Product Description
With stylistic brilliance and historical imagination, the first five books of Livy's monumental history of Rome record events from the foundation of Rome through the history of the seven kings, the establishment of the Republic and its internal struggles, up to Rome's recovery after the fierce Gallic invasion of the fourth century bc. Livy vividly depicts the great characters, legends, and tales, including the story of Romulus and Remus. Reprinting Robert Ogilvie's lucid 1971 introduction, this highly regarded edition now boasts a new preface, examining the text in light of recent Livy scholarship, informative maps, bibliography, and an index.

Translated by Aubrey de S&eacutelincourt with an introduction by Robert Ogilvie. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

The study of history is the best medicine for a sick mind
My title comes from Livy's opening page and it speaks to what I think is the essential point that one has to think about when deciding whether or not to read Livy. And, by the way, I think that is a serious question. Even in a long life, there are only so many books you can read. To start on Livy in the Penguin Classics edition is to start a reading project of well over two thousand pages.
The answer to the question is dependent on what you are looking for. If you are looking to a well-researched history of early Rome then this volume of Livy (which covers Rome from its founding in the sixth century B.C.E. to 390 BC)is not for you. I recommend T.J. Cornell's The Beginnings of Rome instead.
My point is that Livy is not writing history as we know it. In his introduction, Livy makes it clear that he is trying to hold up to the watered-down Romans of his day the distant mirror of the Romans of the past. He is trying to remind his compatriots of the greatness that was Rome.
What he writes in this volume is a sort of national hagiography. He does so by telling small sequential stories that have moral climaxes usually in a great speech by one of the Romans, speeches that we can only regard as having been totally made up and which share many tropes with the speeches in Homer among other writers.
We apparently have few of the sources that Livy used in his history. Unless I am mistaken, he was largely dependent on the annalistic historical tradition. This accounts for many features of his history- not least the annual listing of who served in what office, what were the auguries that occured during that year and what fantastic omens occurred.
So, in effect, what we have in Livy could be considered a historical novel with few clear lines as to when the novel ends and the history begins. I would guess that the later volumes are founded on more solid history (as we define it) but I reserve judgment on that until I read those later volumes.
But here is the thing. Livy wrote a really good historical novel if such it is. He tells the stories of Aeneus, of Romulus and Remus, of the Tarquins, of the rape of the Sabines, the rape of Lucretia, the battle of the Horatii and the Curiatii, of the fall of the kings, the creation of the consuls, the struggles of the plebians(yeah!) and the patricians(boo!), the creation of the tribunate,and the creation of the military tribunes. We are guidedthrough the almost annual depradations by the dastardly Volscians or the pesky Aequian on through the destruction of Veii and then the sacking of Rome by the Gauls. We come to realize that during this period Rome never started the trouble with the neighbors. It is one of Livy's more obvious moral lessons that the one time that they did start the trouble, the city was sacked. We learn of wonderful, complicated figures such as Marcus Furius Camillus or Coriolanus.
The final argument I will make for a reading of Livy in this brief space is that he serves as an entry point to understanding so many other people and events in later history. For example, our Founding Fathers (no such men exist these days!)felt that the history contained in writers like Livy and Plutarch provided the knowledge needed for understanding government and the world of politics. These writers influenced our history directly. Read the debates at the Constitutional Convention. There is much reference within Madison's Notes to what he learned in Livy among other writers.
Another example- Machiavelli wrote his Discourses as a commentary on Livy. Arguably he changed the history of political theory in so doing.
Another example- Shakespeare based his Roman plays on Livy and Plutarch.
And finally while Livy may not be Roman history as we would understand that term, he is the best of all possible places to start your study of Roman history. His history was very popular. It fit the Roman self-image. That is an important point to grasp in the study of any people. Rome and her history await you in all her glory. Livy is the best door through which to enter. He is a delight to read, he expands your soul and his history is a great medicine for any mind.
p.s. As is probably obvious, I am new to study of ancient history and philosophy. Please feel free to correct any egregious errors in a comment. Learn, I must.

Nice edition
When I rate works in translation I do so based on accessibility of translation, significance of work, and any issues of accuracy I could find.

Livy's work is quite significant though probably of limited historical value (as the introduction discusses).On the other hand, some philologists have found Livy's work (including Dumezil) to contain patters common to other Indo-European societies and hence probably based on earlier oral and epic traditions which do not come down to us from other sources.For comparative Indo-European studies, as well as studies into early Rome, this work is indispensable.

The translation is quite accessible.Highly recommended.

Good book
A great book... The only problem??? well part of the saga where lost.... Such a shame....

excellant primary source
I'm an amateur of classical Roman history. Nothing published, no letters after my name....just a passion for all things Roman. It makes a perfect excuse for an european vacation...and when you know the back ground of the sites you are visiting, the whole thing comes alive!

One thing I really learned in this text is that history, espically ancient history, is a mixture of reality and myth. You may learn some facts about events, but moreso, you see how these events were precieved by the participants based on their world view. This book has done that perfectly.

