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The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1

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The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1

By: Edward Gibbon
Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
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Summary

 Considered one of the finest historical works in the English language, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is lauded for its graceful, elegant prose style as much as for its epic scope. Remarkably accurate for its day, Gibbon's treatise holds a high place in the history of literature and remains an enduring subject of study.

Gibbon's monumental work traces the history of more than 13 centuries, covering the great events as well as the general historical progression. This first volume covers A.D. 180 to A.D. 395, which includes the establishment of Christianity and the Crusades.

©Public Domain (P)1992 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ancient Middle Ages Ancient Greece Crusade
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Critic reviews

"[Gibbon] stood on the summit of the Renaissance achievement and looked back over the waste of history to ancient Rome, as from one mountain top to another." (Christopher Dawson)
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This book is widely regarded as being one of the most beautifully written in the English language. This spoken version sounds rather odd to the modern ear as the narrator gives the impression of having recorded it whilst having a glass of brandy dressed in a silk smoking jacket! Very upper middle class! Once you become accustomed to the rather homely style however, the language shines through and you begin to focus rather more on the subject matter and less on the delivery. I do feel this is a book for those already accustomed with Roman history rather than a 'beginner 's guide' so would recommend it to those who wish to expand their knowledge, not those starting their exploration.

Beautifully written, strangely read!

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Where does The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Gibbon ranks very high even among the giants of the 18th century. Bernard Mayes has the perfect delivery for this great work. He is a flawless professional narrator.

What did you like best about this story?

History made personal in so many major personalities

Which character – as performed by Bernard Mayes – was your favourite?

Gibbon enlists the sympathy of his readers for many of his characters

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

We laughed often; the satire is biting, and there is nothing maudlin about Gibbon.

Any additional comments?

Following the first audio reading, we bought the hardback books, and have since listened twice more--with increasing enjoyment. Gibbon is so quotable, his phrases can be applied to so many contemporary situations.

The Foundation of Europe; the Origins of Islam

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I've been hanging on for an unabridged version of Gibbon for a while now and this well worth the wait. Some may find Bernard Mayes' delivery a little dry but the reprise of his slightly grandfatherly delivery from Herodotus' Histories suits Gibbon's prose perfectly. I'm not sure what edition is being used, I would guess it's the Penguin. The only gripe is that Gibbon's introduction is missing, as are the copious footnotes, but then constant digressions, as entertaining as they are in the original, probably wouldn't work in audio form. Highly recommended.

Stupendous

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Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I'm going to hazard a guess that that feat would be impossible. Especially considering that this is only part one of a three thousand page opus.

Any additional comments?

If Gibbon's history is a work you've always wanted to attempt (or even if you're hearing about it for the first time) this is a uniquely approachable way of experiencing a magisterial work of literature. It is quite an undertaking, but hugely rewarding and absolutely unforgettable. Gibbon takes six full volumes to cover the thirteen centuries from the Age of the Antonines to the fall of Constantinople to the Turks in 1453. He was meticulous in his use of primary sources, which means his history has dated very well over the centuries. It works best if you close your eyes and imagine the great historian is telling you the story personally and confidentially. Our Roman History lecturer attempted to get us to read Gibbon by informing us that Iggy Pop said in an interview that as he was getting older, following a gig he would relax and unwind by reading the Decline and Fall. Churchill expanded his education by reading Gibbon. It probably contributed to his own rhetorical and prose style (he had hated his own school years). It was almost required reading for British Colonial officials and military officers in order that they would learn and avoid the mistakes the Roman Imperialists had made. Gibbon's "Memoirs of My Life" is also a superb work (and much shorter). One could be pompous and assert that an education is incomplete without having read (or listened to) the Decline and Fall. However, I couldn't say that here.

Epic History from Enlightenment Genius

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I've been collecting some of the "World Famous" books from authors I’ve heard of, but never read. People like Homer, Ovid, Plutarch, Shakespeare, Dickens, Sir Walter Scott, H.G Wells, and George Orwell.

So I chose this purely from the title and it has been brilliant. I’m dyslectic and not a historian so I’m trying to get something different out of this recording than others might be. I don’t mind too much about the quality of the “truth” of the information, I’m mainly interested in the story, the atmosphere, the images in my mind.

Some people have mentioned negatively that the sound quality is poor, but for this material, I think that is exactly right. I close my eyes and see an old favourite uncle, sitting in a high back, winged arm chair, a pipe resting on one chair arm, a brandy glass on the other, next to a gentle log fire, in a dark panelled library, reading from a large heavy book, bound in red leather. I can almost hear the logs cracking.

Exactly what I had hoped for, more than I expected

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