Callias: A Tale of the Fall of Athens

by Alfred J. Church

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100 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1891

About the author

Alfred John Church (1829-1912) was an English classical scholar. He was born in London and was educated at King's College London, and Lincoln College, Oxford, he took holy orders and was an assistant-master at Merchant Taylors' School for many years. From 1880 until 1888 he was professor of Latin at University College, London. While at University College in partnership with William Jackson Brodribb, he translated Tacitus and edited Pliny's Letters (Epistulae). Church also wrote a number of stories in English re-telling of classical tales and legends for young people (Stories from Virgil, Stories from Homer, etc. ). He also wrote much Latin and English verse, and in 1908 published his Memories of Men and Books. Other works include: Stories of the Magicians (1887), The Count of the Saxon Shore; or, The Villa in Vectis (with Ruth Putnam) (1888), Heroes of Chivalry and Romance (1898), Stories of Charlemagne (1902), The Crown of Pine (1906) and With the King at Oxford (1909).

Reviews

[SDR]

The first few chapters are complicated (opening at a Greek play within the story…but we didn’t quite understand that the play description wasn’t the story we were reading since the play is a Greek play about Greek gods…but the story isn’t about Greek gods…convoluted) but once you get into actually meeting Callias & Co, you care. It’s a fictional telling of the fall of Athens as experienced through the life of a young Athenian. …just know that you actually meet the young Athenian Callias, when he brings a letter to some important politicians/leaders who are attending the play described at the beginning of the book. Recommend, especially if you like Greek settings.

[Bettie]

SOCRATES AND ALCIBIADES.

Opening: It is the second year of the ninety-third Olympiad and the Theatre at Athens is full, for the great dramatic season is at its height, and to-day there is to be performed a new play by Aristophanes, the special favorite of the Athenian public. It is a brilliant scene, but a keen observer, who happened to see the same gathering some five and twenty years ago, must now notice a certain falling off in its splendor. For these five and twenty years have been years of war, and latterly, years of disaster. Eleven years ago, the City wild with the pride of power and wealth, embarked on the mad scheme of conquering Sicily, and lost the finest fleet and army that it ever possessed.