The Speeches in Thucydides: A Collection of Original Studies

In this review of The Speeches in Thucydides: A Collection of Original Studies, the reviewer finds a focused, scholarly volume best suited to students and researchers of classical history and rhetoric. The book collects nine essays by recognized classicists and offers concentrated analysis of the speeches Thucydides embeds in his narrative of the Peloponnesian War, making it valuable for anyone seeking close readings rather than a broad textbook overview.

Key Features

• Collected scholarship: Nine essays present a range of scholarly approaches, allowing readers to compare interpretations of Thucydidean speeches across different methodologies.
• Diverse contributors: Essays by internationally known classicists provide authoritative perspectives that deepen understanding of the historical and rhetorical context.
• Historical focus: The volume centers on the speeches within the Peloponnesian War narrative, helping readers trace how rhetoric functions in Thucydides' history.
• Introductory framing: George W. Kennedy's introduction situates the essays for readers, making the collection easier to navigate for specialists and advanced students.
• Enduring edition: Reissued as an UNC Press Enduring Edition, the text is preserved unaltered from the original 1973 publication and is offered in an affordable paperback format.

Who It's For

This book is aimed at graduate students, classicists, historians of ancient Greece, and readers with a solid prior familiarity with Thucydides who want concentrated essays on the speeches rather than a general survey. The essays assume knowledge of the primary text and engage with scholarly debate, so they reward careful reading and some background in classical studies.

Those seeking a beginner's introduction to Thucydides, a narrative retelling of the Peloponnesian War, or a heavily illustrated popular history should look elsewhere; this collection is analytic and text-focused rather than introductory or richly illustrated for general readers.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Authoritative contributors deliver informed, specialist analysis useful for research and seminar discussion.
• Focused scope on Thucydidean speeches allows sustained attention to rhetorical and historiographical questions.
• The UNC Press Enduring Edition makes an out-of-print work accessible again in an affordable paperback.

Cons

• The essays presume prior knowledge of Thucydides and are not designed as an introductory guide for novices.
• As a reissue of the original 1973 text, the volume does not include updated commentary reflecting the most recent scholarship.

Specifications

Title	The Speeches in Thucydides: A Collection of Original Studies
Editor/Author	Philip A. Stadter (editor); contributors include William C. West III and others
Introduction	George W. Kennedy
Contents	Nine essays by international classicists
Original publication	1973
Edition	UNC Press Enduring Edition, paperback reissue

Our Verdict

For scholars and advanced students interested in rhetoric and historiography, this collection offers concentrated, expert essays that illuminate Thucydides' use of speeches and their function in the Peloponnesian War narrative. Its value lies in depth of analysis and the authoritative voices assembled, making it a worthwhile, affordable reissue for research libraries and seminar reading lists.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a new edition?
This is an UNC Press Enduring Edition reissue of the original 1973 publication, presented unaltered in paperback form.

Who are the contributors?
The essays are by a group of internationally known classicists, including William C. West III, Henry R. Immerwahr, W. James McCoy, Philip A. Stadter, and others.

Is it suitable for beginners?
Not primarily; the collection assumes familiarity with Thucydides and is best for advanced students and researchers.