Life of Pelopidas

by Plutarch, John Dryden (Translator)

“... Pélopidas, fils d’Hippoclus, était d’une famille noble de Thèbes, comme Épaminondas. Élevé dans une grande opulence, héritier dès sa jeunesse d’une fortune brillante, il se livra au soulagement de ceux qui étaient dans le besoin, et qui méritaient ses bienfaits : il voulait montrer qu’il était le maître et non l’esclave de ses richesses. Parmi les hommes, dit Aristote, les uns ne font point usage de leurs trésors par avarice, les autres en abusent en menant une conduite désordonnée ; et ils sont toute leur vie esclaves, les uns de leurs plaisirs, les autres des affaires. Les amis de Pélopidas usèrent avec reconnaissance de sa bonté et de sa libéralité, à l’exception du seul Épaminondas, qu’il ne put décider à accepter une part de sa richesse. Lui-même, cependant, il s’associa à la pauvreté d’Épaminondas, par la simplicité de ses vêtements, la frugalité de sa table, son activité dans le travail, son scrupule à ne chercher les succès qu’à visage découvert. Il ressemblait au Capanée d’Euripide, qui était fort riche, mais auquel sa richesse n’inspirait point de fierté. Il eût rougi de donner au soin de son corps plus que ne faisait le plus pauvre des Thébains. Épaminondas, familiarisé avec la pauvreté, qui était pour lui héréditaire, se la rendit encore plus facile et plus légère par la philosophie, et parce que, dès sa jeunesse, il résolut de vivre dans le célibat. Pélopidas, au contraire, avait fait un brillant mariage ; il avait des enfants ; mais il n’en devint ni moins insouciant d’augmenter sa fortune, ni moins dévoué à tous les instants au service de sa patrie. Il avait perdu de son opulence, et ses amis l’en blâmaient, disant qu’il avait tort de ne point s’occuper d’une chose nécessaire, la possession de ses biens : « Nécessaire, oui certes ! mais pour Nicodème que voici, » répondit-il en leur montrant un homme aveugle et boiteux...”

Genres: Biography, History

Unknown Binding

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

[Bill Kerwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plutarch chooses the lives of the two generals—the Greek Pelopidas and the Roman Marcellus—as an apt comparison, since both were successful commanders, yet both were the victims of their own foolhardy actions.

Pelopidas was a fourth century Theban general, a leader of the “Sacred Band,” who helped defeat Sparta at the battle of Leuctra, thereby increasing Thebe’s power and control. Later, he formed an alliance with the Thessalonians to defeat Alexander II of Macedon. But his career ended precipitately when, having already defeated Alexander of Pherae, Pelopidas recklessly sought to kill the tyrant singlehanded and was cut down by Alexander’s mercenaries.

I’ll end with Plutarch’s account of Pelopidas unnecessary, lamentable death, and how not only the Thebans—but their allies the Thessalians—grieved for their beloved lost general:

Pelopidas now perceiving, from the rising ground, that the enemy’s army was, though not yet routed, full of disorder and confusion, stood and looked about for Alexander; and when he saw him in the right wing, encouraging and ordering his mercenaries, he could not moderate his anger, but inflamed at the sight, and blindly following his passion, regardless alike of his own life and his command, advanced far before his soldiers, crying out and challenging the tyrant who did not dare to receive him, but retreating, hid himself amongst his guard. The foremost of the mercenaries that came hand to hand were driven back by Pelopidas, and some killed; but many at a distance shot through his armor and wounded him, till the Thessalians, in anxiety for the result, ran down from the hill to his relief, but found him already slain …

No one can wonder that the Thebans then present, should show great grief at the death of Pelopidas, calling him their father, deliverer, and instructor in all that was good and commendable. But the Thessalians and the allies out-doing in their public edicts all the just honors that could be paid to human courage, gave, in their display of feeling, yet stronger demonstrations of the kindness they had for him. It is stated, that none of the soldiers, when they heard of his death, would put off their armor, unbridle their horses, or dress their wounds, but, still hot and with their arms on, ran to the corpse, and, as if he had been yet alive and could see what they did, heaped up spoils about his body. They cut off their horses’ manes and their own hair, many kindled no fire in their tents, took no supper, and silence and sadness was spread over all the army; as if they had not gained the greatest and most glorious victory, but were overcome by the tyrant, and enslaved.

[David Sarkies · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Band of Lovers
29 April 2018

One of the great things about Plutarch’s Lives is that you get to visit events all across the Ancient Mediterranean, particularly in regards to his Greek Lives. Well, okay, considering the breadth of history that makes up Ancient Rome, we get to visit many of the events there as well, but since Greece is so much more diverse, we aren’t simply stuck with a bunch of Athenians who lived in a narrow two hundred year period.

This is the case with Pelopidas since he was a Theban and lived around the time when Thebes because the dominant city on the peninsula. Unfortunately, it didn’t last all that long since shortly after his death, Phillip II can tearing through Greece turning it into a Macedonian superstate. However, for a short time, and thanks to Pelopidas, Thebes did enjoy its time in the sun.

Basically it all had to do with war against Sparta. By this time Athens had been soundly defeated, and Sparta was basically trying to exert its influence over all of Greece. Since the Greeks all tended to be ferociously independent, they weren’t all that happy with Sparta throwing their weight around. Now, Athens and Thebes have always been at odds, but that isn’t all that surprising considering that they were neighbours. However, once Athens was defeated, the alliance between Sparta and Thebes was no longer necessary, so Thebes basically told Sparta to leave them alone.

Of course, Sparta wasn’t too happy with this upstart of a city state, so they invaded and captured the city. However, as happens in a lot of these cases, a number of citizens fled to Athens and launched guerrilla attacks against the occupiers, led by Pelopidas. They eventually defeated Sparta in open battle, and the once great city that was seen as a military powerhouse, was truly humbled.

The key to this victory was the legendary sacred band. The belief is that it was composed of male lovers since a legion composed of kinsmen, as is suggested by Plutarch, are unlikely to defend each other when trouble really brews, but when one’s lover is in danger then they will do all that they can to save their lover’s life. In fact, Plutarch’s description of the Sacred Band is the best that we have, and the most detailed, and many ancient historians accept his description.

The other interesting thing about Pelopidas was that he was a philanthropist. It was said that he was so saddened by the plight of the poor that he refused to dress or eat extravagantly while the poor still existed. In fact it is even suggested that he almost ruined his entire estate to help the poor. The other thing about Thebes, and about Pelopidas in particular, was that they were committed to democracy, something that the Spartans weren’t. It is interesting that their system of having two rulers – boeotarch – and also only being allowed to serve a certain length of time. Sounds a lot of Rome. Mind you, Pelopidas almost got into a lot of trouble when he and his colleague were in the position longer than they were supposed to be, and even were charged, but these charges were eventually dropped when it was accepted that Pelopidas was actually a pretty cool bloke.

[Mario Kuçi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pelodachus, lived like a chad, died like the ultimate chad.