Sources for Western Society, Volume 1

Chapter 1: Origins, to 1200 b.c.e.

1-1: A Mesopotamian Creation Myth: The Battle Between Marduk and Tiamat (ca. 2000–1000 b.c.e.)

1-2: The Quest for Eternal Life: The Epic of Gilgamesh (ca. 2750 b.c.e.)

1-3: Society and Law in Ancient Babylonia: The Code of Hammurabi (ca. 1780 b.c.e.)

1-4: A Declaration of Innocence: The Egyptian Book of the Dead (ca. 2100–1800 b.c.e.)

1-5: Enforcing Royal Authority: Letters Between a Sumerian King and His Prime Minister (ca. 2000–1700 b.c.e.)

Sources in Conversation: The Great and Terrible Power of the Gods

     1-6: AKHENATEN, The Hymn to Aton (ca. 1350 b.c.e.)

     1-7: Lamentation Over the Destruction of Sumer and Ur (ca. 2000–1700 b.c.e.)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 2: Small Kingdoms and Mighty Empires in the Near East, 1200–510 b.c.e.

2-1: The Hebrews Explain Creation: Book of Genesis (ca. 950–450 b.c.e.)

2-2: The Hebrew Law and Covenant: Exodus and Deuteronomy (ca. 950–450 b.c.e.)

2-3: The Qualities of a King: Assyrian Kings Proclaim Their Greatness (ca. 1220–1070 b.c.e.)

Sources in Conversation: The Legacy of Cyrus

     2-4: CYRUS OF PERSIA: Ruling an Empire (ca. 550 b.c.e.)

     2-5: Book of Isaiah: Blessings for Cyrus (ca. 550 b.c.e.)

2-6: A Choice Between Good and Evil: ZOROASTER, Gatha 30: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds (ca. 600 b.c.e.)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 3: The Development of Greek Society and Culture, ca. 3000–338 b.c.e.

3-1: A Long Journey Home: HOMER, The Odyssey: Odysseus and the Sirens (ca. 800 b.c.e.)

3-2: Moral Instruction and Good Advice: HESIOD, Works and Days (ca. 800 b.c.e.)

3-3: A Clash of Loyalties: SOPHOCLES, Antigone (441 b.c.e.)

Sources in Conversation: Political Philosophy

     3-4: THUCYDIDES, The History of the Peloponnesian War: Pericles’s Funeral Oration (ca. 400 b.c.e.)

     3-5: PLATO, The Republic: The Allegory of the Cave (ca. 360 b.c.e.)

3-6: Choosing the Best State: ARISTOTLE, Politics: Democracy (ca. 340 b.c.e.)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 4: Life in the Hellenistic World, 336–30 b.c.e.

4-1: Remembering a Legend: EPHIPPUS OF OLYNTHUS, On the Burial of Alexander and Hephaestion: Ephippus of Olynthus Remembers Alexander the Great (ca. 323 b.c.e.)

4-2: A Spartan King Pays Homage to the Past: PLUTARCH, Life of Cleomenes III (75 c.e.)

Sources in Conversation: Living the Good Life

     4-3: DIOGENES LAERTIUS, The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers: Diogenes of Sinope, the Cynic (ca. 300–200 b.c.e.)

     4-4: EPICURUS, The Principal Doctrines of Epicureanism (ca. 306 b.c.e.)

     4-5: EPICTETUS, Encheiridion, or The Manual (ca. 100 c.e.)

4-6: A Greek View of Byzantium: POLYBIUS, A Greek Historian Describes Byzantium’s Contribution to Regional Trade (ca. 170–118 b.c.e.)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 5: The Rise of Rome, ca. 1000–27 b.c.e.

5-1: The Moral Roots of the Republic: LIVY, The Rape of Lucretia (ca. 27–25 b.c.e.)

5-2: The Role of the Family in Roman Society: A Roman Wedding (ca. 160 c.e.)

5-3: An Effort to Resolve Social Conflict: The Law of the Twelve Tables (449 b.c.e.)

5-4: Life in a Roman City: SENECA, The Sounds of a Roman Bath (ca. 50 c.e.)

Sources in Conversation: Political Unrest in Rome

     5-5: APPIAN OF ALEXANDRIA, The Civil Wars (ca. 100 c.e.)

     5-6: PLUTARCH, On Julius Caesar, a Man of Unlimited Ambition (ca. 44 b.c.e.)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 6: The Roman Empire, 27 b.c.e.–284 c.e.

