Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
The fact that this is the third paperback reprinting of this book shows just how essential it still is, as the only general English monograph, for any student of Livy's histories. Walsh aims to assert Livy's worth as a writer; thus he first sets him in his Augustan context and within ancient historiographical tradition. Walsh then makes a detailed examination of his religious and moral preconceptions, his use of sources and his Latin style, and finally the literary theories influencing both narrative and speeches. Although the bibliography is somewhat out of date, this a still an extremely valuable, interesting and well-written work.