Livy: The Early History of Rome, Books I-V (Penguin Classics)

My title comes from Livy's opening page and it speaks to what I think is the essential point that one has to think about when deciding whether or not to read Livy. And, by the way, I think that is a serious question. Even in a long life, there are only so many books you can read. To start on Livy in the Penguin Classics edition is to start a reading project of well over two thousand pages. The answer to the question is dependent on what you are looking for. If you are looking to a well-researched history of early Rome then this volume of Livy (which covers Rome from its founding in the sixth century B.C.E. to 390 BC)is not for you. I recommend T.J. Cornell's The Beginnings of Rome instead. My point is that Livy is not writing history as we know it. In his introduction, Livy makes it clear that he is trying to hold up to the watered-down Romans of his day the distant mirror of the Romans of the past. He is trying to remind his compatriots of the greatness that was Rome. What he writes in this volume is a sort of national hagiography. He does so by telling small sequential stories that have moral climaxes usually in a great speech by one of the Romans, speeches that we can only regard as having been totally made up and which share many tropes with the speeches in Homer among other writers. We apparently have few of the sources that Livy used in his history. Unless I am mistaken, he was largely dependent on the annalistic historical tradition. This accounts for many features of his history- not least the annual listing of who served in what office, what were the auguries that occured during that year and what fantastic omens occurred. So, in effect, what we have in Livy could be considered a historical novel with few clear lines as to when the novel ends and the history begins. I would guess that the later volumes are founded on more solid history (as we define it) but I reserve judgment on that until I read those later volumes. But here is the thing. Livy wrote a really good historical novel if such it is. He tells the stories of Aeneus, of Romulus and Remus, of the Tarquins, of the rape of the Sabines, the rape of Lucretia, the battle of the Horatii and the Curiatii, of the fall of the kings, the creation of the consuls, the struggles of the plebians(yeah!) and the patricians(boo!), the creation of the tribunate, and the creation of the military tribunes. We are guided through the almost annual depradations by the dastardly Volscians or the pesky Aequian on through the destruction of Veii and then the sacking of Rome by the Gauls. We come to realize that during this period Rome never started the trouble with the neighbors. It is one of Livy's more obvious moral lessons that the one time that they did start the trouble, the city was sacked. We learn of wonderful, complicated figures such as Marcus Furius Camillus or Coriolanus. The final argument I will make for a reading of Livy in this brief space is that he serves as an entry point to understanding so many other people and events in later history. For example, our Founding Fathers (no such men exist these days!)felt that the history contained in writers like Livy and Plutarch provided the knowledge needed for understanding government and the world of politics. These writers influenced our history directly. Read the debates at the Constitutional Convention. There is much reference within Madison's Notes to what he learned in Livy among other writers. Another example- Machiavelli wrote his Discourses as a commentary on Livy. Arguably he changed the history of political theory in so doing. Another example- Shakespeare based his Roman plays on Livy and Plutarch. And finally while Livy may not be Roman history as we would understand that term, he is the best of all possible places to start your study of Roman history. His history was very popular. It fit the Roman self-image. That is an important point to grasp in the study of any people. Rome and her history await you in all her glory. Livy is the best door through which to enter. He is a delight to read, he expands your soul and his history is a great medicine for any mind. p.s. As is probably obvious, I am new to study of ancient history and philosophy. Please feel free to correct any egregious errors in a comment. Learn, I must.

European and American countries and cultures are heavily influenced by Roman culture and history, so if you want to gain more insight into how western societies operate then this is a great resource to learn from.

The Early History of Rome is a interesting book. It is a hard read, but it is a good book to have (especially if you like history). The man who wrote this book, Titus Livius (Livy), lived from 59 B.C. to 17 A.D. He wrote 142 books on the history of Rome from 753 B.C. to 9 B.C. and only 35 books have survived. This book is about the first 5 books starting at the beginning when Rome was founded and ending after Romans take back their city and defeat the Gauls. The book also works fine on my Kindlefire. There was a couple times when there were 2 pages of the same page or when 2 pages were the same, but when you keep on reading you notice they skipped a page. So you go back, and when you do, both pages are the same again. They are of a different page though, and you see it is the page you were missing (this only happened 2 times). But, besides that, it was pretty good. So I would totally recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about the history of Rome.

I got this book for a key research presentation, and because I need to own it. I read two pages right away when I got the book; I had five citations for my paper. That makes this book a book I'm glad I bought. I love ancient Rome, and this book is effectively translated. However adding key dates in a notes section would be helpful I think this is a fantastic translation.

Ordered this book for class and it shipped promptly and came in the condition described.

Gives 'you are there' history, being written by Livy who was alive at the time and writing what he observed. Excellent.

When I rate works in translation I do so based on accessibility of translation, significance of work, and any issues of accuracy I could find. Livy's work is quite significant though probably of limited historical value (as the introduction discusses). On the other hand, some philologists have found Livy's work (including Dumezil) to contain patters common to other Indo-European societies and hence probably based on earlier oral and epic traditions which do not come down to us from other sources. For comparative Indo-European studies, as well as studies into early Rome, this work is indispensable. The translation is quite accessible. Highly recommended.

If you are into history, then you probably know already that Livi's work is one of our main sources on the history of Rome, from it's beginnings as a modest kingdom until the last days of the Republic. I find this translation a bit odd at times, but it may be because English is my second language.

It is easy to read and covers the essential.

very good

たしかペンギンクラシックで4巻本だったと思いました。PultarchのLivesには及びませんが、それでもとても面白く、散逸してしまった他の部分がどこかで発見されないものかと考えてしまいます。京都大学かどこかの大学出版部から和訳が出ていた／出ているように思いましたが、とても高価で買う気にならずにこちらの英訳を読むことになっように覚えています。

I was expecting this book to be a little on the dry side. Well I have to say that Livy turned out to be very entertaining. He details the almost constant warfare of early Rome. He also describes the civic politics that take place between the ruling Patricians, and the Plebeian masses. Livy seems to be at his best, depicting the characteristics of the people involved in early Roman history. The various aspects of human nature, as seen through the people involved, can be applied to any place or time. Thomas Jefferson, Machiavelli, and the great Emperor Augustus, loved to read the historic material written by Titus Livius. Well just to throw in my two cents worth; I have to say this was a very impressive history of early Rome.

Livy presents a recording of a time period to which we have very little information of, he himself will present the workings of earlier historians and sometimes make it clear that he does not believe 100% of it. His works on the Trojan Refugees, Kings, Republic and Decemvirs along with the wars and court cases really show the evolution of Roman society and the purpose of history itself.