6-1: Romans and Barbarians: TACITUS, Germania (ca. 100 c.e.)

6-2: A Roman Seeks the Aid of an Egyptian Goddess: APULEIUS, The Golden Ass: The Veneration of Isis (ca. 170 c.e.)

Sources in Conversation: Jews, Christians, and the Hebrew Law

     6-3: The Gospel According to Matthew: The Sermon on the Mount (28 c.e.)

     6-4: PAUL OF TARSUS, Epistle to the Galatians (ca. 50–60 c.e.)

6-5: Anti-Christian Sentiment: The Alexamenos Graffito (ca. 100 c.e.)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 7: Late Antiquity, 250–600

7-1: Church and State in Late Antiquity: SAINT AMBROSE OF MILAN, Emperor Theodosius Brought to Heel (390)

7-2: Rules for Monastic Living: SAINT BENEDICT OF NURSIA, The Rule of Saint Benedict (529)

7-3: Contrasting the Works of God with Those of Men: SAINT AUGUSTINE, City of God: The Two Cities (413–426)

7-4: Law and Society in the Early Middle Ages: The Law of the Salian Franks (ca. 500–600)

Sources in Conversation: The Rebirth of the Roman Empire in the East

     7-5: EMPEROR JUSTINIAN, The Institutes of Justinian (529–533)

     7-6: PROCOPIUS OF CAESAREA, The Secret History (ca. 550)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 8: Europe in the Early Middle Ages, 600–1000

8-1: A Muslim Describes the Conquest of Spain: IBN ABD-EL-HAKEM, The Conquest of Spain (ca. 870)

Sources in Conversation: Conquest and Conversion

     8-2: WILLIBALD, Saint Boniface Destroys the Oak of Thor (ca. 750)

     8-3: CHARLEMAGNE, Capitulary for Saxony (ca. 775–790)

8-4: Instructions for Royal Envoys: CHARLEMAGNE, General Capitulary for the Missi (802)

8-5: Muslims Versus Christians in the Early Middle Ages: The Song of Roland (ca. 1100–1300)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 9: State and Church in the High Middle Ages, 1000–1300

9-1: A Nobleman Establishes a Religious House: DUKE WILLIAM OF AQUITAINE, On the Foundation of Cluny (909)

9-2: William the Conqueror Surveys His Kingdom: Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: William the Conqueror and the Domesday Book (1086)

9-3: Placing Limits on Royal Power: KING JOHN OF ENGLAND, From Magna Carta: The Great Charter of Liberties (1215)

9-4: A Pope and an Emperor Compete for Power: POPE GREGORY VII AND EMPEROR HENRY IV, Mutual Recriminations: The Investiture Controversy Begins (1076)

9-5: A Call for Crusade: ROBERT THE MONK OF RHEIMS, Urban II at the Council of Clermont (ca. 1120)

Sources in Conversation: The Response to Urban II’s Call for Holy War

     9-6: GUIBERT OF NOGENT/ANNA COMNENA, Peter the Hermit and the "People’s Crusade" (ca. 1108–1148)

     9-7: ANONYMOUS OF MAINZ, The Slaughter of the Jews (ca. 1096)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 10: Life in Villages and Cities of the High Middle Ages, 1000–1300

10-1: Life on a Medieval Manor: Manorial Records of Bernehorne (1307)

10-2: Medieval Workers: On Laborers: A Dialogue Between Teacher and Student (ca. 1000)

Sources in Conversation: Living and Working in a Medieval City

     10-3: The Charter of the Laon Commune (ca. 1100–1120)

     10-4: The Ordinances of London’s Leatherworkers (1346)

     10-5: THE COMMUNE OF FLORENCE, A Sumptuary Law: Restrictions on Dress (1373)

10-6: A Master of Medieval Scholasticism: SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS, Summa Theologica: Proof of the Existence of God (1268)

10-7: An Author Relates a Popular Religious Story: JACQUES DE VITRY, The Virgin Mary Saves a Monk and His Lover (ca. 1200)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 11: The Later Middle Ages, 1300–1450

11-1: The Psychological and Emotional Impact of the Plague: GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO, The Decameron: The Plague Hits Florence (ca. 1350)

11-2: A Town Chronicler Describes the Black Death: ANGELO DI TURA, Sienese Chronicle (1348–1351)

