The underworld of ancient Greece comes to vivid and unforgettable life in the classical equivalent of flash fiction. Alciphron turns our image of the classical world upside-down, lifting up the marble statues of heroes, kings, and emperors to show us the parasites, courtesans, criminals, and working stiffs scurrying like mad under the dignified stones above them. These imaginary letters show us lower strata of Greek society filled with real people who have real thoughts, and we come away with the conviction that even a robber or a pirate is a human being just struggling to get through life.
This edition brings the fabulously rare Athenian Society translation within the reach of every reader. It includes an introduction and just enough notes to explain the things Alciphron assumes his readers know, without loading down the text with critical apparatus.