TacitusThe histories of Roman senator Cornelius Tacitus constitute the most influential examination of tyranny, political behavior and public morality from the classical age. For centuries these portraits of courageous martyrs to freedom, of paranoid tyrants, and of sycophantic flatteres and informers shaped modern political attitudes. Ronald Mellor provides a compelling analysis of the ideas of the greatest historian of evil in the western intellectual tradition. In Tacitus, Ronald Mellor passionately argues for reclaiming this ironic genius whose cynical world view is particularly well-suited to an analysis of the tyranny and brutality in our own century. Tacitus is presented as a moralist, psychologist, political analyst and literary artist. Tacitus' greatest impact has never been on historians. Rather, his political vision and dramatic images left their mark on painters, poets and thinkers. |
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Table des matières
The Historian as Literary Artist | 113 |
The Impact of Tacitus | 137 |
Editions and Translations | 194 |
Autres éditions - Tout afficher
Expressions et termes fréquents
admired Agricola Agrippina ancient historians Annals 14 Annals Tacitus armies Augustus barbarian berius biography Caesar Caligula century character Cicero cited civil Claudius corruption courage court courtiers criticism death decline Despite Dialogue Domitian dramatic emperor Empire epigram evil facts favor Flavian freedmen freedom Galba Gaul German Germania Germanicus Greek ical ideal imperial intellectual irony itus Julio-Claudian later Latin linked literary Livy Luce Machiavelli merely Messalina modern Momigliano murder narrative Nero Nero's Nerva orators oratory passion philosophers Pliny poets praetorian praetorian prefect praise princes psychological reader reign Republic republican rhetorical Roman historians Rome Rome's Ronald Syme rule rulers rumors Sallust Schellhase 1976 scholars Sejanus Senate senatorial Seneca sexual soldiers sources speech Stoic style Suetonius survive Syme Taci Tacitean Tacitus provides Tacitus's theme Tiberius Tiberius's tion torian traditional Trajan troops truth tyranny tyrants Vespasian virtue Vitellius women Woodman writing wrote
Fréquemment cités
Page 154 - In their primitive state of simplicity and independence, the Germans were surveyed by the discerning eye, and delineated by the masterly pencil, of Tacitus, the first of historians who applied the science of philosophy to the study of facts.
Page 113 - Time that is intolerant Of the brave and innocent, And indifferent in a week To a beautiful physique, Worships language and forgives Everyone by whom it lives; Pardons cowardice, conceit, Lays its honours at their feet. Time that with this strange excuse Pardoned Kipling and his views, And will pardon Paul Claudel, Pardons him for writing well.
Page 153 - It would require the pen of Tacitus (if Tacitus had assisted at this assembly) to describe the various emotions of the senate; those that were suppressed, and those that were affected. It was dangerous to trust the sincerity of Augustus ; to seem to distrust it was still more dangerous. The respective advantages of monarchy and a republic have often divided speculative inquirers; the present greatness of the Roman state, the corruption of manners, and the...
Page 163 - We need a man can speak of the intents, The councils, actions, orders, and events Of state, and censure them. We need his pen Can write the things, the causes, and the men. But most we need his faith— and all have you— That dares nor write things false nor hide things true.
Page 127 - When we see a natural style, we are astonished and delighted; for we expected to see an author, and we find a man.
Page 150 - It is a poem, that, if I well remember, in your lordship's sight, suffered no less violence from our people here, than the subject of it did from the rage of the people of Rome ; but with a different fate, as, I hope, merit ; for this hath outlived their malice, and begot itself a.
Page 35 - For who does not know history's first law to be that an author must not dare to tell anything but the truth'' And its second that he must make bold to tell the whole truth?
Page 88 - ... the functions of the senate, the magistrates, and the laws. No one opposed him, for the most courageous had fallen in battle or in the proscription.
