Style and Necessity in Thucydides

Ancient literary critics were struck by Thucydides' nominal style, which deemsphasizes human agency and stresses the subjection of human beings to transpersonal forces. Thucydidean necessity is not absolute but is in the tradition of a type of fatalism that leaves leeway for human choice. Pericles is an example of an individual who uses the leeway left by necessity for prudent interventions into the course of events.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 17 November 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Ancient literary critics were captivated by Thucydides' distinctive style, characterized by his penchant for abstract nominal phrases. This book reveals that Thucydides frequently employs these phrases instead of more colloquial verbal and personal constructions. These stylistic choices tend to downplay human agency, rendering individuals passive recipients of incidents rather than active agents shaping events. Consequently, delving into the abstract style prompts the question of necessity in Thucydides' work. Thucydides and his speakers frequently employ impersonal and passive language to emphasize the subjugation of human beings to transpersonal forces that manifest in collective passions and an inherent dynamic of events. These factors constitute the essence of human existence and serve as a substitute for the prevalent notion of divine fatalism in earlier Greek thought. However, it is important to note that Thucydidean necessity is not absolute. It aligns with a tradition of fatalism found in Homer and Herodotus, wherein the gods or fate play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of significant events. Nevertheless, these authors allow for some degree of flexibility in the specific manner in which these pivotal events unfold. Thus, the Greeks embraced a malleable variant of necessity, preserving a significant scope for human choice within the confines established by necessity. Pericles emerges as a prime example of an individual who harnesses the leeway provided by necessity for judicious interventions in the course of events.

Weight: 564g
Dimension: 146 x 225 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198812043