Ancient Books - Page 5

The Way Things Are: The De Rerum Natura of Titus Lucretius Carus

Lucretius

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Still the best edition for the general reader 5 out of 5 stars.
49 of 50 people found this review helpful.

A number of other English translations, in prose or verse, have emerged since this book was first published in 1968. While most have their good points, this one stands out for its clarity, unforced feel, and the sheer beauty of its poetry. (It doesn't hurt that it is reasonably priced!) In this Lucretius, the poet and philosopher are inextricably mixed and cannot be put asunder.

The naturalistic view of a beautiful but cold, and unfeeling universe is limned brilliantly and passionately. The gods appear, but only as a literary conceit, or as a faint concession to the possibility of higher realms of being. We are left "all alone", but not "all afraid". The light of understanding banishes dark terrors: Nothing; no horrors await us in death. Our lives here remain what we make them. Far from leading to nihilism and despair, this knowledge renews our sense of purpose. Play your part well; there is no second act.

I can only hint at the excitement that awaits the interested reader within these pages. If anything written here has failed to convey the pleasure of this book, or has proven off-putting, then I apologize. "Tole et lege!"

Aristotle's Dialogue with Socrates: On the "Nicomachean Ethics"

Ronna Burger

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

What is the good life for a human being? Aristotle’s exploration of this question in the Nicomachean Ethics has established it as a founding work of Western philosophy, though its teachings have long puzzled readers and provoked spirited discussion. Adopting a radically new point of view, Ronna Burger deciphers some of the most perplexing conundrums of this influential treatise by approaching it as Aristotle’s dialogue with the Platonic Socrates.
This dialogue initially takes the shape of a debate Aristotle stages with Socrates, identified in the Ethics as a proponent of the doctrine that virtue is knowledge. Tracing the argument of the Ethics as it emerges from the debate, Burger’s careful reading shows how Aristotle represents ethical virtue from the perspective of those devoted to it while standing back to examine its assumptions and implications. Providing brilliant insights into Aristotle’s understanding of the moral life, friendship, and philosophy, Burger’s study uncovers in the speeches of the Ethics an action that proceeds in a Socratic manner to offer a Socratic answer to the question of human happiness.

The Anabasis of Cyrus (Agora)

Xenophon

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Editorial Review:

One of the foundational works of military and political history, and an inspiration for Alexander the Great, the Anabasis of Cyrus recounts the epic story of the Ten Thousand, a band of Greek mercenaries hired by Cyrus the Younger to overthrow his brother, Artaxerxes, king of Persia and the most powerful man on earth. It shows how Cyrus' army was assembled covertly and led from the coast of Asia Minor all the way to Babylon; how the Greeks held the field against a superior Persian force; how Cyrus was killed, leaving the Greeks stranded deep within enemy territory; and how many of them overcame countless dangers and found their way back to Greece. Their remarkable success was due especially to the wily and decisive leadership of Xenophon himself, a student of Socrates who had joined the Ten Thousand and, after most of the Greek generals had been murdered, rallied the despondent Greeks, won a position of leadership, and guided them wisely through myriad obstacles.

In this new translation of the Anabasis of Cyrus, Wayne Ambler achieves a masterful combination of liveliness and a fidelity to the original uncommon in other versions. Accompanying Ambler's translation is a penetrating interpretive essay by Eric Buzzetti, one that shows Xenophon to be an author who wove a philosophic narrative into his dramatic tale. The translation and interpretive essay encourage renewed study of the Anabasis of Cyrus as a work of political philosophy. They also celebrate its high adventure and its hero's adroit decision-making under the most pressing circumstances.

In the Dark Places of Wisdom

Peter Kingsley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

I really want to like this book 3 out of 5 stars.
16 of 22 people found this review helpful.

But i can't give it more than 3 stars. Why? first, as the reviewer below states, Peter Kingsley throws out an awful lot of assumptions without any backup. No guided footnotes, no back story, just a jumble at the back of the book for people to sift through. Combined with his sensationalist style a-la The Davinci Code (not sure which came first), it's awful and insulting. Perhaps because of this style, he ends up wasting our time as he thinks things through for himself in parts without just giving us the information to think through ourselves - as if we're incapable of doing so...i really wonder how he can be a university professor since he talks to us like we're in high school. He does this while also telling us how great it is that the ancient Greeks did no such thing - they wrote simply but with deep meaning, and let the reader figure it out (i guess he's not as clever as they were? or does he think we aren't?) Oh, right -- throughout the book he explains that scholars are stupid and only he and a few others really understand how to explain what's going on! Yes, that's why!

