Paul Woodruff Libros

Including the works of more than thirty authors, this edition of early Greek writings on social and political issues includes the origin of human society and law; the nature of justice and good government; the distribution of power among genders and social classes.

Dionysus, god of wine and ecstasy, has come to Thebes, and the women are streaming out of the city to worship him on the mountain, drinking and dancing in wild frenzy. The king, Pentheus, denouces this so-called 'god' as a charlatan. But no mortal can deny a god and no man can ever stand against Dionysus. This stunning translation, by the award-winning poet Robin Robertson, reinvigorated Euripides' devastating take of a god's revenge for contemporary readers, bringing the ancient verse to fervid, brutal life.

Thucydides was the first ancient Greek historian to double as a social scientist. He set out to understand human events entirely in human terms, without recourse to myth. He sought to know why people go to war and how they are affected by its violence. He studied the civil war in Corcyra, which began when radicals burst into the council house and killed leaders who favored democracy. The strengths and weaknesses of democracy are a major theme of his History. Its larger story shows how the Athenians tried to expand their empire too far and came to a crushing defeat. Here are vivid stories of land and sea battles, interspersed with fascinating and disturbing debates about war and policy. All of Thucydides's History is here, either in summary or translation, in a volume short enough for a wide readership. This Second Edition is expanded to include all the important debates and battle scenes, and the entire translation has been revised in accord with the latest scholarship. The Essential Thucydides (Hackett, fall 2021) is the second edition of Paul Woodruff's On Justice, Power, and Human Nature: Selections from The History of the Peloponnesian War (first published by Hackett Publishing Company in 1993, paperback ISBN 978-0-87220-168-2, cloth ISBN 978-0-87220-169-9).

Cuando Edipo, «el de los pies hinchados», hijo del rey de Corinto, descubre que hay un secreto en su origen, abandona el hogar y parte en pos de la verdad. El destino, por boca del oráculo de Delfos, le indica cuál será su suerte: matará a su padre y se desposará con su madre. En Tebas hallará a la esfinge y la respuesta a su existencia. Edipo Rey, la tragedia infinita de Sófocles, la reelaboración dramática de una de las leyendas más célebres de la literatura griega, ha fecundado la cultura occidental desde hace veinticinco siglos. En ella se encuentran cuestiones que jamás han perdido vigencia en el espíritu humano: la fatalidad, el tabú, la búsqueda de la verdad, la imposibilidad de expiación. Esta edición cuenta con la traducción y el prólogo del profesor emérito de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid Luis Gil, uno de los más importantes estudiosos de la literatura clásica griega de nuestro país. Además, incluye un epílogo realizado por los profesores de comunicación audiovisual de la Universidad Pompeu Fabra Jordi Balló y Xavier Pérez. «¡Ay, ay, desdichado de mí! ¿A qué tierra iré en mi dolor? ¿Adónde vuela mi voz arrebatadamente? ¡Ay, destino! ¿En dónde te precipitaste?»

Paul Woodruff's Living Toward Virtue gives ethics a new start that is practical and down to earth, while resting on a foundation of ancient wisdom. Woodruff draws on the ancient wisdom of Socrates to develop a new approach to an ethical life - one that shows how we can nurture our souls, enjoy a virtuous happiness, and avoid moral injury.

In a world where CEOs award themselves hefty bonuses amid bankruptcies and layoffs, and athletes earn millions while teachers struggle, the distribution of rewards often feels unjust. Paul Woodruff explores this pressing moral issue, questioning how to honor those whose contributions are vital to success without undermining social cohesion. He examines the fairness of rewarding superstars at the expense of diligent workers and seeks to differentiate between impartial fairness and true justice. Woodruff frames his discussion around the ancient conflict between Ajax and Odysseus over Achilles' armor, where King Agamemnon's speech contest leads to Ajax's loss and subsequent despair. Ajax's tragic fate reflects the resentment of overlooked workers in favor of those with more celebrated skills. Addressing the "Ajax dilemma," Woodruff suggests that while a perfect system for just rewards is unattainable, we can emphasize the importance of wisdom, compassion, moderation, and respect to restore a sense of justice in communities. This concise, insightful work delves into some of today's most divisive issues, showcasing Woodruff's elegant writing style.