Complete Works of Tacitus [Paperback]

Tacitus (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0075536390 | ISBN-13: 978-0075536390 | Publication Date: September 1, 1964 | Edition: 1

Translated by Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb, Edited, with an Introduction, Moses Hadas

Product Details

• Paperback: 773 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 1 edition (September 1, 1964)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0075536390
• ISBN-13: 978-0075536390
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #260,408 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Impressive and Pristine Translation...The Best Out There", August 21, 2001

By 

Johannes Platonicus (South Bend, Indiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Complete Works of Tacitus (Paperback)

While Tacitus remains the most brilliant, eloquent, and important of all the Roman historians, his translators Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb have purged the excessive verbosity and superfluity of style common in other translations to form a complete and precise representation of Tacitus' original. An amazing anthology at an affordable price...there's no better deal or collective genius of works available.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Decent Translation, but a Poor Edition, March 14, 2006

By 

Michael Dybicz (Cleveland Heights, OH United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Complete Works of Tacitus (Paperback)

My experience with Tacitus in the original was brief and without professorial guidance, so I can't vouch for the accuracy of the translators; however, Church and Bodribb's English is certainly readable if a bit outdated (A trait I like in translations of ancient authors). The lack of footnotes or maps is what dooms this edition, though it probably is directly related to the excellent price. I would only advise purchasing this book if money is that much of a problem for you or if you're only buying as an aid for translation, you dirty cheat you.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive Primary Source On the History Of Imperial Roman, December 15, 2007

By 

Michael A Neulander "Political Philosophy" (VA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Complete Works of Tacitus (Paperback)

I read this book for a graduate course in Roman history. It is an indispensable primary source for students of Roman history.

On the first page of his Annals of Imperial Rome, Tacitus wrote that Octavian "seduced the army with bonuses, and his cheap food policy was successful bait for civilians." Tacitus' description of Augustus' transformation of Rome from a republic into an empire is most illuminating as well. "Upper-class survivors found that slavish obedience was the way to succeed, both politically and financially. They had profited from the revolution, and so now they liked the security of the existing arrangement better than the dangerous uncertainties of the old regime."

Sir Ronald Syme relied heavily on the work of Tacitus for his cogent narrative of Octavian's rise to power as Augustus. Syme's in-depth study of Tacitus' life and work was published in 1958. Tacitus' historical accuracy was doubted for centuries and Syme made a project of re-evaluating the accuracy of his historical writings. Syme believed that Tacitus was in a unique position to write about the birth and early political history of the Imperial period in Rome due to his very active political life. Tacitus had served as a senator, consul, and proconsul of Asia. In addition, he was known to be an excellent orator in his day. In his writings, Syme believed that Tacitus provided excellent accounts of Augustus' rise to power and his career as Rome's first Emperor.

Tacitus delved into the machinery of the new government, including Augustus' use of patronage as well as his many thwarted attempts at planning for his own succession. What Syme found was a man that grew very adept politically and whose political maturity rapidly developed at an early age. At eighteen, he was named as heir to Julius Caesar. He grew into the greatest Roman princeps spanning fifty-six years until his death. Augustus knew that to retain power he had to maintain the general consent of the governed. He astutely maintained order not by following the constitution or past precedent, but by using the tremendous resources at his disposal. Augustus kept the plebeians in check making sure they were fed, kept them amused with games, and constantly reminded them that he was protecting them from the oppression of the nobiles.

Augustus became the "leader of a large and well organized political party as the source and fount of patronage and advancement."

Recommended reading for those interested in Roman history, military history.