But even with all that, i was getting into this book in spite of myself, as he brought out a lot of interesting facts about the Phocaeans and Parmeneides. But when he literally pulled this one out of his a**--he said that some scholars actually believe the harmony of the spheres heard by Pythagoras was the sound of a snake hiss--i had to just laugh. Now, it's true that a large portion of people don't actually hear overtones, but there are many of us who do - and you don't mistake the sound for a hissing snake. Furthermore, to say such a thing totally dismisses all of Pythagoras's teachings about harmony and the overtone series, which wouldn't exist if all that were the case. But saying they sounded like "pipes" as Parmeneides and Pythagoras in fact did would be a better bet. I guess Peter likes to take what those dumb scholars said if they fit his own agenda. Indeed, Peter Kingsley apparently dismisses the actual word for pipes USED by the ancients, to bring hissing snakes into his theories. To twist something so simple around like that just made me lose respect for him. Sorry Peter. I wanted to like you because it's obvious you're a great student of this stuff, but you owe us a little more than that.

In the end, what we learn that is so important is actually nothing new - that the great philosophers, mathematicians, etc. in ancient Greece were mystics, and that Plato shut the door on that. Well, that has been an acknowleged fact for a long long time. The sad thing is, that this book has some interesting information about the mysticism practiced. But it's couched in paragraphs and paragraphs of an angry tone about how there's a conspiracy (yes he uses that word) to keep people from knowing it. Too bad - but i guess it's because, if you take all the unnecessary stuff out, it would've been a much thinner book.

Editorial Review:

A set of ancient inscriptions on marble found 40 years ago in southern Italy, recording details so bewildering that scholars have kept silent about them ... Sensational new information about a group of ancient philosophers who were so intensely practical that, two and a half thousand years ago, they shaped our existence and the world we live in ... These are just two ingredients of this extraordinary book, which uncovers an astonishing reality right at the origins of the Western world. Written by a highly-acclaimed contemporary historian and expert in the field, it provides dramatic new evidence about one of the most important of ancient philosophers, Parmenides-and revolutionizes our un-derstanding of the history of religion, of the origins of philosophy, and of Western culture as a whole.

The Theology of Arithmetic

Iambilichus, translated by Robin Waterfield

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Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Lot's of Little Treasures 5 out of 5 stars.
30 of 30 people found this review helpful.

I'm not sure if the books' material or the editor's notes are more useful. The book itself is attributed to Iamblichus but it is not really known whether he actually wrote this particular text. The author does note that the book seems to be more of a compilation of material by Anatonlius and Nicomachus. I actually wondered at many points if this text was written by a student (i.e. student notes from lectures at Plato's academy). None-the-less if you are looking for materials on Pythagorean philosophy, this book is for you. It covers the symbolism attributed to the first ten numbers (the monad through the decad) as well as touching on subjects like Plato's lambda and the Geometric, Arithmetic and Harmonic means. If you have the Pythagorean Sourcebook by Guthrie or Jesus Christ, Sun of God by Fidieler this book will complement those two works nicely (esp. Appendix II of the former). Also, Rene Schwaller's Study of Numbers seems to derive a lot of inspiration from either this text or one like it. Keith Critchlow, who wrote Islamic Patterns, introduces this book and extrapolates on Plato's Lambda in a very interesting way. Also the glossary in the back of this book, explaining Platonic/Pythagorean notions of numbers (perfect, over-perfect, even-odd, etc.) was enlightening. With so many gems of Pythagorean knowledge in such a small space (i.e. less than a hundred pages) - the book definately deserves 5 stars.

Editorial Review:

Attributed to Iamblichus (4th cent. AD), The Theology of Arithmetic is about the mystical, mathmatical and cosmological symbolism of the first ten numbers. Its is the longest work on number symbolism to survive from the ancient world, and Robin Waterfield's careful translation contains helpful footnotes, an extensive glossary, bibliography, and foreword by Keith Critchlow. Never before translated from ancient Greek, this important sourcework is indispensable for anyone intereted in Pythagorean though, Neoplatonism, or the symbolism of Numbers.

