Furius Venator Posted May 12, 2006 Report Share Posted May 12, 2006 Half way through now... A main point from part one is how conventional Caesar's early career was. He made himself outstanding through flamboyant dress and courageous acts of public speaking (much like Cato did with his shabby dress and vehement speeches). But he was really a typical, if talented, aristo... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil25 Posted May 22, 2006 Report Share Posted May 22, 2006 I bought the book on Saturday - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Germanicus Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 So how was the book Furius ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furius Venator Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Excellent overall. I'm currently re-reading and hope to have my (rather lengthy) review completed by Friday. Key things: Never assume that anything was inevitable about Caesar's career. Until his command in Gaul, his career was pursued rather conventionally, if with notable flamboyance and success. His initial command of the army in Gaul was perhaps rather tentative and he probably wasn't thought very highly of by his troops at first. He was unquestionably the most prolific Roman general and nobody fought more battles than he until Napoleonic times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil61 Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Excellent overall. I'm currently re-reading and hope to have my (rather lengthy) review completed by Friday. Key things: Never assume that anything was inevitable about Caesar's career. Until his command in Gaul, his career was pursued rather conventionally, if with notable flamboyance and success. His initial command of the army in Gaul was perhaps rather tentative and he probably wasn't thought very highly of by his troops at first. He was unquestionably the most prolific Roman general and nobody fought more battles than he until Napoleonic times. It sounds interesting. I'll be eagerly waiting for the review as well, it's one of the many books on my 'to read' list, which seems to get longer all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil25 Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Goldsworthy has done an excellent and comprehensive job. I must admit that given its length, I have dipped into the tome rather than read it consistently, but it is a very, very thorough biography. Goldsworthy seems to look into all the "myths" - was he buggered by King Nicomedes; etc - and while relatively balanced, even conservative, in his assessments, is by no means categoric in his final judgement. I was quite surprised to seem him take the view that Clodius was having an affair with his wife, at the time of the Bona Dea incident. I had always been under the impression that Caesar divorced his wife becausde even the merest HINT of scandal was enough where he was concerned. Goldsworthy seems to take a different view. I await FV's formal review eagerly, but in the meantime i would encourage and urge anyone with an interest to read this book. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Clodius Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 .....but in the meantime i would encourage and urge anyone with an interest to read this book. I'd love to but can't get it till god knows when..What's the point of releasing it in the UK but not in the US...Do we not speak the same language? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viggen Posted May 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 .....but in the meantime i would encourage and urge anyone with an interest to read this book. I'd love to but can't get it till god knows when..What's the point of releasing it in the UK but not in the US...Do we not speak the same language? hehe, i know at least one in the States that gets the book earlier then the rest (right Favonius ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Clodius Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Just ordered it from amazon uk...Yeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. More ammo...!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Is Goldsworthy's treatment better than Geltzer's Caesar: Politican and Statesman? Geltzer's work seems exhaustive, though rather dry and uninspiring. I suppose what I am asking is: does Goldworthy give us a fresh look at a subject that has already been well explored? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil25 Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 I don't claim to have read widely among biographies of Caesar, but Goldsworthy is approachable and readable, and places Caesar firmly in his context. I don't think he is particularly partisan - he sees Caesar's faults as well as his virtues and greatness. I doubt that it is either definitive or "different" enough (ie I have found no surprises) to be of more than passing note (ie it will be on the shelves for a few years and no doubt a success as Goldsworthy is saleable) to make it of major significance. Maybe I am being too harsh. Let me add at once, therefore, that I liked and enjoyed the book and thoroughly recommend it to others. My comments above are solely a response to Ursus' last paragraph in his immediately previous post. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Clodius Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 I just got the book so I cannot comment yet. I have read Gelzer's effort though and enjoyed it thoroughly. However, his book ONLY talks about Caesar's political life, not military. I would imagine that Goldsworthy encompasses the military because he's a military historian. The BEST book I've yet to find on Caesar's military campaign's is T.A. Dodge's work. He gives an extremely detailed account of the traditionally obscure in detail battles of Dyracium, Gergovia, Thapsus, etc. Heartily recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 I'm bumping this thread back up. The title has finally been released in the US, and many of our American members have finally had a chance to read it. My own copy is en route as we speak! So, any more thoughts or comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 So, any more thoughts or comments? I really can't see why the book was written. After so many decent books about Caesar, one might expect that a new book appeared either because it had made use of evidence that had previously been neglected (it doesn't), or because it offered a new viewpoint (it provides a sometimes generous but otherwise middle-of-the-road interpretation of Caesar's motives) or perhaps a novel perspective (it's perspective is the standard "great man in context" approach taken by all contemporary biographies), or even because the author has a superlative sense of drama and keen eye for detail (but Goldsworthy is no Tom Holland). My overall impression is that the work is an unoriginal but bascially competent explication of Caesar's life. I think there are much more interesting works on Caesar and his times, but if you want a new and long book--Goldsworthy has written the perfect book for you. It is indeed both new and long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Clodius Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 (edited) Still reading...A consequence of shorter commute time. Edited September 23, 2006 by P.Clodius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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