pre

ed

h

mo

pr

v

e

gu

ge" (185).Af

er

he e

hree ch p

er o

ord ,

e move

o P r

III: "Erg ,"d

v

ded

o

o chp

er. Ch

p

er 5, "The 'gre

e

k

e

'"

(207-274), e pore

b

rb

r

y, re

g

o

,

d c

v

c v

r

ue.Thucyd

dee

m

emore

h

mpy

r -- b

e

be

ee

oppo

g

c

e-- he

o h

gh

gh

pec

of

he hoe "uphe

v

"

(k

e

):

he bru

y,uffer

g,

d v

o

o

of mor

v ue

.

P. e p

Thucyd

de' focu

o

h

m

y hve

ee

"m

or"eve

. For e mp e, Thucyd

de recou

he m cre

Myc e u (7.29-30), "

o

o

y bec

u

e of h

hppe

ed

here bu

o becu

e

of here

hppe

ed. The v

oe

ce hd

pre

d from

he m

pr

e

he r

o prev

ou y u

vo ved e eme

of

he He e

c or d,

much

he me

y

r

h

he rr

g fc

o

bu

oo

e

guf

he e

re popu

o

ofc

y" (215).

E

reme y v u b e

P.'

y

of Thucyd

de ' "freque

"me

o

of re

g

o

,

eve

P

he e

ce

g

re

hece

e

for "

er

d...boody He

e

c co

fro

o

." P.

brough

o


4/6

he co cu

o

h

hee

c

de

do o

reve

y

h

gbou

Thucyd

de' o

pero

be

efreg

rd

g re

g

o

; r

her

he

e

o demo

r

e "He e

c d

u

y" (219). P.

ruc

vey

comp

re

he ro

e of re

g

o

Thucyd

de

d Herodo

u

. I Herodo

u, re

g

o

eeme

ofh

red He

e

c

de

y;

emp e re

he e

g for "po

ve, u

fy

g... c

o

." I

Thucyd

de, ho ever, "

he e po

o

dbu

e of re

g

o form

ce

r

p

r

of

he

rr

ve of

he co

p

e of commo v

ue

dh

red

u

o

He

" (233-234).Af

er v

oe ce

d re

g

o , P. purue

h

de

h

"Thucyd

de

mp

c

y or e p

c

y comp

re

mpor

d

v

du

c

ve

he

r

o Per

c

e

" (237). Per

c

e

, "

he mode

of c

v

c v

r

ue,

co

ju

hoe qu

e h

ch

he

mode

re rep

ced

by d

or

ed, h

rmfu

form

or d

ppe

r: moder

o , c

v

cdevo

o

, po

c

e

d '

e

ge

ce're d

p

ced by

e

rem

m, greedy

e

o

o o

e'

pr

v

e

ere

d

k

d ofob

u

e e

h

ch c

o

ee beyo d

he

mmed

e mome

" (239). I

'

o

urpr

e

h

Ceo

d Ac

b

de

uffer from

he compr

o ;

more

ere

g

P.'

rgume

h

N

c

pur

ue

per

o

repu

o

d

dv

ge;

d

h

Br

d

, of

e

ee

o e ofThucyd

de' "heroe

,"

ck

"mor

d

me

o ." Th

ch

p

er co

e

h

ook

he Pe

ce of N

c

h

ch bo

h

de

"e

ered

o

hegreeme

bd f

h,o

h

he

rub

eque

behv

or mde

mockery of

he o em

o

h ccomp

y

g

he p c

" (263). Ag

,

he

Peopo e

Wr

u

ke o

her r

, for "

r

c

e d

ego

ede

eme

;

e

u

u

y c

o

" (268).Ch

p

er 6, "The Pe

opo e

W

r

d

" (274-329), e

m

e

he c

u

e

d beg

g of

he

r, e p

ho

ce

of

e

re emp

oyed

o org

ze Thucyd

de'

rr

ve,

d offer

de

ed

y

of A

he

' o

recou

ed

book 8. P.