Plato: The Republic, Books 1-5 (Loeb Classical Library No. 237)

Plato

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Total reviews: 91 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Rhetoric 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Most people know this book by title, not by content. I must admit reading this book is not for the faint at heart. Rhetorics will be thrown in your face as if it is common language and some sense of historical background on the Greeks may help as well.

But this shouldn't hold you back from reading this classic piece, all 450 pages of it. It is not so much the result of all thinking, but the process of thinking itself which makes this a great book. Known as one of the greatest Greek philosiphers of all-time you can get a taste of his way of thinking and the time he was living in.

If you have any interest in history and philosophy you'll love this book.

The ultimate Socratic dialogue? 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

"The Republic" is Plato's classical utopia, and perhaps one of the most controversial political texts ever written. It's so absurd that some people deny that Plato really meant it! Strange Aristotle never noticed. And yet, those who believe that "The Republic" shouldn't be taken literally probably have a point. Plato himself didn't take "The Republic" absolutely literally either.

"The Republic" describes a hierarchical caste society ruled by a militarized, collectivist elite. The elite itself is divided into different segments, the highest echelon being that of the philosopher-kings, enlightened thinkers who contemplate the heavenly world of Platonic forms, and precisely for that reason are fit to rule society as well. Below the philosopher-kings stand the Guardians, essentially the military caste. Famously, both the philosophers and Guardians live under conditions of total communism. They own no private property, are reared together, and hence don't know their parents or siblings. Strictly speaking, there are philosopher-queens as well, and also female soldiers, since the elite has gender equality (a point that has puzzled modern feminists). Below the elite groups stand merchants, artisans and farmers, but no slaves. The castes are (almost) hereditary, eugenics are used to ensure the fitness of the elite groups, and the population are induced to believe in fantastic, religious myths. The myths are noble lies welding this strange society together. Did I leave something out? Oh, and the poets are banished from the city! In other words, the ideal society described in "The Republic" looks like a curious blend of Sparta, Egypt and India (at least the two former societies would have been known to Plato).

So where do we go from here? The most moderate interpretation is that although Plato did regard "The Republic" as the best society, he didn't really believe that such a society was possible. It was a deliberate utopia. This raises a lot of intriguing questions, such as how Plato imagined the best *possible* society to look like, or what function "The Republic" was supposed to have. The first question is to some extent answered in "The Laws" and the Seventh Epistle, where Plato advocates a mixed constitution. What the answer to the second question might be, I honestly don't know. Perhaps nobody does. A wild guess: the point of Plato's utopia was to explore certain ideas without hindrance, throw certain concepts into as sharp relief as possible, in other words, do exactly what modern utopian novels do, in contrast to political utopias meant to be taken seriously.

I think that Plato clearly saw both the dilemma of democracy, and the dilemmas of tyranny and oligarchy, what we would simply call "dictatorship". Plato saw his teacher Socrates being persecuted by the regime of the Thirty Tyrants, but he also saw him being executed by the demos. The twin dilemmas of both dictatorship and democracy were starkly visible in the life of Socrates. The perennial problem of democracy is: what happens if the people vote the wrong way? (In Athens, the problem was even more pronounced, since many positions were filled by lot!) The perennial problem of dictatorship: how do we stop a ruler from becoming a tyrant, if the people can't even vote? Plato's solution to the problem was to balance the demos and the elite by a mixed constitution. In "The Laws" he took Sparta and the Cretan city-states as his concrete models, but he might just as well have harkened back to the days of Solon, or made use of the systems in Carthage or Republican Rome.

Plato's concrete solutions aren't ours, of course. Even the Athenian democracy he criticized was a far cry from our modern conceptions of democracy. From our vantage point, a mixed constitution on a Spartan or Cretan model actually looks even worse than the Athenian system. Note also the irony that "The Laws" lack the "socialist" and "feminist" traits of the Platonic utopia. Also, there is slavery in Magnesia, the name given by Plato to his realistic Cretan city-state, while there doesn't seem to be any slaves in "The Republic". And yet, despite the obvious differences between Plato's time and ours, the dilemma is still with us! Modern democracies attempt to solve it by combining universal suffrage with a division of powers, by a federal structure, or by a strong constitution guaranteeing basic human rights, a constitution that cannot be changed, at least not by a simple majority. Our methods may be different from the Platonic ones, but we are still trying to solve the same dilemma as he experienced in the aftermath of the Peloponessian War.

