Beware Of Penguin Classics Version Of Polybius

[Divi Filius]

I must say, after going through the version of Polybius Histories provided by Penguin Classics, I was horrified. Completely and utterly horrified. What we have of his original writings already we have lost enough, but if Penguin Classics was left to provide the world with the book we would find our knowledge of the events even smaller. The book focuses almost entirely on the varius campaigns of the Second Punic War. Nothing is mentioned on any of the big eastern events(Battle of Magnesia, Seleucian/Ptolemic relations and events, Antiochus crossing Asia), nothing of Carthage's mercenary wars, nothing on any of the Macedonian wars, rather just their resolution. The Spanish campaign of Scipio's end right after the Battle of Baecula, ignored what many consider as Scipio's greatest military achievement(Ilipa) and his later pacifying of the Spanish tribes. We do not even get a footnote on these events. And on his other selections, Polybius clearly mentions the preceeding Roman and Macedonian battles, yet no mention of them are made. How am I to understand Polybius comparison of the Phalanx and Legion comparison without any knowledge of the battles which the two fought? I myself did, but now imagine the average reader?

 

It is a terrible edition to this book and I myself feel like chucking it out of the window now that I finished it.

 

Unfortunately, I myself as a college student can hardly afford the more expensive versions of the histories which run at 20 bucks per a few books and can run well over 100 for the entire history.

Edited January 23, 2006 by Divi Filius

[P.Clodius]

Well some publishers have a tendency to "chop up" some ancient authors to concetrate their writings to a particular aspect. I for one welcome this on occasion. For instance, my copy of Lives by Plutarch contains only roman personalities. I'm only interested in roman personalities and do not care about Gelon, or Hypias, etc..Look on amazon, you'll find the original, penguin or not.

[Pantagathus]

Yes it's quite shocking that Penguin (who is usually very good) would abridge the work so extensively. And of Polybius! What nerve.

 

I recommend trying to find an old copy of the translation done by Evelyn S. Shuckburgh (1962 Reprint) It is very complete.

[Divi Filius]

Well some publishers have a tendency to "chop up" some ancient authors to concetrate their writings to a particular aspect. I for one welcome this on occasion. For instance, my copy of Lives by Plutarch contains only roman personalities. I'm only interested in roman personalities and do not care about Gelon, or Hypias, etc..Look on amazon, you'll find the original, penguin or not.

 

I know what you mean P.Clodius. I myself got the whole collection of Plutarch's lives, but for my uncle who was concentrating on the civil wars I got the 6 Roman Lives of the fall of the Republic. Which ofcourse lacks the books objective, the comparisons.

 

But Polybius wrote for the exact opposite reason as this. He mentions extensively on how he is writing to show the evnts of the entire world and how they eventually mingled and mixed to bring about the eventual rise of Rome. But the east is completely and utterly ignored. In that aspect, the book was butchered. Antiochus campaigns are never mentioned and he himself appears only in name through the accounts of Demetruis escape and that of Hannibal. The man who made the version left in the mention of the Seleucids being defeated by the Romans. But takes away every mention of how they began to feud with Rome(which concerned the Seleucian claims of Greece).

 

Oh yes I also forgot to add that the Third Punic War is skipped entirely. And from the accounts left behind we are to assume really that Rome destroyed Carthage, through no explanation whatsoever. Penguin Classics obviously was more concerned with concentrating the histories in one book then in actually providing a cheap printing of this most significant historian.

 

 

I recommend trying to find an old copy of the translation done by Evelyn S. Shuckburgh (1962 Reprint) It is very complete.

 

I found this online for free but I have to try and find a way to sneak its print out slowly from my school comps since I wont dare bring the files home and print it through my comp(over 400 pages). But thanks for the recomendation.

 

 

On Amazon, they have these two selections. With a massive price range. One is .99 cents and is called Polybius on Roman Imperialism: The Histories of Polybius and the other Histories of Polybius which is $49

Edited January 23, 2006 by Viggen

[M. Porcius Cato]

OMG! Thanks for the heads-up: now I have some new Polybius to read!