eek

o prove o

o

y

h

c

v

c co f

c

ro

e bec

u

e of

he

r

bu

h

"

he r

e

f

ro

e from

d

fueed by

m

er

e

" (274). The f

r

cu

e (

) of

he r

r

ggered by

Ep

dm

u;

deed, Thucyd

de

k

h

ou

brek

h

he

Corcyr

427 "by r

g up ech

c

de

fu y

dcro

-refere

c

g o

e

o

he o

her" (277). A

hough

he Spr

v

o

of A

c

he f

r

eve

of

he r

e

f,

he

rr

ve beg

h

he Theb

ck o

P

e bec u e "

heco

f

c

P

e

beg

h

" (288). P. e

m

eo

herou

brek

of c

v

co

f

c

,

o

b

y c

u

eredrou

d

he Pece of

N

c

(

he yer

424-418),

order

o reve

Thucyd

de' "focu

o

h

he judged

he mo

mpor

d reve

g pec

of

he r

ech ju

c

ure" (293),

me

y,

he d

egr

o

of He e

c

co

ve

o

d mor

y:

he

of He . F

y,

de

ed

y

of

he

A

he

, P. he

pfu

y por

ry

Smo

"he

hy" po

y

co

r

o

he "

ck" c

y of


5/6

A

he . P

r

IV: "Thucyd

de

d He

" co

Ch

p

er 7, "TheArch

eo

ogy,

he Pe

eko

e

d

he Per

" (333-377). O ce

he p

er

of beh

v

or ( ord

dc

o

) for

h

ve bee

fu

y e

m

ed, P. moveo

o

he

ure of

he e

yff

c

ed by

: He

e

f. The Arch

eo

ogy

e

he

ory of "

hecre

o

d deveopme

of He

[ h

ch] co

u

ed

he o

e

h

g

hum

h

ory mo

or

hy

o be

od" (339). P.

ee

hePe

eko

e

"

k

d of

-Arch

eo

ogy,

h

He

...beg

o brek

p

r

he eeme

of He

e

c gre

e

re

ur ed

rd o He

e

f" (358). There'

very good

ec

o o Thucyd

de

' u

e of

uper

ve

o m

rk precede

,

hough Co

or perhp

pu

be

: "

he gre

e

ccomp

hme

of

he Greek

o

o de

roy o

her Greek" (o 7.87.5, quo

ed

360 o

e 60). The Per

' ro

e h

gh

gh

he brekdo of

He

e

c u

y: "

e

h

o ge er

o

f

er Per

h

d come

orepre

e

bom

o

d

he

he

of He

, He

e

c

e

ed

h Per

g

o

her He

e

c

e

" (369).Over

, P. doe

e ce

e

job

e

g Thucyd

de

'

ov

o

he

r h

or

c

co

e

,

h regrd

o h

or

ogrphy

d

hec

e

f

c

d med

c

m

d me

hodof f

f

h-ce

ury Greece(15-22); freque

refere ce

o P

o

d Ar

o

e

hed

gh

o Greek po

c

d

de

. P.'

de

ed

y

e

of p

ge

re

Thucyd

de'

guge

ke de e poe

ry; he everh

e

y from

probem

c p

ge, e

her

e

u

or

ermof

r

o (

ee, e.g., h

d

cu

o of Thucyd

de

' ch

r

c

er

ke

ch of N

c

-- 7.86.5 --

242-244). Were repe

edy

re

ed

o percep

verem

rk

o

mb

gu

y

d e

ymoogy reg

rd

g ord

uch

o

r

o

ero

(60-61), k

e

(208), oko

o

, (216

o

e 22), omo

(216),og

ze

h

(265), proph

(282),

d more. P.

