The tragic reading of the Thucydidean tragedy

Abstract

The Greek intellectual Thucydides has been widely identified by scholars of international relations as prefiguring twentieth century Realist thought. This appropriation fails to locate particular aspects of Thucydides' writing within the overall narrative structure of The Peloponnesian War. The narrative structure is in the form of a tragedy. Thucydides was critical of the excessive and unrestrained nature of Athenian and Hellenic conduct during the war. By taking up specific themes including the dominance of reason by the passions, the eclipse of logos by ergon, and the decline of nomos, he expressed this critique in a tragic form. In the end, an unrestrained Athens reached for Sicily and suffered Nemesian retribution in the form of ignominious defeat. To claim Thucydides as a precursor to Realist thought, therefore, is peculiar, and has the character of enlisting a critique of excess and immoderation on behalf of an intellectual discourse altogether lacking in reasoned moderation.

Contextualism and Universalism in Thucydidean Thought

“…See Morley (2012). 20 For example, Gilpin (1984), Lebow (2003) and Bedford & Workman (2001). 21 For an example of the latter, see Ahrensdorf (1997), who reads Thucydides as an essentially modern theorist whose realist analysis reaches very different conclusions from contemporary Realism.…”

Thucydides on Ripeness and Conflict Resolution

“…Yet this, we may say, is precisely the reason for Thucydides' interest in preventing or resolving conflict. The war he chronicled was a catastrophic one for the Greeks: ruinous to Athens, but perhaps more seriously, corrosive to Greek culture in general (Shorey, 1893:66; Monoson and Loriaux, 1998:290–293; Euben, 1990:175–186; Lebow, 2001:549; Bedford and Workman, 2001:62–64). He clearly hopes that his readers will be able to prevent or ameliorate such destruction in the future.…”

“…The devastation of the “rough schoolmaster” war extends beyond the battlefield to the fabric of civilized life itself (3.82; Shorey, 1893:66; Euben, 1990:175–186; Monoson and Loriaux, 1998:290–293; Lebow, 2001:549). Thucydides' History might even be viewed as a tragedy, showing how the damage to the Greek cities far outweighed the gains to any (Aron, 1968:386, 398; Bedford and Workman, 2001; Lebow, 2001:551). This line of thought suggests that Thucydides' ultimate aim in writing is to allow future statesmen to avoid or ameliorate such destructive conflagrations (cf.…”

Thucydides the Constructivist

“…Cornford (1907) and Euben (1990), among others, have discussed Thucydides' relationship to tragedy and the structural similarities between his history and the tragedies. Bedford and Workman (2001) suggest that Thucydides adopted the tragic form to develop his critique of Athenian foreign policy. Bedford and Workman (2001) suggest that Thucydides adopted the tragic form to develop his critique of Athenian foreign policy.…”

“…Alker (1988Alker ( , 1996 contends that the history might be read as the tragedy of the empire's rise and fall and the Melian Dialogue as a "morality play" about might and right. Bedford and Workman (2001) suggest that Thucydides adopted the tragic form to develop his critique of Athenian foreign policy. I believe he wanted readers to experience his history as a tragedy and to move from emotional involvement with the story to contemplation of its general lessons, just as they might with a theatrical production.…”