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Introduction to Cornelius
Nepos
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Cornelius Nepos (c. 99 -
c. 24) was a Roman author of historical works. Extant are
some 25 short biographies and some scattered fragments.
Although a Roman, the bulk of his surviving lives are of
Greek historical figures.
Nepos is generally taken
to task for poor composition and factual errors. His
treatment is never as full as that of Plutarch or Suetonius.
The fact remains, however, that his are the earliest
biographies to survive from antiquity. He always preseves a
few facts not found elsewhere, and where other sources are
lacking, his lives are often critical. I might add that he
is very easy and pleasant to read, in English as in
Latin.
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Other Nepos texts
online
Other useful
resources
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Latin
Texts of all Nepos,
courtesy the Latin Library at Ad Fontes. Unknown edition.
Columbia
Encylopedia.
Cornelius Nepos.
 Amazon:
Momigliano,
The Development of Greek
Biography. (See
Harvard
UP page.) One of
my favorite Momiglianos; also covers Nepos.
E.
S. Shuckburgh's 1896 introduction to
Nepos as well as
Lysander, Conon, Alcibiades, Dion, Thrasybulus, Iphicrates
and Chabrias. Why not include the whole text?
"Cornelius
Nepos' Place in the Literary Movements of the First Century
B.C." by W.
Marshall Johnston, Jr. Talk given at "All for One or One for
All? (Re)constructing Identity in the Ancient World," a
Graduate Student Symposium held at Bryn Mawr College,
1997.
Cornelius
Nepos, The Letters of Cornelia
(Latin) with
English
notes and translation,
from Diotima. Translation and notes by Marilyn B. Skinner.
Amazon: Cornelius
Nepos, translated by J. C.
Rolfe (Loeb
Classical Library, No 467)
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Thanks for droping by,
Tim Spalding
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