Xenophon's imperial fiction: on the education of Cyrus

321 Pages·1989·18.613 MB·English

by  Tatum, James

XENOPHON'S IMPERIAL FICTION

7
XENOPHON S
IMPERIAL
F I C T I ON
On The Education of Cyrus
JAMES T A T UM
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
Copyright © 1989 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street,
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, Guildford,
Surrey
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tatum, James.
Xenophon's imperial fiction : The education of Cyrus /
James Tatum
p. cm.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-691-06757-0 (alk. paper|
i. Xenophon. Cyropaedia. 2. Cyrus, King of Persia, d. 529 B.C.,
in fiction, drama, poetry, etc. 3. Education of princes in
literature. 4. Imperialism in literature. 5. Political fiction,
Greek—History and criticism. 6. Kings and rulers in literature.
I. Title.
PA4494.C9T38 1989
883'.oi—dci9 88-17822
CIP
Publication of this book has been aided by a grant from the Paul
Mellon Fund of Princeton University Press
This book has been composed in
Linotron Trump
Clothbound editions of Princeton University Press books
are printed on acid-free paper, and binding materials are
chosen for strength and durability. Paperbacks, although
satisfactory for personal collections, are not usually suitable for
library rebinding
Printed in the United States of America by Princeton University
Press, Princeton, New Jersey
For Harry Avery and fames Hitt
åí ãáñ ìåìíçìáé . . .

pt ecxEin the abandoned sphere of the ad eds, egaugnalno
one has discussed what part of education has, in his r›ep
sonal experience, turned out to l, ufesube and what not.
The Education of Henry Adams
Government includes the art of formulating a policy nd a
using the political technique to attain so much of that l›op
icy as will receive general support: persuading, leading, c›as
g, nicifirteaching always, because the greatest duty of a
statesman is to educate.
Franklin t, levesooRSeptember 32 91
Although people are better equipped to ge dujacting better
than any other art, the hypocrisy of "sincerity" prevents
them om rfadmitting that they, too, re aalways acting
some role of their own imagination.
s, kse iuoLoLulu orBin Hollywood

C O N T E N TS
Illustrations, xi
Preface, xiii
Acknowledgments, xvii
I. APPROACHING CYRUS AND HIS EDUCATION
Chapter One. The Classic as Footnote, 3
Chapter Two. The Rise of a Novel, 36
II. THE EDUCATION OF CYRUS
FAMILY
Chapter Three. The Curious Return of Cambyses, 75
Chapter Four. The Grandson of Astyages, 97
FOES
Chapter Five. The vy nEof Uncle Cyaxares, 15 1
Chapter Six. Dialectical Imperialism: Tigranes and the
Sophist of Armenia, 34 1
Chapter Seven. In the ce aof Fthe Enemy: A Meeting
with Croesus of a, idyL 46 1
FRIENDS
Chapter Eight. The Uses of os rEnd athe Hero, 63 1
Chapter Nine. The Economy of Empire, 89 1
III. LEAVING CYRUS
Chapter Ten. Revision, 15 2