The History of the Peloponnesian War

Athenian historian (if that’s what he was) Thucydides is a notoriously gritty and gristly writer. Even his fellow ancient Greeks found translating him hard going. For a happy combination of accuracy (prime Thucydidean quality), literary fluency, and interpretative skill, this new translation by super-experienced Robin Waterfield with the assistance of distinguished ancient historian Polly Low will be far more than a transient showpiece of the sort Thucydides abhorred – Paul Cartledge, author of DEMOCRACY: A LIFEWaterfield has a track record of marvelous translations of Herodotus, Plato, and others, and now his Thucydides is just as good, extremely readable and accessible without any dumbing down of this demanding author. It is enhanced by the introduction and notes by Polly Low, telling readers exactly what they need to know to make the most of a perpetually engrossing text – Christopher Pelling, Professor of Greek Emeritus, University of OxfordWaterfield’s elegant, modern translation of Thucydides will serve both scholars and general readers exceptionally well, while Low’s introduction and notes offer just the right amount of context and explanation, illuminating the text rather than weighing it down. In their hands Thucydides’ great work shows the same ‘bloom of perpetual newness’ that Plutarch once saw in the Parthenon – Johanna Hanink, Brown UniversityWaterfield’s translation of a bold and powerful writer brimming with creative ideas on matters of language and politics is crisp, readable, and true to the author’s diction. Polly Low’s introduction is accessible and expansive without being pedantic … Thucydides is a writer for the ages: Waterfield and Low, his interpreters today – Lawrence A. Tritle, Loyola Marymount UniversityA magnificent achievement, making ancient history live in a vernacular for our time – Kirkus (starred)

Robin Waterfield is a British classical scholar, translator, and editor, specializing in ancient Greek philosophy and history. Among others, his translations include Plato’s Republic, Herodotus’s The Histories, Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, and Aesop’s Fables. He lives in Greece.