Tides of History Thucydides, the Greatest Historian of All Time: Interview with Robin Waterfield and Professor Polly Low
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Sep 25, 2025 Join classical scholar Robin Waterfield, known for his modern translations of ancient texts, and Professor Polly Low, an expert on Thucydides, as they dive deep into the world of the greatest historian. They explore what draws scholars to Thucydides, discussing his intimidating style and the complexities of his writings like the Melian Dialogue. The duo also examines the significance of the Peloponnesian War and how Thucydides shaped history's narrative. Discover why his work remains relevant today and the nuances lost in translation.
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Thucydides As Experimental Stylist
- Thucydides is an experimental writer using varied styles, long clauses, speeches, and documents.
- His stylistic range makes translation and interpretation especially demanding.
Don't Mistake Style For Unfinished Work
- Variations like verbatim documents may be deliberate rhetorical choices, not unfinished drafts.
- Polly Low and Robin caution against assuming compositional incompleteness from stylistic shifts.
Different Parts Serve Different Purposes
- Straightforward narrative sections aim to report events; speeches and analyses aim to explore motives.
- Robin Waterfield says experimental passages serve analysis more than simple facts.