The writting is smooth and its an easy read. In it you find the drama and passion and glory of Roman thru Roman eyes and watch as the...Culture, not just the city or the army, grows into a world power.
Its everything you will find in any TV drama.. deception, hurbris, cunning, avrice...and a the glory that was once Rome!

Raw History or How to Be an Imperialist and Not Feel Shame About It.
Pages filled with lots of details and accounts of almost day by day life in the Roman Empire around 200 BC. It's about 700 pages long, not at all pithy mind you. Every important battle or event seems to be introduced with parragraphs on the different augurs, premonitions and superstitions the Romans had before a big event took place. Livy wastes a little too much ink on those details. What is also a little tedious is the constant mentioning of names of personages who occupied different offices during the times of the events in question. He could have done without that too. But take this out, and skip that other thing, the book is an invaluable testimony of the times, a great canvas of the Roman Empire at its greatest moment: the duel with Carthage; Scipio vs Hannibal.

It's like reading a daily of more than 2000 years ago, only better. You get to see what was going on in the Italian peninsula, Hispania, north of Africa. The movement of troops here and there, the decision making in the Roman Senate and accross the Empire, the little barbarian rulers trying to maintain their particular fiefdoms while deciding which neighbor they should pay tribute to: Rome eventually being the better choice. I was delighted to see the Iberian leaders portrayed with a human face, balancing the pros and cons of which empire to follow, Rome or Carthage. It was like geopolitcs for dummies, only 200 BC.

Facts, action, facts, action. May be too much, with no time to pause and meditate. To be read in small takes, digesting it well, otherwise... If you don't get discouraged with so much information, irrelevant to us much of it, it will get to be a fully satisfying experience at the end. You'll think you've been in all those places, you sweat, and even hurt yourself while running away from one of those African elephants. Oh, my! ... Read more

Product Description
Books VI-X of Livy's monumental work trace Rome's fortunes from its near collapse after defeat by the Gauls in 386 bc to its emergence, in a matter of decades, as the premier power in Italy, having conquered the city-state of Samnium in 293 bc. In this fascinating history, events are described not simply in terms of partisan politics, but through colorful portraits that bring the strengths, weaknesses and motives of leading figures such as the noble statesman Camillus and the corrupt Manlius vividly to life. While Rome's greatest chronicler intended his history to be a memorial to former glory, he also had more didactic aims - hoping that readers of his account could learn from the past ills and virtues of the city. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Incredibly Good Read, Nearly as Good as Books I-V
The second five books of Livy's history of Rome from its foundations are epic and inspiring.The magic of Livy is only greater in the 1st five books, where the mythology and Livy's admiration for the characters are greater.The 6th book begins at a time when Rome was still just a single city, though a powerful and feared one, with a few allies and many treacherous enemies constantly watching for their opportunity to attack.Livy paints a picture of Rome's victories that shows that intelligence and fairness are the keys to military success, while Rome's enemies' treachery and ham-fisted strategies can only lead to failure.

The epic story of Rome is still very fresh and riveting in books VI-X.Anyone who read and enjoyed the first five books should gain a similar joy from reading the next five.

I am currently reading Gibbon's unabridged History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and though I'm only a chapter or two into it it seems clear that it won't hold a candle to Livy for sheer epic excitement.Though I could be wrong.

Nice edition
Like the Early History of Rome (Books 1-5), I though this was a good edition.The translation is reasonably accessible and the work important.

In it one learns of a number of episodic tales (perhaps garnered from folklore by Livy?) recounting wars with Gauls, Sabines, etc. and the advancement of Roman military tactics along with the usual politics, intrigue, and moral stories one is used to finding from Livy.

This is a fine edition.It is not quite as important as the Early History but it is important nonetheless and this translation is as good as any.

Classic History
Livy, a contemporary of the Emperor Augustus, devoted his adult life to the writing of his HISTORY OF ROME. The entire work was probably intended to comprise 120 books. Subsequently it seems he was prevailed upon to add a further 30 books covering contemporary events, of which he completed just 22. Only 35 of the total of 142 books Livy wrote survive to the present day. They come from among the first 45 and cover most of the period from the founding of Rome to 167 BC. This volume, ROME AND ITALY, contains Books VI through X, covering the period from 386 BC (the aftermath of Rome's defeat by the Gauls) to 292 BC. During this 94 year span, Rome rose to become the dominant power on the Italian peninsula.

Most of the events Livy describes happened long before his lifetime. Because of the sparse written records, especially from Rome's early history, he had to rely on traditional information, the writings of other historians, and public records (i.e. inscriptions, statues, lists of consuls and triumphs). On occasion, when faced with conflicting accounts, Livy notes his difficulty and presents the different possibilities along with comments on what he believes was the most likely course of events.

Two common themes run through the histories presented in this volume. One is the continual warfare between Rome and its rivals, most notably the Samnites and the Etruscans. Livy's description of these events is episodic, giving the reader little sense of the larger conflict. There's an uprising here, another there, but little indication of the broader objective as Rome extends its power and dominion ever farther. It always seems that the city is threatened and has no choice but to respond.

