Xenophon the Athenian was born in 431 B.C. He was a pupil of Socrates, but was exiled from Athens when he joined the Spartans. Sparta gave him land in Scillus, where he lived for many years before having to make a final move to Corinth. Xenophon died in 354 B.C.

In the 1890s Macmillan and Co. started publishing a series titled "The Works of Xenophon," translated by Henry Graham Dakyns. Dakyns passed away before the last volume, The Cyropaedia, was completed. His work on that volume was eventually revised by F. M. Stawell and published many years later in 1914 by J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd in their excellent Everyman's Library series.

My younger brothers Pole and Rob were able to get editions of these books from the local university when they were students, and eventually all of them were typed up. They are listed here in the order that Dakyns listed them. There was some doubt in Dakyns' day about the authenticity of some of the works.

This link to the Online Books site produces links to other translations of Xenophon's work as well as to most of the texts that I've typed up.

Anabasis
Between 401 B.C. and 399 B.C. a mercenary army let by Spartans marched into Persia to assist Cyrus in a civil war with Artaxerxes. Xenophon accompanied the army, and played a leading role in their long march back to Greece.

Hellenica
A continuation of the historical work of Thucydides, covering the period from 411 to 359 B.C.

Cyropaedia, The Education of Cyrus
Here Cyrus refers to Cyrus the Great, who founded the Persian empire that would later fall to Alexander. He lived about 150 years before Xenophon wrote this history of his life as an example of a great leader.

This text was prepared a couple of years after the others, and was proofed by Dagny.

The Memorabilia
This is a recollection of Socrates in word and deed, to show his character as the best and happiest of men.

The Symposium
This records the discussion of Socrates and company at a dinner given by Callias for the youth Autolycus. Dakyns believed that Plato knew of this work, and that it influenced him to some degree when he wrote his own "Symposium."

The Economist
This records Socrates and Critobulus in a talk about profitable estate management, and a lengthy recollection by Socrates of Ischomachus' discussion of the same topic.

On Horsemanship
This advises the reader on how to buy a good horse, and how to raise it to be either a war horse or a show horse. Xenophon ends with some words on military equipment for a cavalryman.

The Sportsman
This is a manual on hunting hares, deer, and wild boar, including the topics of dogs and the benefits of hunting for the young. I remember in particular that the crossbar on a boar-hunting spear has an equivalent a couple of thousand years later on German boar-hunting spears.

The Cavalry General
This is a discourse on the merits a cavalry general, or hipparch, in Athens should have. Xenophon also describes the development of a cavalry force, and some tactical details to be applied in the field and in festival exhibition.

The Apology
This describes Socrates' state of mind at his trial and execution, and especially his view that it was better to die before senility set in than to escape execution by humbling himself before an unjust persecution. Xenophon was away at the time, involved in the events of the march of the ten thousand.

On Revenues
This describes Xenophon's ideas to solve the problem of poverty in Athens, and thus remove an excuse to mistreat the Athenian allies.

Hiero
This is an imaginary dialogue, circa 474 B.C., between Simonides of Ceos, the poet, and Hieron of Syracuse and Gela, the despot.

Agesilaus
This summarises the life of Xenophon's Spartan friend and king, whom he met after the events of the Anabasis.

The Polity of the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians
Dakyns considered the Polity of the Athenians to be of doubtful origin. It is a discussion of democracy in Athens, and that while democracy may not be the ideal form of government, Athens has implemented it in a way that ensures its longevity.

The Polity of the Lacedaemonians talks about the laws and institutions created by Lycurgus, which train and develop Spartan citizens from birth to old age.