Historic Tales: The Romance of Reality. Vol. 10 (of 15), Greek

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25642

Title

Historic Tales: The Romance of Reality. Vol. 10 (of 15), Greek

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Charles Morris retells legendary Greek history in sober prose, transforming myth into narrative. This volume covers the Trojan War, the rise of Athens from Persian ashes, the golden age of Pericles, and the evolution of Greek literature and philosophy, offering an accessible entry into ancient civilization.

Summary up to 500 words

Charles Morris's *Historic Tales: The Romance of Reality, Vol. 10 (Greek)* presents a collection of ancient Greek history rendered in sober prose rather than poetry. The volume begins with the legendary Trojan War, recounting the abduction of Helen by Paris and the subsequent decade-long conflict involving heroes like Achilles and Ulysses. Morris acknowledges the legendary nature of these events while adhering to the traditional accounts found in Homer's *Iliad*. The narrative then transitions to the aftermath of the Persian Wars, detailing how Athens rose from the ashes of its destruction to become a magnificent center of art and intellect under the leadership of Pericles. The text explores the formation of the Athenian Empire, originally a defensive league that evolved into a dominion through the contributions of states like Chios and Lesbos. Morris highlights the immense wealth generated by this empire, noting that the treasury once held nearly eleven million dollars, which funded the construction of the Parthenon and other architectural marvels. Key figures such as Aristides the Just, Solon, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are profiled for their contributions to democracy and philosophy. Aristides is celebrated for his integrity, while Pericles is described as the statesman who transformed Athens into a bustling capital of commerce and culture, paying citizens for public service and fostering an environment where poets, artists, and thinkers flourished. The volume also covers the flourishing of Greek drama, tracing its roots from rustic odes to the sophisticated tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, and comedies by Aristophanes. It further examines the golden age of prose literature, featuring the histories of Herodotus and Thucydides, and the philosophical dialogues of Plato. The narrative concludes by tracing the decline of these intellectual centers. Following the death of Cleopatra and the fall of the Ptolemaic dynasty, the great library of Alexandria was destroyed, and the schools of Athens were eventually closed by Emperor Justinian in 529 A.D. This marked the end of an era of unparalleled cultural achievement, extinguishing the light of science and learning that had shone for centuries.

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4.2/5

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Categories

• Classics
• History