The other recurring theme is the political battle within Rome between the dominant patricians, determined to hold on to their monopoly of the most powerful state positions, and the plebeians, who aspire to a share of leadership. Livy, a believer in the virtue and superiority of the old ways, but sympathetic to the talents and abilities of many of the plebeian leaders, seems personally torn on this issue. At times he seems to support the propriety of one side, at times the aspirations of the other.

Livy is probably not the most rigorous historian ever, but remember that he intended his HISTORY for a popular and contemporary audience, and not with future ages much in mind. He wanted to inform, and to promote what he saw as the traditional virtues of Roman society to the populace of his own era, which he viewed as corrupt and decadent. Even now, however, his work makes for interesting and informative reading. Some of what he relates is mythical in nature, some possibly sensationalized, but he was writing for a popular audience and sought to entertain as well as inform. His work still does exactly that. It's an opportunity to look at events through the eyes of a man who lived more than two thousand years ago. I found this book fascinating. It's classic history. Don't pass it by.

History of Rome
Titus Livius, (Livy) 59BCE-17ACE, born in Padua he was a popular and much admired writer in his day.His history was a favorite of Caesar Augustus who reigned during the time of the writing of the "History of Early Rome".His facts are not the most accurate, but like Plutarch, he believed that; "if history were not morally instructive, it was nothing.""History of Early Rome" is a valiant effort at recalling and preserving the memory of the noble deeds of the Romans.The history opens with the Trojans wandering into Rome to found a new city around 750BCE.It traces the history of Romulus the founder, the period of Roman kingship and then the Roman Republic era.Livy has a wonderful description of the "rape of the Sabine women" in which Rome's men conduct to increase their population.Wonderful telling of the life and acts of the noble and humble Cinncinatus who many of George Washington's contemporaries believed modeled himself after and held many of the same virtues.It contains an in depth look at Coriolanus, which was the source material for Shakespeare's play "Coriolanus"."Shared danger is the strongest of bonds; it will keep men united in spite of mutual dislike and suspicion."

Machiavelli loved reading Livy's histories and wrote his most important philosophical work from it, "The Discourses", in which he glorifies republican Rome as a model of good government.Thomas Jefferson wrote to his nephew that there were three books every gentleman had to have familiarity with; Plutarch's "Lives", Livy's "History of Rome" and Virgil's Aeneid.In fact, all the founding fathers of note had read Livy and learned much from his history of Rome.

If you are truly interested in obtaining a classical education, put this book on the top of your reading list!I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in political philosophy, and history.

A dated translation, but still great reading.
This volume contains books VI through X of Livy's monumental 120+ volume history of Rome.It covers the time between the sack of the city by the Gauls (c. 396 BCE) and Rome's emergence as the single most powerful state in Italy (c. 293 BCE).Like other Penguin classics, the translation in this volume is just a bit dated and stuffy in tone, but the warmth and vitality of Livy's style shines through nonetheless.

One of the benefits to being interested in ancient Rome in particular is that the Romans were such a literate people, and so taken with their own perceived greatness, that they wrote a great deal, and much of this writing has survived down to our own times.Not only does this provide an invaluable window onto the remote past, it also makes for good reading.Livy (and a number of other Roman era authors) can sound remarkably modern in their sentiments, and even casual readers should be pleasantly surprised by the vigor and readability of Livy's prose. ... Read more

Product Description
Livy's great history of Rome contains, in Books 21 to 30, the definitive ancient account of Hannibal's invasion of Italy in 218 BC, and the war he fought with the Romans over the following sixteen years.
Livy's gripping storytelling vividly conveys the drama of the great battles, and individuals as well as events are brought powerfully to slife.
This new translation captures the brilliance of Livy's style, and is accompanied by a fascinating introduction and notes. The comprehensive introduction examines Livy, his work, his historical accuracy, his sources, and the course of Hannibal's campaign by a scholar well known for his work on Hannibal and his times. The edition includes a glossary of Roman and Carthaginian terms, a chronological table, an index, a series of detailed maps, and a discussion of the route of Hannibal from the south of Spain over the Alps to Italy. This wonderfully complete edition is perfect for lovers of classical literature, those with an interest in ancient or military history, and students in an array of classes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Hannibal's War
This is a good book especially if you have already read Polybius' account.The two books are constantly contrasted and compared, but I feel this version is not quite so gripping as Polybius's.However it is still worth reading - bringing back the horror of hand to hand fighting in extreme temperatures, hardships and with elephants suffering alongside men. ... Read more

Product Description

This is an electronic edition of the complete book complemented by author biography. This book features the table of contents linked to every book and chapter. The book was designed for optimal navigation on the Kindle, PDA, Smartphone, and other electronic readers. It is formatted to display on all electronic devices including the Kindle, Smartphones and other Mobile Devices with a small display.