very up

fro

bou

h

me

hod

d

ump

o : e eed

o

yze p

ge

h re

pec

o

he

r co

e

;

he

peeche

offer o ev

de ce forThucyd

de' o op

o ; he

uc

dy e p

d

u

r

e

"Thucyd

de

' pr

c

p

e of

rr

ve

e

ec

o " (228). P. doe

o

e g

ge

h

he compo

o prob

em (ge er

y

e dec

o ), bu

he doe fo o

p

h

h

m ke m

y h

or

u

e y. W

hre

pec

o Ac

b

de

' redef

o

of (6.92), P. remar

s,

"

t

s

t

m

rta

t hether Ac

b

ades actua y sa

d th

sr

s meth

g s

m

ar, r

t has a

er u

ace

the H

st ry"(261). P. see

s

t the h

str

c

ty

Thucyd

des' s

eeches

y the

h

str

cav

s

Thucyd

des.But there's a arger

ssue: the status the stas

s m de .Acc

rd

g tP., Thucyd

des v

e s the Pe

es

a

War

t as a

ar, but as a stas

s. "A stas

s

s bas

ca y d

ere

tr

m a

em

s, a

d v

e

g the Pe

es

a

War as a destruct

ve

ter

a

c

ct had

r

u

d c

seque

ces r Thucyd

des' h

str

ca

v

s

" (5). Near the e

d

the b

, P. a

ears tbac

a b

t:

"A

these

eatures

the

arger ar

t the cr

ter

a r

g

a

d


6/6

erga

stas

s a d str

gy suggest that the He

e es e gaged

the

ge

erat

-

g c

ct ere a

cted by a c

d

t

much

e,

erha

s

de

t

cat

, stas

s" (329). U

t

th

s

t, I thught P.

as argu

g r

de t

tyr equ

vae ce (Pe

es

a ar=stas

s),but "much

e"

s a s

g

ca t qua

cat

. A a

ter at

ve

ter

retat

u

d be that stas

s

erates much

e Thucyd

des' ther meta

h r

ca m de s, such as Athe

s-as-tyra

t,Athe

a s-as-

sa ders (1.143), the c

t

ze -as-erastes (2.43), h

ch

Thucyd

des deve

s tvary

g degrees thrugh

ut the H

stry. Wh

e

very sym athet

c tP.'s a

ms (a d e

ghte ed a d ersuaded by much

h

s argume

t), I as

t

u

y

ersuaded that v

e

g stas

s asmeta h

r may

t be m

re accurate.

I h

ghy rec

mme d th

s b

, h

ch

s extremey e

r

duced --

v

rtua y

ty

s -- a

d

cudes a use

u

b

b

gra

hy a

d

d

ces

(P.

s ge

er

us

h

s

tes). The a

a

ys

s

s

rst-rate. I

add

t

tthe sta

dard cmme

tar

es, Ost ad's

r

a

d R d's

Thucyd

des. Narrat

ve a

d Ex

a

at

e

jy a

rm

e

t

ace.1 I

u d

ever

ay "g tcha"

th regard t Thucyd

dea

b

b

gra

hy,but

eces by C ga

, M

s

, Stadter, a

d Wh

te are sym

athet

c t P.'s argume

t. Thugh he d

es

t exam

e Thucyd

des, W

ert --just

ut th

s year -- may as

be

terest.2

Ntes:

1. Es

ec

a y M. Ost

a d. N m s a

d the Beg

gs the Athe

a

Dem cracy (Ox rd 1969); Aut

m

a:

ts Ge

es

s a

d H

st ry (USA,1982); Fr

m P

uar S

vere

g

ty tthe S

vere

g

ty

La . La ,S c

ety, a

d P

t

cs

F

th-Ce

tury Athe

s (Ber

e ey, 1986); in T

ucydides (Atlanta, 1988). T. Rood. T

ucydides. Narrative

and Explanation (Oxford 1998).2. M. Co

an, "Mytilene, Plataea, and Corcyra: Ideolo

y and Policyin T

ucydides, Boo

T

ree," P

oenix 35 (1981) 1-21; S.S. Monoson,"Citizen as Erastes: Erotic Ima

ery and t

e Idea of Reciprocity int

e Periclean Funeral Oration," Political T

eory 22 (1994) 253-276;P.A. Stadter, "T

e Form and Content of T

ucydides' Pentecontaetia(1.89-117)," GRBS 34 (1993) 35-72; J.B. W

ite. W

en Words Lose T

eir

Meanin

. Constitutions and Reconstitutions of Lan

ua

e, C

aracter,and Community (C

ica

o 1984); A. Wolpert. Rememberin

Defeat. CivilWar and Civic Memory in Ancient At

ens (Baltimore, 2002).

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Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2002-09-27