Hello,Try- http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/ino ... tmlThought that you may find this article by the good old BBC with the help of Paul Cartlege- you have to scroll down to get to the bit about Alexander.
Coincidentally just this weekend I watched a documentary- about Gaugamela- Decisive battles made by the history channel. On it there was Paul Cartlege too who came off a whole lot better in my humble opinon than Mr Stephen Pressfield(writer of virtue's of war) who seemed to me to have had a glass or two of wine before doing the show but anyway that is just my opinion.Take care!
Dean.
Heroism- on the BBC site
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Re: Heroism- on the BBC site
Well, G'day Dean!I've read Pressfield's "Gates of Fire" (homage to the heroic good-guy Spartan image) and the "Tides of War" Peloponnesian War epic. I found the first just a little too starry eyed with respect to the Spartans. The second was quite a good attempt at what is a most difficult subject for a story: thirty years of Greco-Roman wrestling GÇô most of it unproductive stalemate GÇô that possessed very few standout "characters".The characterisation of Alcibiades was GÇô I think GÇô a little too apologetic. I mean really, this bloke was the ultimate chameleon: history's most untrustworthy selfish bastard. Still if he's your central character it's best to have him idealistic and rather flawed as opposed to reality I suppose.As to Mr Carteledge, well now there's an erudite fellow. Concise and good with an eloquent turn of phrase or a succinct description. His writings GÇô although not in the Peter Green style GÇô are most enjoyable. His history of Laconia is a beauty. Have you read his "Alexander the Great" (The Overlook Press, 2004)? It is the best I've read since Green's "Alexander of Macedon". Treads a line between the Tarnian apologia type view and Badian's rather harsh view. He comes out more towards the latter which, I suppose, puts him near enough to the Green view. A rollicking good read.
Paralus
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους;
Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.
Academia.edu
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους;
Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.
Academia.edu
Re: Heroism- on the BBC site
G'day to you!!Stephen Pressfield's claim to fame seems to be having written the Gates of Fire which I thought was a pretty good read. I have heard some pretty dodgy reviews of the latest Virtues of War and so am patiently waiting for it to come out over here in Spain in Paperback.As for Cartlege he seemed to know what he was talking about with regards to Alexander- so maybe his new book would be worth perusing.Best regards,
Dean.
Dean.
Re: Heroism- on the BBC site
HI, all!
From Mr. Pressfield's website: he has written another Alexander's novel set during the Bactrian and Sogdian campaigns. It is now in the editing stage and will come out in late 2006.
I've read "The virtues of war" and liked it much, although Alexander's charachter comes out strangely inanimate, as not having a private life, which on the other hand could have been true. Obviously I'm looking forward for this new novel. With kind regards Azara
From Mr. Pressfield's website: he has written another Alexander's novel set during the Bactrian and Sogdian campaigns. It is now in the editing stage and will come out in late 2006.
I've read "The virtues of war" and liked it much, although Alexander's charachter comes out strangely inanimate, as not having a private life, which on the other hand could have been true. Obviously I'm looking forward for this new novel. With kind regards Azara