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Reference book
Am pleased that Kindle permits me to find the specific text I am looking for with very little difficulty. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

Great work of Machiavelli
For those who love Machiavelli, this is great. The translation takes a while to get used to, but not too dificult. Great concepts and writing.

Extraordinarily cumbersome translation.
This is an exceptionally difficult and probably misguided translation of a great work.The translator Harvey Mansfield has attempted to follow in the (important) tradition of literal translations for philosophically rich works (a la Allan Bloom's excellent Republic).The intended result is that the English reader can follow the argument very closely by following the words closely.This is useful for key Machiavellian concepts like "virtu," but Mansfield actually attempted to render every single word in the entire text by a single English word - for example, the Italian word "cosa," which means "thing" but also "matter", "affair", "what," or "which", is rendered by the word "thing" everywhere - which produces terrible, almost unreadable English.When an Italian says "Cosa facio?" he doesn't mean "Thing I do?", he means "What am I doing?"But the translator literally writes "thing I do" in this book.If you want to actually read Machiavelli, who was a fine writer and not stilted like this, try another translation.Mansfield has a very devoted following because of the work he has done for the Great Books at Harvard University, and I suspect that some of the good reviews here are more because of his popularity as a person than because the reviewers really believe this translation captures Machiavelli.

Redefines the (misunderstood) modern view of Mr. Machiavelli
It is important to note that Niccolo Machiavelli's most important work is this.He actually advocates for a tripartite government with checks and balances, like our own US gov't before Montesquieu and Locke.no mean feat!obviously, there was more to this theorist than "the end justifies the means."Morality was of importance to him after all.No doubt, this is a classic of political thought.It marks the end, for better or worse, of the Middle Ages conformity and a bold forging ahead toward the modern political horizons.Look it over!

Father of Modern Political Philosophy
Niccolo Machiavelli, (1469-1527), writes the greatest treatise on keeping a republic vibrant by comparing Rome to republican Venice.Machiavelli has gained an unwarranted notorious reputation for his "evil" treatise on political thinking and acting through his authorship of "The Prince"."The Prince" received more notoriety than his politically erudite work "Discourses on the First Ten Books of Livy" in which Machiavelli espouses his belief that the Roman Republic was the best and most virtuous form of government to emulate.His breadth and understanding of Roman history is remarkable.Machiavelli's love of his country Florence, and the proud political work as a minor government administrator and ambassador Machiavelli performed during its years as a republic show through in this work.It was on his many ambassadorial trips to the French, Papal, and Italian courts that he learned to observe political leaders and their governmental institutions which formed the basis of his political theories in his many writings.My favorite quote from Machiavelli is; "It's better to act and repent then not to act and regret".

Modern philosophers starting with Machiavelli reject the classical view of politics as undemocratic and elitist.Only wealthy men of leisure would have time to develop the virtues and character necessary to rule.Machiavelli believed that man by nature was selfish and driven by ambition.Machiavelli is not interested in character formation and moral appeal but in building the right kind of institutions to govern society.Laws and justice would protect men from power hungry rulers.Modern philosophy is an out growth of the revolution that takes place in the natural sciences during the Enlightenment.The purpose of science is the conquest of nature man is in control of human life.Philosophers from Machiavelli on become sectarian."Everything good is due to man's labor rather than to nature's gift."

As a retired Army officer and student of political philosophy, I found this to be an indispensable book to continue one's journey into political philosophy and history of Europe.

Masterly written with principals still applicable today
There are two mean reasons to read Machiavelli:
Firstly, Machiavelli gives in his books a deep insight in political and psychological principals. Some comment on how these principals are - at times - conflicting. This I find Machiavelli's main strength: he shows that choices need to be made, that there isn't an unconditional best choice, but that the best choice is dependent upon circumstances (he tries to give insight in the circumstances) and that the worst is not to choose (consistently).
For instance: when one conquers a city, one can subject it's inhabitants by being making them love you, or fear you. Which one chooses is also dependent on whether you attack a new city, or a city previously under your control, if one wants to make an example out of them (and what kind), etc. Most important however is that one must choice between making your subjects love you or hate you (you can't torture a person and then try to win his love).
Secondly, it is worth reading Machiavelli because of his literary abilities. He writes with charm, ease and lack of difficult words, he gives interesting and innovative illustrations, he has written two books that are real pageturners but that also give a new and deeper insight in society (so new that their books are still read today, and not just by literary scholars).

The general applicability of the principal used above, can be seen at relations (most couples stay together because of love, but some because they fear retribution by their partner), at parent/child level (parents either making their children obey because of fear of punishment, or by giving them a sense of responsibility and trust), at companies (a manager can motivate employees by either making them fear for losing their jobs, or by making them share company ideals and values) and at governmental level (Saddam ruled Iraq by fear, while a real democracy must be run by love - or at least lack of fear - for their leader).
At all the previous examples one can see that both situations can work, but the greatest mistake is not to make a consistent choice. It would be as great a mistake for Osama Bin Laden to try and win American love for the Islam by sending planes in the Twin Towers, as for Bush to try and win Iraqi love for democracy and justice by making a policy out of torturing unconvicted Iraqi's (and violating other civil rights). (Hopefully there will be an inquiry that will convince Iraqi's that the torture in the Abu Graib prison wasn't government policy, so that the faith in America, democracy and justice will be restored).
... Read more

Product Description

Livy (Titus Livius), the great Roman historian, was born at or near Patavium (Padua) in 64 or 59 BCE; he may have lived mostly in Rome but died at Patavium, in 12 or 17 CE.

