author
C. (Carl) Witt
1815–1891
A 19th-century German classicist, teacher, and liberal public figure, he became known to English-language readers through lively retellings of Greek myth and ancient history for younger audiences. His books helped make the ancient world feel clear, dramatic, and approachable.
1 Audiobook
The retreat of the ten thousand
by C. (Carl) Witt, Xenophon
About the author
Born in Königsberg in 1815, Carl Witt was a German philologist and secondary-school teacher in East Prussia. He is also recorded as having taken part in public life as a liberal and as a member of the Prussian National Assembly, which places him among the educated figures of his era who moved between scholarship and civic engagement.
Witt is remembered by many readers through works on classical subjects, including retellings of Greek mythology and ancient history. English editions such as Classic Mythology, Tales of Troy, and The Retreat of the Ten Thousand introduced his storytelling to a wider audience, presenting the classical world in a way meant to be vivid and accessible.
He died in Königsberg in 1891. Though not a household name today, his writing reflects a long tradition of popular classical education: serious learning shaped into clear narrative for students and general readers.