It could further be argued that no clever constitutional solution is possible in the long run, if the citizens loose their sense of civic duty. And it further seems that civic duty is possible only in a relatively small state, without too large income or property differentials between the citizens. Indeed, even Plato's moderate city-state in "The Laws" insists on the citizens having roughly equal amounts of landed property, property that can be neither bought nor sold. Of course, our concept of citizenship is much broader than the Platonic one: women and even resident aliens are citizens, and there are no slaves. Yet, Plato's general point seems to be correct.

So far, I have only touched on those points in "The Republic" and "The Laws" that could be creatively developed without offending our modern sensibilities too much. But, of course, "The Republic" also deals with other issues, more disturbing ones to our liberal ears. Are people really born equal? Are there innate differences between individuals? Is it always permissible for the rulers to tell the truth? Do societies need myths and noble lies? Ironically, Plato also asked questions that should disturb some conservatives: Given that innate differences are individual rather than sex-related, does this mean that the sexes are equal? And what's so good about private property and foreign trade anyway?

Perhaps that's the main function played by "The Republic". It's a work of provocation, a work meant to shock us into boldly questioning our preconceptions, a work that's the very opposite of a noble lie. Pace Popper, "The Republic" might actually be Plato's most Socratic work!

[This isn't really a review of this particular edition, but a general comment on Plato's dialogue, and its relation to some other works, but placing it here felt like the most natural option.]

Editorial Review:

Paul Shorey's unsurpassed translation is published here with his original footnotes (missing in the Bollingen reprint), which clarify readings and explain nuances. The Loeb edition of The Republic is in two volumes.

The Manual of Harmonics of Nicomachus the Pythagorean

Nicomachus

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A major contribution to the world of classics. 5 out of 5 stars.
35 of 43 people found this review helpful.

Flora R.Levin has one of the keenest and most perceptive minds around. What sets her writing apart from other classicists is her clear and unpretentious style infused with human qualities. She has the ability to take the reader by the hand, so to speak, and infuse him with her own passion for her subject. "The Manual of Harmonics of Nicomachus the Pythagorean" is the creation of a profound scholar and a cultivated, sensitive musician.

Editorial Review:

This book is the first complete translation of the Pythagorean philosopher Nicomachus of Gerasa. It is a concise and well organized introduction to the study of harmonics and contains an extensive commentary in which Flora Levin explains the principles of Pythagorean harmony. This important work constitutes a valuable resource for all students of ancient philosophy, Western cosmology, and the history of music.

The Temple of Man

R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz

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Average rating: 0.0 of 5

Luxor Revealed 5 out of 5 stars.
80 of 83 people found this review helpful.

R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz spent 15 years at Luxor attempting to solve the riddle of Egytpian civilization. His final considerations are expounded fully in The Temple of Man. Lovingly translated by Robert Lawlor, this book is at long last available in English.

From his premise the Ancient Egytpian Civilization was more advanced and complex that modern research admits, Schwaller uses the Temple Complex at Luxor to expound his theory of Sacred Science, a science based on Natural Law and personal discovery.

The information in this book requires a deep dedication to comprehend. It challenges the reader not only to diversify their own knowledge base, but also to look at the world through new eyes with a new heart.

Time will tell if Schwaller de Lubicz is right, already many of his notions are being realized as possible, and many researchers are beginning to look seriously at his work.

As his magnum opus, The Temple of Man presents his work as it was meant to be. Fully and completely. This book is destined to become a classic of independent research into the mysteries of the development of human thought.

Editorial Review:

An exhaustive study of the temple of Amun-Mut-Khonsu at Luxor, proving that Egypt, not Greece, is the foundation of Western civilization.

Inner Traditions is proud to present one of the monumental works of the twentieth century. The Temple of Man represents the most important breakthrough in our understanding of Ancient Egypt since the discovery of the Rosetta Stone. This exhaustive study reveals in words, art, and photographs the mathematical, medical, and metaphysical sophistication of Ancient Egypt. Through a reading of the measures and proportions, axes and orientations, and bas-reliefs of the famous temple of Amun-Mut-Khonsu at Luxor, Schwaller de Lubicz provides convincing evidence that Egypt, not Greece, is the foundation of Western civilization.