Livy's only extant work is part of his history of Rome from the foundation of the city to 9 BCE. Of its 142 books, we have just 35, and short summaries of all the rest except two. The whole work was, long after his death, divided into Decades or series of ten. Books 1–10 we have entire; books 11–20 are lost; books 21–45 are entire, except parts of 41 and 43–45. Of the rest only fragments and the summaries remain. In splendid style Livy, a man of wide sympathies and proud of Rome's past, presented an uncritical but clear and living narrative of the rise of Rome to greatness.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Livy is in fourteen volumes. The last volume includes a comprehensive index.

Customer Reviews (2)

Better than I had hoped
These little Loeb tomes are rather expensive, and are meant in part as a learning tool for the Latin student; that said, they are very satisfying! Livy is a storyteller first and foremost, and his opinions shine through his History. He applauds as the plebs throw off the tyrant Tarquinius, and checks them later for asserting their power while the Volsci prepare war on Rome.
He probes tensions between family and country, between the classes, between the resentment of power in the hands of few and the recurring desire for a dictator against whos judgement there is no appeal.
In Books 1-2 there are arrogant aristocrats, commoners who become senators and kings, 15-minutes-of-fame heroes, shifting tax codes, debtors prison, draft resistors. All woven into a fanstastic narrative.

Excellent For Anyone Interested in Ancient History
Livy's lengthy and detailed History of Rome covers many events that are little known today, but it makes excellent reading for anyone interested in ancient history.This Loeb Classical Library edition has many useful features.It has Livy's Latin text and an English translation side-by-side for easy study, it has the dates of events - both on our calendar and on the Roman calendar - along the margins, it has frequent notes to explain Livy's more obscure references, and at the end of each of Livy's 'books' there is a concise summary.

This first volume is one of the best in the whole series (which runs 14 volumes in this edition).Not only does it have a good introduction to the series, it also covers some of the most interesting events in Rome's history, running from its founding until 468 BC, and including Rome's transition from a kingdom to a republic. ... Read more

Product Description
"Books XXXI to XLV" cover the years from 201 B.C. to 167 B.C., when Rome emerged as ruler of the Mediterranean. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Penquin Edition: Cuts in the Narrative?
I have not read this Penquin edition, but it says in a footnote; "There are some cuts in the text, but it follows the main narrative". Does anyone know how much was left out? Get back to me. Thank You--Hey everybody, guess what? I just did some checking; and Oxford World Classics has published two editions: Books 31-40, and 41-45. And they do emphasizethat they are complete, as opposed, to say, the incomplete one volume Penquin edition. For people who have Latin. How long would it take to read all the surviving Books of Livy in the original? Again, get back to me. Thank You

History of Rome
Titus Livius, (Livy) 59BCE-17ACE, born in Padua he was a popular and much admired writer in his day.His history was a favorite of Caesar Augustus who reigned during the time of the writing of the "History of Early Rome".His facts are not the most accurate, but like Plutarch, he believed that; "if history were not morally instructive, it was nothing.""History of Early Rome" is a valiant effort at recalling and preserving the memory of the noble deeds of the Romans.

Machiavelli loved reading Livy's histories and wrote his most important philosophical work from it, "The Discourses", in which he glorifies republican Rome as a model of good government.Thomas Jefferson wrote to his nephew that there were three books every gentleman had to have familiarity with; Plutarch's "Lives", Livy's "History of Rome" and Virgil's Aeneid.In fact, all the founding fathers of note had read Livy and learned much from his history of Rome.

If you are truly interested in obtaining a classical education, put this book on the top of your reading list!I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in political philosophy, and history.

