Plutarch

by Plutarch

Features Plutarch's "The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans".

Great Books of the Western World
54 volume set
Robert Maynard Hutchins, Editor in Chief

Genres: History, Biography, Classics, Philosophy

897 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1952

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

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised when I began reading Plutarch, thinking he’d be dry and tedious, but Plutarch has one of the most accessible writing styles. His candid brief studies on the LIVES of famous ancient greeks and Romans are as easily readable as today’s Wikipedia articles on current celebrities. One can pick up these short bios at one’s whim and yet become quite enrapt about the processes of good and evil that men do.

I rather DIDNT take to his two opening bios of Theseus and Romulus — which I found tedious — but luckily I read those later after more amenable sampling of Plutarch’s wares, so I advise going around these, at least to start.

(I read just Lysurgus, Numa, Alciabides, Coriolanus, Alexander, Cæsar, Demosthenes, Cicero, Theseus & Romulus, of the 68 studies & comparisons.)

Though already well-known by the erudite, it was fascinating to humbly discover for oneself those tidbits from Plutarch that were picked up by Shakespeare for use in his plays of Cæsar, Antony & Cleopatra, and Coriolanus…and to see how he altered somewhat for dramatic purpose.

[Darwin Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative overview of the character and leadership skills of various famous Greek and Roman leaders. Long, but well worth the read.

[Daniel Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plutarch invented biography, telling the stories of outstanding (mostly military) leaders from the classical period. He presents two biographies, then writes an essay comparing them. This is an innovation that I don't know any biographers are still doing today. Reading this over the past eight months has been a pleasure, even though it's simultaneously been the most challenging book I've read on any given day.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up from the library just to read the sections on Tiberius and Caius Gracchus. I may come back to it at some later date, however, to read more of it. It can also be found as a free digital version on google books.

[William Crosby]

These people were much more likely to be killed by their friends, deceivers, and jealous citizens than they were by enemies in battle.