Irlandos at 11:52, January 30, 2006

2006-01-30T11:52:10Z

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'''''Anabasis''''' is the most famous work of the Greek writer [[Xenophon]]. The journey it narrates is his best known accomplishment.

Xenophon accompanied the [[Ten Thousand (Greek)|Ten Thousand]], a large army of Greek mercenaries hired by [[Cyrus the Younger]], who intended to seize the throne of Persia from his brother, [[Artaxerxes II]]. Though Cyrus' army was victorious in a [[Battle of Cunaxa|battle at Cunaxa]] in Babylon, Cyrus himself was killed in battle and the expedition rendered moot. Stranded deep in enemy territory, the Spartan general [[Clearchus]] and most of the other Greek generals were subsequently killed or captured by treachery. Xenophon played an instrumental role in encouraging the Greek army of 10,000 to march north to the [[Black Sea]]. This is the story he relates in this book.

The [[Greek language|Greek]] term ''anabasis'' referred to an expedition from a coastline into the interior of a country. The term ''katabasis'' referred to a trip from the interior to the coast. Since most of Xenophon's narrative is taken up with the march from the interior of Babylon to the Black Sea, the title is something of a misnomer.

[[Socrates]] makes a cameo appearance when Xenophon asks whether he ought to accompany the expedition. The short episode demonstrates the reverence of Socrates for the [[Oracle of Delphi]].

Traditionally ''Anabasis'' is one of the first unabridged texts studied by students of classical Greek due to its clear and unadorned style.

One of the best and most easily found translations is Rex Warner's ''The Persian Expedition''.

==External links==
*[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Xen.+Anab.+1.1.1&vers=original Original Text and Translation at Perseus]
*[http://www.gutenberg.net/etext/1170 English translation] by Henry Graham Dakyns from Project Gutenberg

{{Credit wikipedia}}

[[Category:Ancient Greek works]]

Anabasis (Xenophon) - Revision history

Irlandos at 11:52, January 30, 2006