war and politics inrepublican Rome
When I first started reading Livy's "The War with Hannibal", the book that cronologically precedes "Rome and the Mediterranean", I was not sure if I was going to be able to get to the end of it. I had never read Livy before and it is a long book. As it happened, immediately after I finished reading "The War with Hannibal" (hereafter referred to as WWH) I started reading "Rome and the Mediterranean", which is no less long, and no less good. I wrote a comment on WWH and everything I said of Livy there equally holds true here: he is a remarkable narrator and, though partial to the Romans, his style is measured and believable. As a historian, he is no less inventive than other fellow historians of his time. But his accounts are extremely detailed and always interesting.It could be said that WWH is more atractive than this book because it relates the Second Punic War, the story of Hannibal's invasion of Italy, one of the most interesting episodes in the entire history of the world. I would venture the following comparison: WWH resembles a novel. The whole book deals with Rome's war against Carthage, be it in Italy, Spain of Africa. Hannibal is the main character and Scipio Africanus, Fabius Maximus and Marcellus the secondary ones. On the other hand "Rome and the Mediterranean" is more like a collection of short stories. It is full of different anectodotes, stories and situations. Of course all of them revolving around the conflicts Rome had against Greece, Macedon and Asia during the years 200-167 BC, but there is no other unifying principle. Here you will find a variety of plots and characters. I know this comparison is arguable but I think it can convey an approximate idea to someone who hasn't read the book. I would also like to point out that while WWH is mainly a military history, this book is also a politcal one as well. Not only we find descriptions of battles and tactics, but a detailed account of the complex politics between the Greeks, the Macedonians, the Aetolians, the Acheans and the different kings of the multiple states of Greece and Asia, and their relationships with Rome. All this changing history of treacheries, pacts, leagues, alliances and complots is wonderfully and clearly portrayed, written with Livy's characteristic mastery of the craft.And you will also find here a sequel to the events of WWH: you will find out, for example, what happened with Scipio Africanus and Hannibal after the battle of Zama (what tragic and similar destiny!, both great men dying in exile and distanced from their own people; Plutarch should have written their biographies together in his Parallel Lives). Because of this, I would advise you to read both books, if you have the opportunity, and in cronological order: first WWH and afterwards "Rome and the Mediterranean" (don't let the length of both books combined intimidate you!). This is a very good edition (although a couple of more detailed maps would have been helpful) and so is the translation.

Livy Brings Rome to Life
I have been fascinated by Roman history since I was a teenager, and over the years I have read the works of many of the classical historians. Livy has always been among my favorites. A contemporary of Augustus, Livy wrotea full history of Rome from its beginnings up to his own time. Tragically,only a portion of his work has survived. This book contains his Historyfrom Rome's legendary beginnings up through 167 B.C. except for books XXIthrough XXX, which deal with the war against Hannibal and are publishedseparately.

His source material being necessarily limited, much of theearly history is sketchy. However, Livy seems to draw on as much material,whether traditional or documentary, as he could muster. Further, he wrotewith the desire to both inform and entertain. His work is lively anddramatic and he has a knack for vividly portraying the principalpersonalities. Like other ancient historians, Livy isn't bashful aboutinventing dialogue for his leading protagonists, but this adds an air ofreality to what would otherwise become a dry narrative.

This is classicalhistory at its best and I highly recommend it for anyone with an interestin ancient Rome. ... Read more

Product Description
`the fates ordained the founding of this great city and the beginning of the world's mightiest empire, second only to the power of the gods'

Romulus and Remus, the rape of Lucretia, Horatius at the bridge, the saga of Coriolanus, Cincinnatus called from his farm to save the state - these and many more are stories which, immortalized by Livy in his history of early Rome, have become part of our cultural heritage.

The historian's huge work, written between 20 BC and AD 17, ran to 12 books, beginning with Rome's founding in 753 BC and coming down to Livy's own lifetime (9 BC).Books 1-5 cover the period from Rome's beginnings to her first great foreign conquest, the capture of the Etruscan city of Veii and, a few years later, to her first major defeat, the sack of the city by the Gauls in 390 BC. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This review for the kindle edition
The reason for the poor review is not anything relating to the translation, but the rendering of text not only in this book, but many of the Oxford translations released in this series. The main problem is that the text is not rendered in a clean manner, so that, for example if you highlight 'Livy' in the introduction of this text it is renderedLiz7"' when you look under 'highlights and annotations'. This means that if you search for 'Livy', your search will not find this word. This has been a constant problem in a number of this publisher's books. I have contacted them about the issue but have received no response. I would recommend the penguin text which provides a clean rendering of the text as well as hyperlinks to the footnotes which this publisher does not provide.

Just Reviewing the Translation
I thought I could trust Oxford but I regret buying this translation as it is too loose. Comparing it to the original, a more literal translation would be more colorful and accurate. Especially when there are so many Latin-English cognates it is frustrating that the translator has taken such liberties, and many of them are quite misleading.

For example, "iure gentium," "the law of nations," is anachronistically translated as "international law" (19).

"sceleris tragici exemplum" is translated as "a tragic spectacle to rival those of Greece" (54). Where does "to rival those of Greece" come from?

"inhumanumque" is translated as "barbaric" (57) instead of "inhuman." Since the concept of the human and "inhuman" is a new one at that time it is essential to keep it in the text. If Livy had meant "barbaric" he could have used "barbari."

This translation might be good if you are looking for an easy translation but for scholarly purposes it is not very useful. To me it would make sense if Penguin did the more popular translations and Oxford the more scholarly translations. Then everyone could find what they want. But since that doesn't seem to be the case does anyone know if the Penguin is more literal?

Livy for Contemporary Readers
Professor Luce, an eminent Livian scholar, has rendered the first five books of Livy's "Ab Urbe Condita" in concise English that not only retains the essence of the Latin but also conveys the vividness of the narrative. In other words, he tells the tales of the founding of Rome in an entertaining manner that is accessible to today's students, who have little patience for long-winded or stilted prose.