11-3: Social and Economic Unrest in England: The Anonimalle Chronicle: The English Peasants’ Revolt (1381)

11-4: A Simple Social World?: PETRARCA-MEISTER, The Social Order (ca. 1515)

Sources in Conversation: Women and Power

     11-5: CATHERINE OF SIENA, Letter to Gregory XI (1372)

     11-6: The Debate Over Joan of Arc’s Clothes (1429)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 12: European Society in the Age of the Renaissance, 1350–1550

12-1: An Italian Admirer of the Classical Past: PETRARCH, Letter to Livy (1350)

12-2: Power Politics During the Italian Renaissance: NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI, The Prince (1513)

12-3: A Description of the Ideal Courtier: BALDASSARE CASTIGLIONE, The Book of the Courtier (1528)

12-4: A Humanist Prescription for the Education of Princes: DESIDERIUS ERASMUS, The Education of a Christian Prince (1516)

12-5: A Female Author Argues for the Education of Women: CHRISTINE DE PIZAN, The Book of the City of Ladies: Against Those Men Who Claim It Is Not Good for Women to Be Educated (1404)

Sources in Conversation: A Female Painter Tells Stories About Women

     12-6: ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI, Susannah and the Elders (1610)

     12-7: ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI, Judith and Holofernes (1610)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 13: Reformations and Religious Wars, 1500–1600

13-1: Martin Luther Takes a Stand: MARTIN LUTHER, Ninety-five Theses on the Power of Indulgences (1517)

13-2: Reformation Propaganda: HANS HOLBEIN THE YOUNGER, Luther as the German Hercules (ca. 1519)

Sources in Conversation: The War on Witches

     13-3: JEAN BODIN, On the Demon-Mania of Witches (1580)

     13-4: Elizabeth Francis Confesses to Witchcraft (1566)

     13-5: Calvin Defines His Protestant Vision: JOHN CALVIN, The Institutes of Christian Religion (1559)

     13-6: Training the Soldiers of Christ: IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA, Rules for Right Thinking (1548)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 14: European Exploration and Conquest, 1450–1650

14-1: Columbus Sets the Context for His Voyage: CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, Diario (1492)

14-2: Cortés Describes the Conquest of the Aztecs: HERNANDO CORTÉS, Two Letters to Charles V: On the Conquest of the Aztecs (1521)

Sources in Conversation: The Slave Trade in Africa

     14-3: ALVISE DA CA’ DA MOSTO, Description of Capo Bianco and the Islands Nearest to It: Fifteenth-Century Slave Trade in West Africa (1455–1456)

     14-4: KING NZINGA MBEMBA AFFONSO OF CONGO, Letters on the Slave Trade (1526)

14-5: The Jesuits Bring Christianity to Asia: SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER, Missionaries in Japan (1552)

14-6: A Critique of European "Superiority": MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE, Of Cannibals (1580)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 15: Absolutism and Constitutionalism, ca. 1589–1725

15-1: A French King Establishes Limited Religious Toleration: HENRY IV, Edict of Nantes (1598)

15-2: An Argument for the Divine Right of Kings: JACQUES-BÉNIGNE BOSSUET, Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Holy Scripture (1679)

15-3: The English Place Limits on Monarchical Power: The Bill of Rights (1689)

15-4: A Tsar Imposes Western Styles on the Russians: PETER THE GREAT, Edicts and Decrees (1699–1723)

Sources in Conversation: The Commonwealth and the State of Nature

     15-5: THOMAS HOBBES, Leviathan (1651)

     15-6: JOHN LOCKE, Second Treatise of Civil Government: Vindication for the Glorious Revolution (1690)

Comparative and Discussion Questions

Chapter 16: Toward a New Worldview, 1540–1789

16-1: A New Model of the Solar System: NICOLAUS COPERNICUS, On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres (1542)

16-2: A Defense of Science: FRANCIS BACON, On Superstition and the Virtue of Science (1620)

Sources in Conversation: Monarchical Power and Responsibility

     16-3: FREDERICK THE GREAT, Essay on the Forms of Government (ca. 1740)

     16-4: CHARLES DE SECONDAT, BARON DE MONTESQUIEU, From The Spirit of Laws: On the Separation of Governmental Powers (1748)

     16-5: JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU, The Social Contract: On Popular Sovereignty and the General Will (1762)

16-6: A Philosophe Argues for Religious Toleration: VOLTAIRE, A Treatise on Toleration (1763)

Comparative and Discussion Questions