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10-07-11, 02:52 PM

An eminently readable novel about the Trojan Wars is Lindsey Clarke's The War at Troy. I quite enjoyed it.

http://www.amazon.com/War-at-Troy-Li...015943&sr=1-11

I grew up on the Iliad and the Odyssey, Dad used to read a Greek version to me as a kid and translate it into English in the hopes that I might learn the language.

The 300 Spartan's is pretty grim but the historical treatment is slightly better than in 300. Part of the problem is that the story tries to be all things to all people and the actual history won't match the legend in many peoples eyes.

It is generally forgotten that there was, in addition to Leonidas 300 body guards there were at the final battle, hundreds of helot auxiliaries and several hundred Thespian hoplites that stayed with the Spartan's but that the legend usually forgets. The helots certainly were not there voluntarily since they were mere slaves, unworthy of remembrance while the death of the Thespian contingent alongside their Spartan allies was always an inconvenient truth and incompatible with the common mythology about the battle. See Tom Holland's Persian Fire for an excellent account.

And in any case, there were no destroyers at Salamis to be torpedoed he wrote, in a futile attempt to get back on topic.

10-07-11, 02:52 PM	#38
Randomizer Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	An eminently readable novel about the Trojan Wars is Lindsey Clarke's The War at Troy. I quite enjoyed it. http://www.amazon.com/War-at-Troy-Li...015943&sr=1-11 I grew up on the Iliad and the Odyssey, Dad used to read a Greek version to me as a kid and translate it into English in the hopes that I might learn the language. The 300 Spartan's is pretty grim but the historical treatment is slightly better than in 300. Part of the problem is that the story tries to be all things to all people and the actual history won't match the legend in many peoples eyes. It is generally forgotten that there was, in addition to Leonidas 300 body guards there were at the final battle, hundreds of helot auxiliaries and several hundred Thespian hoplites that stayed with the Spartan's but that the legend usually forgets. The helots certainly were not there voluntarily since they were mere slaves, unworthy of remembrance while the death of the Thespian contingent alongside their Spartan allies was always an inconvenient truth and incompatible with the common mythology about the battle. See Tom Holland's Persian Fire for an excellent account. And in any case, there were no destroyers at Salamis to be torpedoed he wrote, in a futile attempt to get back on topic.