The book includes an informative introduction, two maps, a brief chronology, and copious notes. My only quibble is with the index, which has been geared for scholars of Roman history. For example, a student looking up the dictator Cincinnatus must be aware that he is listed by the gens name of Quinctius (There is no cross-reference.); and then the student has to decide between Titus, Lucius, and Quintus. While this is good practice for the serious scholar of Roman history, it might be infuriating for the casual reader (One hopes that Oxford will correct this flaw in a future edition).Nevertheless, the book is so enjoyable that I recommend it highly and have adopted it for my Roman Civilization class.

Four-and-one-half-stars! ... Read more

Product Description
The first five books of Livy's history of early Rome recount the great stories and moments of Roman history.From Romulus and Remus, to the rape of Lucretia, to Horatius at the bridge, Livy's massive work immortalizes the events which both defined early Roman civilization and helped to shape our cultural heritage. This new annotated translation includes both maps and an index, making it the most complete and up-to-date edition available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

an immortal classic in superb translation
The book itself is, of course, an immortal classic; I can read it reasonably well in the original Latin, myself (being Italian and having received a good classical education before college), but I've long been searching for a suitable English edition to recommend to my American family and friends -- and with this one, I've finally found it!It reads as smoothly as one could hope and loses nothing of the original's flavour.A practical counterexample to the traditional quip about translations being like women -- either beautiful, or faithful -- this book (like my wife!-) is both at the same time!-)

most intreging
Yes I am only 14 years old but listen to what I have to say.I am in 8th grade,and have always found the roman empire fasinating.So one day I asked my teacher how the roman empire started.Of corse I know the mith,Romulus and Remus were rased by wolfs and sarted rome on the 7th hill.But I wanted to know the truth.So my teacher gave me the book The Rise of Rome.It anserd all of my questions and I gained new knowledge and a better under standing of the roman empire.I was reading a review hear at amason and it said the book was awful because it had inadequet translations,like useing new age frases insted of old world words.Well DUHHHHHH!!!!! This is the new world.That is not a good enogh reason of why not to read the book.It dosnt matter how the book is transilated,as long as the meaning and story is the same.So for all of you who are intrested in the roman empire I highly recomend this book.

Classic of Roman National Mythology
Professor Luce has done an admirable service to students of ancient history with his new translation of Livy. In addition to the able and idiomatic translation, the volume possesses very helpful but not overly cumbersome explanatory notes. Students in my introductory ancient history course appreciated both the lively content of Rome's founding mythology and the quality of the edition. ... Read more

Product Description
Discourses on Livy, written in 1531, is as essential to an understanding of Machiavelli as his famous treatise, The Prince. Equally controversial, it reveals his fundamental preference for a republican state.
Comparing the practice of the ancient Romans with that of his contemporaries provided Machiavelli with a consistent point of view in all his works. Machiavelli's close analysis of Livy's history of Rome led him to advance his most original and outspoken view of politics--the belief that a healthy political body was characterized by social friction and conflict rather than by rigid stability. His discussion of conspiracies in Discourses on Livy is one of the most sophisticated treatments of archetypal political upheaval ever written. In an age of increasing political absolutism, Machiavelli's theories became a dangerous ideology.
This new translation is richly annotated, providing the contemporary reader with sufficient historical, linguistic, and political information to understand and interpret the revolutionary affirmations Machiavelli made, based on the historical evidence he found in Livy. ... Read more

Product Description

Livy (Titus Livius), the great Roman historian, was born at or near Patavium (Padua) in 64 or 59 BCE; he may have lived mostly in Rome but died at Patavium, in 12 or 17 CE.

Livy's only extant work is part of his history of Rome from the foundation of the city to 9 BCE. Of its 142 books, we have just 35, and short summaries of all the rest except two. The whole work was, long after his death, divided into Decades or series of ten. Books 1–10 we have entire; books 11–20 are lost; books 21–45 are entire, except parts of 41 and 43–45. Of the rest only fragments and the summaries remain. In splendid style Livy, a man of wide sympathies and proud of Rome's past, presented an uncritical but clear and living narrative of the rise of Rome to greatness.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Livy is in fourteen volumes. The last volume includes a comprehensive index.

Product Description
The book may have numerous typos or missing text. It is not illustrated or indexed. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website. You can also preview the book there.Purchasers are also entitled to a trial membership in the publisher's book club where they can select from more than a million books for free.Original Publisher: Clarendon Press Publication date: 1881Subjects: Rome; Foreign Language Study / Latin; History / Ancient / Rome; Literary Criticism / Ancient ... Read more

Product Description
In addition to Valerie Warrior's crisp, fluent translation of the first five books of Livy's Ab Urbe Condita, this edition features a general introduction to Livy and his work, extensive foot-of-the-page notes offering essential contextual information, and a chronology of events.Three appendices - on the genealogies of the most prominent political figures in the early Republic, Livy's relationship with Augustus, and Livy's treatment of religion - offer additional insight into the author and the early history of Rome. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description

Complete interlinked edition complemented by author biography and analysis.

