Customer Reviews

Down from Olympus

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This book should be read by everyone who has the least interest in how German Philhellenism grew from the late eighteenth century cultured bourgeois (Bildungsbuergertum) neohumanism into an unparalleled obsession for Hellas. Marchand writes beautifully, intelligently, and insightfully. Every page is worth reading over and over. I had to read it slowly because Marchand writes so wonderfully that every detail comes alive in her presentation. I thought I might miss something. She truly loves her subject matter and imparts that joy to her readers. I cannot recommend this work highly enough.

Starting with an overview of the idea of Philhellinism as embodied in neohumanism and the poetry of Schiller, she demonstrates how philology and archeology were developed in the same cradle of idealism. She traces the history of this development by drawing on peculiarly German cultural moments that English readers rarely comprehend because of language barriers. This is not just a study for students of German history. Marchand has made a particular aspect of German history and culture accsesible to those who cannot read German.

This book is great for students of cultural history, philosophy, sculpture, archeology, and philology (to name but a few who may benefit from her work). I recommend this book together with George S. Williamson's newly released The Longing for Myth in Germany which seems to fold nicely together and develop along similar lines.

This book should be on every scholar's bookshelf, no question about it!