Hellenistic Lives, including Alexander the Great

by Plutarch, Andrew Erskine, Robin Waterfield (Translator)

Alexander * Demosthenes * Phocion * Eumenes * Demetrius * Pyrrhus * Agis and Cleomenes * Aratus * Philopoemen * Flamininus

This selection of ten Lives traces the history of Hellenistic Greece from the rise of Macedon and Alexander's conquest of the Persian empire to the arrival of the Romans. Plutarch's biographies of eminent politicians, rulers, and soldiers combine vivid portraits of their subjects with a wealth of historical information; they constitute a uniquely important source for the period. We see how Greek politics changed as Macedon's power grew, and we learn of the warlords who followed Alexander. Resistance to Macedon is reflected in the Lives of Demosthenes and Aratus, and that of Agis and Cleomenes, two revolutionary kings of Sparta. The volume concludes with the emergence of Rome in Greek affairs, and the life of Flamininus, the Roman general who defeated Philip V of Macedon.

Plutarch's elegant style combines anecdote and erudition, humour and psychological insight, consummately translated by Robin Waterfield and introduced by Andrew Erskine. These Lives from the Hellenistic period complement Greek Lives and Roman Lives in Oxford World's Classics.

ABOUT THE
For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Genres: History, Classics, Nonfiction, Biography, Greece

576 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 100

About the author

Plutarch (later named, upon becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus; AD 46–AD 120) was a Greek historian, biographer, and essayist, known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia. He is classified as a Middle Platonist. Plutarch's surviving works were written in Greek, but intended for both Greek and Roman readers.

Reviews

[Clare Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently no one ever has read this on Goodreads pretty much so hi I had to read this for class and it wasn't that bad.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really great read! The translation was smooth and easy to follow along, which is something that's really important to me. I really enjoyed reading all the Lives, but especially Alexander the Great's because of all the great anecdotes. Overall, I definitely recommend this. It is a lot of information to absorb at once, but it flows very nicely and there's a surprising amount of funny stories. Love this!

[Jarod · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no contemporary history of the Hellenistic era, but this book nicely performs the same function for Greece, from Alexander to the Roman conquests. Alexander of course was an earthquake; his aftermath was far from devoid of interesting case studies.

[Isabel Costa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite like Plutarch, but I like his parallel Roman lives a bit better. The Greeks are such silly people that I was expecting much wilder personal and political anecdotes sprinkled throughout these lives, but many of them quite excessively focused on the military careers of each of the men. Some of the Lives were much better than others, and Demetrius was definitely my favorite. I love that Plutarch so clearly references his sources, and I find it very easy to tell when he is writing with bias. He weaves his own opinions throughout his biographies in a way that really enriches each of the Lives. I think I need to read all of the parallel lives with their counterparts next to really determine how I feel about the Greek ones.