具体描述
'He was atrocious in his brutality, but his lechery was kept hidden...In the end, he erupted into an orgy of crime and ignominy alike' Such is Tacitus' obituary of Tiberius, and he is no less caustic in his opinion of the weak and cuckolded Claudius and the 'artist' Nero. The Annals is a gripping account of the Roman emperors who followed Augustus, the founder of the imperial system, and of the murders, sycophancy, plotting, and oppression that marked this period in Rome. Tacitus provides the earliest and most detailed account of Boudicca's rebellion in Britain, and his history also relates the great fire of Rome in the reign of Nero, and the persecution of the Christians that followed. He deplores the depravity of the emperors, whose behaviour he sees as proof of the corrupting force of absolute power. J. C. Yardley's translation is vivid and accurate, and Anthony A. Barrett's introduction and notes provide invaluable historical and cultural context. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
作者简介
Here is a lively new translation of Cornelius Tacitus' timeless history of three of Rome's most memorable emperors. Tacitus, who condemns the depravity of these rulers, which he saw as proof of the corrupting force of absolute power, writes caustically of the brutal and lecherous Tiberius, the weak and cuckolded Claudius, and "the artist" Nero. In particular, his gripping account of the bloody reigns of Tiberius and Nero brims with plots, murder, poisoning, suicide, uprisings, death, and destruction. The Annals also provides a vivid account of the violent suppression of the revolt led by Boudicca in Britain, the great fire of Rome under Nero, and the subsequent bloody persecution of the Christians. J. C. Yardley's translation is vivid without sacrificing accuracy, and is based on the recent Latin Heubner text, with variations noted in an appendix. Anthony A. Barrett's introduction and notes provide invaluable historical and cultural context. This superb edition also includes maps, a glossary of Roman terms and place names, and a full index of names and places.
目录信息
读后感
用户评价
这本书的文字功底简直可以用“炉火纯青”来形容，充满了老派文学的典雅与力量。那些长句的构建，虽然篇幅不短，却句法完整，逻辑严密，读起来有一种独特的韵律感，仿佛在欣赏一首精心打磨的散文诗。作者在描绘环境景物时，所选用的词汇极其精准而富有画面感，哪怕只是寥寥数语，也能在脑海中勾勒出一幅栩栩如生的立体场景，色彩的运用和光影的捕捉都达到了极高的水准。特别值得一提的是，他对人物心理的剖析，深入骨髓却又毫不矫揉造作。他没有直接告诉你角色在想什么，而是通过他们的细微动作、不经意的眼神交流，甚至是不合时宜的沉默，将人物内心深处最隐秘的情感和动机层层剥开，那种“只可意会不可言传”的境界，着实令人叹服。唯一的遗憾是，这种追求极致美感的文字风格，偶尔会牺牲掉一些阅读的流畅性，需要读者有足够的耐心去跟上作者的思维步伐。
这本书的叙事结构真是让人眼前一亮，作者似乎非常擅长在宏大叙事与个体命运之间进行精妙的切换。我尤其欣赏他如何将那些看似毫不相关的历史事件，巧妙地编织成一张巨大的时间之网。读到那些描绘社会变迁和风俗习惯的片段时，我仿佛真的穿越回了那个时代，能感受到空气中的尘土和人群的喧嚣。叙事节奏的把握也极为精准，时而如急流般一泻千里，将关键的转折点快速带过，让人心潮澎湃；时而又如同沉静的湖面，在关键人物的内心挣扎处放慢速度，细腻地刻画他们的矛盾与挣扎。这种张弛有度的叙述方式，极大地增强了阅读的沉浸感。当然，书中有些地方对于专业术语的引用略显密集，对于非专业读者来说，初次接触可能需要多花一些心思去理解其背后的深层含义，但一旦跨过这道门槛，便能领略到作者深厚的学识底蕴和严谨的治学态度。整体而言，这是一部结构复杂但逻辑清晰，极具思想深度的作品，值得反复咀嚼。
从装帧设计和排版布局来看，这本书无疑是出版界的精品。纸张的质感非常舒适，带有轻微的纹理，拿在手中沉甸甸的，有一种仪式感。字体的选择兼顾了易读性和美观性，行距和字距的设置也十分合理，即使是长时间阅读，眼睛也不会感到明显的疲劳。更值得称赞的是，书中对插图和地图的运用简直是教科书级别的示范。它们并非随意点缀，而是经过精心挑选和布局，每一张图表、每一幅手绘的地图，都精准地服务于文本的阐述，起到画龙点睛的作用，极大地帮助读者在脑海中构建起复杂的空间关系和事件脉络。我特别喜欢那些在章节开头或关键转折点插入的、经过细致考证的历史物件的黑白照片或拓片，它们像时间胶囊一样，瞬间将读者的注意力拉回那个特定的历史瞬间。这本书的物理存在本身，就是一种对阅读体验的尊重和提升，让人愿意将它珍藏起来。
作为一部历史题材的作品，其史料的扎实程度令人肃然起敬。我能清晰地感受到作者在幕后付出了海量的研究工作。书中引用的各种档案、信件、地方志片段，都经过了细致的交叉比对和考证，而非简单的二手资料拼凑。这种对细节的偏执，使得整个叙事框架建立在一个无比坚实的地基之上，让人读来心安理得，深信不疑。不同于一些为了追求戏剧性而肆意发挥的通俗历史读物，这本书保持了一种令人敬佩的客观性，它冷静地陈述事实，即便面对争议性的事件，也倾向于呈现多方的观点，让读者自己去权衡和判断，而非强行灌输某种单一的解读。这种尊重历史、尊重读者的态度，是真正优秀学术性作品的标志。当然，这种严谨也意味着它在情节的“抓人”程度上可能不如那些侧重于传奇故事的书籍那么直接，它更像是邀请你加入一场深度的学术探讨，而不是一次轻松的娱乐体验。
这本书最让我感到震撼的，是它对“人性”这一永恒主题的探讨深度。它不仅仅是在记录一段历史，更是在挖掘历史背后的驱动力——那些驱使人做出伟大或卑劣决定的深层欲望与恐惧。书中那些关键人物的形象塑造，绝非扁平化的“好人”或“坏蛋”，而是充满了人性的复杂矛盾。你会看到一个看似坚不可摧的领袖，在面对挚爱离世时的脆弱；也会看到一个卑微的小人物，在关键时刻迸发出的令人难以置信的勇气和智慧。作者对“权力腐蚀”和“道德困境”的描摹尤其犀利，他似乎能洞察到人性中最幽微之处的幽暗与光芒。读完之后，我久久不能平静，它迫使我反思自己对于是非对错的简单认知。这本书没有提供简单的答案，它提供的是一个更广阔、更模糊却也更真实的人类经验的图景，让人在阅读结束后，对周遭的世界和身边的人都能产生更深层次的同情与理解。
CLCIV376@Umich
有空需重读
CLCIV376@Umich
CLCIV376@Umich
有空需重读