"If The Prince resembles a guidebook based primarily on empirical observations, Machiavelli wrote the Discourses as a commentary on Livy's work on Roman history. However, both books include empirical observations and historical generalizations. Machiavelli himself does not make a sharp distinction between the two methods of inquiry, as he thinks that all ages are fundamentally similar. He thinks we can use both methods to teach ourselves the unchanging laws of the political universe. When we have understood these laws, we can use our understanding in political life to achieve our goals.

The book is strictly speaking three books in one. In Book I Machiavelli focuses on the internal structure of the republic. Book II is about matters of warfare. Book III is perhaps most similar to the teachings of The Prince, as it concerns individual leadership. The three books combined provide guidance to those trying to establish or reform a republic."

- Excerpted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

BOOK I
PREFACE
I. Of the Beginnings of Cities in general, and in particular of that of Rome.
II. Of the various kinds of Government; and to which of them the Roman Commonwealth belonged
III. Of the Accidents which led in Rome to the creation of Tribunes of the People; whereby the Republic was made more perfect
IV. That the Dissensions between the Senate and Commons of Rome, made Rome free and powerful
V. Whether the Guardianship of public Freedom is safer in the hands of the Commons or of the Nobles; and whether those who seek to acquire Power or they who seek to maintain it are the greater cause of Commotions.
VI. Whether it was possible in Rome to contrive such a Government as would have composed the Differences between the Commons and the Senate.
VII. That to preserve Liberty in a State there must exist the Right to accuse.
VIII. That Calumny is as hurtful in a Commonwealth as the power to accuse is useful.
IX. That to give new Institutions to a Commonwealth, or to reconstruct old Institutions on an entirely new basis, must be the work of one Man
X. That in proportion as the Founder of a Kingdom or Commonwealth merits Praise, he who founds a Tyranny deserves Blame.
XI. Of the Religion of the Romans.

...

Customer Reviews (1)

Niccolo Machiavelli - ebook
Discourses on Livy or Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius by Niccolo Machiavelli

Love it! Just as advertised! ... Read more

Product Description
Literally translated, first published in 1853. According to Wikipedia: "Livy's work met with instant acclaim. His books were published in sets of ten, although when entirely completed, his whole work was available for sale in its entirety. His highly literary approach to his historical writing renders his works very entertaining, and they remained constantly popular from his own day, through the Middle Ages, and into the modern world. Dante speaks highly of him in his poetry, and Francis I of France commissioned extensive artwork treating Livian themes. That he was chosen by Rome's first emperor to be the private tutor to his successor indicates Livy's renown as a great writer and sage. As topics from his history appear to have been used for writing topics in Roman schools, it is more than likely that his works, or sections, were used as textbooks... He can be looked upon as the prose counterpart of Vergil in Golden Age Latin literature." ... Read more

Product Description
This is the sixth volume in the Oxford Classical Texts series of Livy and contains a Latin text (without translation), together with full apparatus criticus and Latin introduction, of Books 36-40. It covers the period from 192 to 179 B.C. during which Rome gained control of Greeks and Asia, and struggled for dominance of northern Italy and Spain. Livy also depicts this period as the beginning of Roman moral decline. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A wise Classicist once said that Kraus had done for Livy....
....What Elvis had done for rock'n'roll.This book is proof of the truth of that statement.

Aimed at University Scholars!!
Ab Urbe Condita is a continuation of Kraus's doctoral dissertation.This fact means that her analysis is full of literary jargon aimed maily atUniversity students.If this is the prurpose of the book then it fulfilsits aim perfectly.However as an A-level student, most of it isunnecessary and probably more confusing, which means that much must beignored. ... Read more

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With Illustrations from Designs by Bartolomeo Pinelli ... Read more

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Books XXI-XXXIII of Livy cover the period of the second Macedonian War, the critical years that marked the beginning of Rome's domination of the Hellenistic world. This new paperback edition of Briscoe's standard commentary is largely historical, yet attends also to matters of style. Briscoe provides introductory sections that contain discussions of Livy's use of his sources, his language and style, the speeches, the political situation in Rome at the time of the the Second Macedonian War, and Livy's account of the origins of the war. ... Read more

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The idea that it is possible to learn from history is fascinating, but also complex. What exactly can you learn from the past? Does it repeat itself? If it does, how can you prevent repetition of evil and ensure repetition of good? Livy's History of Rome is all about people learning or failing to learn from the past so in many ways his work is an extended exploration of this problem.

In this book Dr Chaplin starts from Livy's programmatic claim that history offers examples of good and bad conduct. Where previous studies have focused on the meaning of exemplary episodes and characters in isolation, this treatment traces the way historical figures try to interpret the past to their advantage. In doing so, the book demonstrates Livy's awareness of the shifting relevance of history and argues that a narrative organized around exempla allowed Livy, poised between the collapse of the Republic and the foundation of the Empire, to make the Romans' past meaningful for their future. ... Read more