Xenophon of Athens - Collected Works on Ancient Greece (23 books)

* Xenophon of Athens - Collected Works on Ancient Greece (23 books)

XENOPHON OF ATHENS (c. 430 – 355/354 BCE) was a Greek historian, philosopher, and military commander. When political turmoil gripped Athens, Xenophon joined a massive mercenary expedition into the Persian Empire, an experience that profoundly shaped his worldview. His writings reflect the practical mindset of a seasoned soldier, a keen observer of human behavior, and a pragmatic political thinker. Unlike many academic philosophers of his era, Xenophon focused heavily on leadership, governance, and the execution of civic duties in the real world.

As a historian, Xenophon picked up the narrative mantle left unfinished by Thucydides, documenting the closing years of the Peloponnesian War and its chaotic aftermath. His premier historical work, HELLENICA , provides a detailed first-hand account of Greek political and military affairs from 411 to 362 BCE. While modern scholars occasionally criticize him for favoring Sparta, the text remains an indispensable primary source for understanding the shifting alliances and warfare of fourth-century Greece. Another major historical contribution is ANABASIS , a narrative of his march with ten thousand Greek mercenaries stranded deep within the Persian Empire. This adventure story doubles as a manual on military logistics, leadership, and crisis management, showing how discipline and democratic assembly saved an army from destruction.

Xenophon also dedicated a substantial portion of his literary career to preserving the memory and teachings of his mentor, Socrates . In MEMORABILIA , he defends the philosopher against the historical charges of impiety and corrupting the Athenian youth, portraying Socrates as a deeply moral teacher who gave practical advice on daily living. He expanded this Socratic dialogue format in OECONOMICUS , a treatise focused on estate management, agriculture, and domestic roles, which stands as one of the earliest works of economic thought. Additionally, his SYMPOSIUM offers a lighter, more social look at Socratic dialogue during an Athenian banquet, focusing on the nature of love and friendship, while his APOLOGY provides Xenophon's unique perspective on the trial and defense of Socrates.

Beyond history and philosophy, Xenophon explored political theory and specialized instructional manuals, reflecting his diverse personal interests. His longest and perhaps most influential work, CYROPAEDIA , is a fictionalized biography of Cyrus the Great that serves as a treatise on ideal leadership and education. He also wrote smaller, highly practical essays including ON HORSEMANSHIP , which offers timeless advice on equine care and training, and THE CAVALRY GENERAL (or THE CAVALRY COMMANDER), a handbook on military command. Through this expansive and accessible body of work, Xenophon established himself not just as a chronicler of his times, but as a practical guide for leaders, soldiers, and citizens across the classical world.


The following books are in ePUB and/or PDF format as indicated:

* A History of My Times [tr. Warner] (Penguin, 2004) – ePUB
* Anabasis of Cyrus [tr. Ambler] (Cornell, 2011) – ePUB / PDF
* Apology of Socrates to the Jury [tr. Kremer] (Focus, 2006) – PDF
* Complete Works (Delphi Classics, 2013) – ePUB
* Conversations of Socrates [tr. Tredennick & Waterfield] (Penguin, 1990) – ePUB
* Cyrus the Great: The Arts of Leadership and War [ed. Hedrick] (St. Martin's, 2006) – ePUB
* Education of Cyrus [tr. Ambler] (Cornell, 2014) – ePUB / PDF
* Estate Management and Symposium [tr. Verity] (Oxford, 2022) – ePUB / PDF
* Expedition of Cyrus [tr. Waterfield] (Oxford, 2005) – ePUB / PDF
* Hiero the Tyrant and Other Treatises [tr. Waterfield] (Penguin, 2006) – ePUB
* Memorabilia [tr. Bonnette] (Cornell, 2014) – ePUB / PDF
* Memorabilia and The Apology of Socrates [tr. Fielding, ed. Pignot] (Gorgias, 2016) – PDF
* Memories of Socrates: Memorabilia and Apology [tr. Hammond] (Oxford, 2023) – ePUB / PDF
* The Old Oligarch: The Constitution of the Athenians [ed. Marr & Rhodes] (Aris & Phillips, 2008) – PDF
* On Tyranny [Hiero or Tyrannicus, tr. Kendrick & Bernardete] (Chicago, 2013) – ePUB
* The Persian Expedition [tr. Warner] (Penguin, 2010) – ePUB
* The School of Cyrus Xenophon [ed. Tatum] (Routledge, 2019) – ePUB
* Shorter Socratic Writings [ed. Bartlett] (Cornell, 1996) – PDF
* Shorter Writings [ed. McBrayer] (Cornell, 2018) – ePUB / PDF
* Socrates' Defense to the Jury [tr. Doyle] (Hackett, 2002) – ePUB
* Spartan Constitution: Introduction, Text, Commentary [tr. Lipke] (Brill, 2002) – PDF

== ANTHOLOGIES ==

* The Essential Greek Historians [ed. Burstein] (Hackett, 2022) – ePUB / PDF
* The Greek Histories [ed. Lefkowitz & Romm] (Modern Library, 2022) – ePUB


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