Description
Book SynopsisThe influence of Greek and Roman authors on our American forefathers finally becomes clear in this fascinating bookthe first comprehensive study of the founders' classical reading.
Trade ReviewAn admirable book… Richard has done an impressive amount of scholarly detective work. -- Roger Kimball * Wall Street Journal *
A detailed and fascinating exposition of the classical traditions that gave the United States’s founding generation so many political models and ideas. -- Mortimer Sellers * Washington Post Book World *
This is a well-conceived, solidly researched, and ably argued book about the influence of the classics in the the political thought of the founding fathers… This work will be required reading for historians interested in the ideological origins of the American republic. It makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the intellectual complexities of the period. -- Frank Ninkovich * The Historian *
Richard’s study offers intriguing glimpses into the minds of the founders through the lens of their classical learning, and the volume fairly bursts with engaging testimony… The force of the book’s revelations and the charm of its matter win the day. -- D. M. Hooley * Religious Studies Review *
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Classical Conditioning of the Founders 2. Symbolism 3. Models 4. Antimodels 5. Mixed Government and Classical Pastoralism 6. Philosophy 7. The Myth of Classical Decline Conclusion Notes Index