Plotinus or the Simplicity of Vision

Pierre Hadot

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Spiritual Biography/ Spiritual Philosophy 5 out of 5 stars.
14 of 15 people found this review helpful.

This book is a joy to read. It is a joy because the author did not primarily write it for scholars; he wrote it for the layman. He wrote a spiritual biography that explains Plotinus and his teachings, and not a deconstructionist hatchet job to profane them. Yes, it is a slim volume and an introduction, but if it is sufficient to get the idea of simplicity of vision across, of stripping away all of the dross to once again attain union with the One, then it is more than enough. After all, true philosophy is simplicity, and not the complicated, pretentious, artificial construction of "learned" discourse that passes under that name in these days.

Those who think that Plotinus merely regurgitated the concepts of Plato couldn't be more mistaken. Plotinus achieved the mystic union that enabled him to verify Plato's teachings by direct experience. In the same way, later mystics validated Plotinus' teachings by direct experience. That isn't regurgitation- it is a form validation and verification based on experience. Yes, there is a chain uniting all true mystics and mystical philosophers, but it is not a cause and effect chain in the earthly world of matter and history- it is a chain existing at the higher level of pure Intellect, where we all are united whether we realize it or not.

Our self extends from God down to the level of matter. Most of us are not conscious of it. However, our point of attention or perspective can be shifted to a higher level. Our soul is in an intermediate position between the lower world (matter), and the higher worlds of Spirit and the One. When we descend from the All before birth we add something to this All. We do not gain by this addition, but are lessened by it. This addition is what constitutes our little, rational self. However, we can forget this little self and at least briefly re-unite with Spirit. A few may even briefly reach as high as the One while still rooted in this realm of time.

The secret lies in contemplation. Through spiritual practice we calm and purify the consciousness to be ready for the intervention of the Spirit. For we do not control this outcome no matter how long and hard we may work for it. Plotinus held that it ultimately depended upon...Grace. We must strive to become a living temple- but it is up to the divine presence whether or not it chooses to enter in.

There is a remarkable underlying consistency to all the teachings attributed to Plotinus. Even his last words are a holographic fragment containing the whole: "I am trying to make what is most divine in me rise back up to what is divine in the universe."

Editorial Review:

Since its original publication in France in 1963, Pierre Hadot's lively philosophical portrait of Plotinus remains the preeminent introduction to the man and his thought. Michael Chase's lucid translation--complete with a useful chronology and analytical bibliography--at last makes this book available to the English-speaking world.

Hadot carefully examines Plotinus's views on the self, existence, love, virtue, gentleness, and solitude. He shows that Plotinus, like other philosophers of his day, believed that Plato and Aristotle had already articulated the essential truths; for him, the purpose of practicing philosophy was not to profess new truths but to engage in spiritual exercises so as to live philosophically. Seen in this light, Plotinus's counsel against fixation on the body and all earthly matters stemmed not from disgust or fear, but rather from his awareness of the negative effect that bodily preoccupation and material concern could have on spiritual exercises.

The Art of War (Book and Audio-CD Set)

Sun Tzu

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Editorial Review:

Listen to an audio excerpt online in MP3 format:

Track 2: Introductory Remarks by James Gimian of the Denma Translation Group

Track 3: Appraisals 

At the core of this ancient strategy manual is the understanding that conflict is an inescapable part of human experience. Since, as Sun Tzu teaches, aggression and response in kind can lead only to destruction, we must learn to work with conflict in a more profound and effective way. Crucial to this strategic vision is knowledge—especially self-knowledge—and a picture of the whole that seeks to bring conflicting views into a larger perspective.

This book-and-CD set allows readers to engage with The Art of War in its original medium—the spoken word. The book includes the complete translated text and three original essays exploring its key teachings. Produced under the direction of the Denma Translation Group's James Gimian, the audio program contains the complete Art of War text, read by Carl Williams (disc 1) and selections from the text interspersed with the Denma group's original commentary, read by Carrington MacDuffie (discs 2 and 3).

This fresh and unusually faithful translation preserves the enigmatic quality of the original—allowing us to discover innumerable insights in its lines millennia after this oral tradition was first set down. The commentary by the translators reveals the broader implications of Sun Tzu's teachings and how they can be applied to everyday circumstances.

3 CDs, with a 176-page book