The Secret History

by Procopius, G. A. Williamson (Translator), Peter Sarris (Translator), Peter Sarris (Introduction), Peter Sarris (Noted by)

Overview

A trusted member of the Byzantine establishment, Procopius was the Empire's official chronicler, and his History of the Wars of Justinian proclaimed the strength and wisdom of the Emperor's reign. Yet all the while the dutiful scribe was working on a very different—and dangerous—history to be published only once its author was safely in his grave. The Secret History portrays the 'great lawgiver' Justinian as a rampant king of corruption and tyranny, the Empress Theodora as a sorceress and whore, and the brilliant general Belisarius as the pliable dupe of his scheming wife Antonina. Magnificently hyperbolic and highly opinionated, The Secret History is a work of explosive energy, depicting holy Byzantium as a hell of murder and misrule.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780140455281
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	12/18/2007
Series:	Penguin Classics Series
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	261,803
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.42(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Procopius was born in Palestine around AD 500 and fought for the Byzantine Empire in Persia, Africa and Italy. Very little is known about him.

G.A. Williamson (1895-1982) was a Classical Exhibitioner at Worcester College, Oxford, graduating with a First Class Honours degree. He was Senior Classics Master at Norwich School from 1922 to 1960. He translated Josephus: The Jewish War (1959) and Procopius: The Secret History (1966) for the Penguin Classics. He died in 1982.

Editorial Reviews

". . . a first-rate job. . . the translation is not only lucid, but wholly engaging and compelling." 
—Dudley Fitts


". . . ranks as one of the supreme hatchet jobs of all time. . ." 
—Newsweek


"The outstanding example of vituperative literature that has come to us from all antiquity." 
—Arthur E. R. Boak

From the Publisher

06/10/2024

Procopius of Caesarea (c. 500–565), a counselor, assessor, and secretary to the Roman general Belisarius, possessed a profound understanding of military affairs. Regarded as a preeminent historian of Emperor Justinian's wars, he stands as the paramount figure among later Greek historians. Though Procopius was considered a loyal Byzantine subject, this secret work reveals a different story. Here, Procopius unveils a tapestry of debauchery, avarice, brutality, moral bankruptcy, corruption, deceit, wholesale slaughter, spite, and cunning. The chronicle reveals impulsive murders, falsification of wills, and payment of tribute to purported "barbarians." Procopius contends that Justinian was more than a mere human, likening him to a force of pure malevolence. He posits that Justinian's inner circle was complicit in a range of unethical and brutal acts, painting a chilling portrait of an autocrat unbound by conventional constraints. David Timson's eloquent rendition in the quintessential Queen's English offers a pleasurable auditory experience, though his melodious tones are somewhat at odds with the subject material. VERDICT A powerful and captivating classical work, underscoring the timeless lesson that history's most brutal chapters have an uncanny knack for repetition.—Christa Van Herreweghe

Library Journal - Audio

David Timson brings his rich talents and skills--a sonorous voice, rolling delivery, precise pronunciation, and clear understanding--to Procopius's scandalous insider look at the reign of Justinian and Theodora of Byzantium (527 to 565 CE). Procopius cannot say enough bad about the royal couple, along with their warlord, Belisarius, and his wife, accusing the emperor of remorseless greed, incompetence, and betrayal, and the women of witchcraft and nymphomania. Timson takes on the persona of Procopius--cynical but affronted, censorious and mocking--and delivers the text as HE might, sneering with disapproval and relishing payback but without overdoing the portrayal. His astute take on the author and his ability to embody him add a significant extra dimension to his fine rendering of this ancient tirade. W.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

JANUARY 2024 - AudioFile