Plutarch
Author of Plutarch's Lives
About the Author
PLUTARCH. c.46--c.125 Considered by many to be the most important Greek writer of the early Roman period, Plutarch was a member of a well-to-do Greek family, a chief magistrate, a priest at Delphi, and an exceptionally well-read individual. His philosophical views were based on those of Plato and, show more although a Greek, he esteemed the achievements and attributes of the Romans. By the time Plutarch's works were published for the first time in the eleventh century, some had already been lost. He wrote innumerable essays on philosophical, historical, political, religious, and literary subjects, 78 of which survive today and are known collectively as the "Moralia." He is known primarily, however, for his Parallel Lives of Greeks and Romans, which consists of 50 biographies---23 of prominent Greeks, 23 of Roman leaders, and 4 separate lives---accompanied at intervals by short comparative essays. Although historical information is included in the work, Plutarch wrote it originally to inspire emulation in youth, so the emphasis is on character, moral choice, and anecdote. Sir Thomas North's 1579 translation into English of Parallel Lives became an important source for William Shakespeare which he used for three plays, Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, and Coriolanus. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Plutarch at Chaeronia, Greece
Series
Works by Plutarch
Plutarch's Lives of Themistocles, Pericles, Aristides, Alcibiades and Coriolanus, Demosthenes and Cicero, Caesar and Antony (1984) 687 copies, 2 reviews
Plutarch’s Lives 273 copies
Plutarch: Moralia, Volume V, Isis and Osiris. The E at Delphi. The Oracles at Delphi No Longer Given in Verse. The Obsolescence of Oracles. (Loeb Classical Library No. 306) (1936) 144 copies, 3 reviews
Lives, Volume 1 of 11: Theseus and Romulus. Lycurgus and Numa. Solon and Publicola [Loeb] (1914) 122 copies
Plutarch: Moralia, Volume IV, Roman Questions. Greek Questions. Greek and Roman Parallel Stories. On the Fortune of the Romans. On the Fortune or the ... in Wisdom? (Loeb… (1936) 109 copies, 1 review
Lives, Volume II: Themistocles and Camillus. Aristides and Cato Major. Cimon and Lucullus [Loeb] (1914) 94 copies
Lives, Volume X: Agis and Cleomenes. Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus. Philopoemen and Flamininus [Loeb] (1921) 77 copies, 1 review
Shakespeare's Plutarch: The Lives Julius Caesar, Brutus, Marcus Antonius, and Coriolanus in the Translation of Sir Thomas North (1991) 56 copies, 1 review
De invidia et odio (English) 44 copies
Plutarch's Lives, The Complete 48 Biographies (Royal Collector's Edition) (Case Laminate Hardcover with Jacket) (2020) 40 copies
De sollertia animalium (English) 32 copies
Comparationis Aristophanis et Menandri compendium (English) — Author — 27 copies
Vidas paralelas. Alejandro-César, Pericles-Fabio Máximo, Alcibíades-Coriolano (Letras Universales) (Spanish Edition) (1999) 24 copies
Vitae decem oratorum (English) — Author — 21 copies
Plutarch's Lives: Lycurgus & Numa with a comparison, Alexander & Caesar (A Great Books Foundation edition) (1948) 17 copies
De fortuna Romanorum (English) — Author — 16 copies
De Alexandri magni fortuna aut virtute (English) — Author — 16 copies
De garrulitate (English) — Author — 16 copies
De fraterno amore (English) — Author — 16 copies
Instituta Laconica (Greek) — Author — 15 copies
Lacaenarum Apophthegmata (Greek) — Author — 15 copies
Consolatio ad Apollonium (English) — Author — 15 copies
De primo frigido (Greek) — Author — 15 copies
De faciae quae in orbe lunae apparet (English) — Author — 15 copies
De Pythiae oraculis (English) — Author — 15 copies
De esu carnium I (English) — Author — 15 copies
De esu carnium II (English) — Author — 15 copies
De recta ratione audiendi (English) — Author — 15 copies
De defectu oraculorum (English) — Author — 15 copies
Plutarch's Advice to the Bride and Groom and A Consolation to His Wife: English Translations, Commentary, Interpretive Essays, and Bibliography (1999) 15 copies
Œuvres morales. Tome VIII : Traités 42-45: Du destin - Le Démon de Socrate - De l'exil - Consolation à sa femme (1972) 15 copies
De amicorum multitudine (English) — Author — 15 copies
De E apud Delphos (English) — Author — 15 copies
De virtute morali (English) — Author — 14 copies
De cohibenda ira (English) — Author — 14 copies
Non posse suaviter vivi secundum Epicurum (Greek) — Author — 14 copies
Mulierum virtutes (English) — Author — 14 copies
Apophthegmata Laconica (English) — Author — 14 copies
De tuenda sanitate praecepta (English) — Author — 14 copies
De virtute et vitio (English) — Author — 14 copies
De fortuna (English) — Author — 14 copies
Conjugalia Praecepta (English) — Author — 14 copies
De tranquilitate animi (English) — Author — 14 copies
De vitando aere alieno (English) — Author — 14 copies
De amore prolis (Greek) — Author — 14 copies
De tranquilitate animi (Greek) — Author — 14 copies
De cohibenda ira (Greek) — Author — 14 copies
De virtute morali (Greek) — Author — 14 copies
De communibus notitiis adversus Stoicos (English) — Author — 14 copies
Compendium Argumenti Stoicos absurdiora poetis dicere (English) — Author — 14 copies
Parallela minora (Greek) — Author — 14 copies
Bruta animalia ratione uti (English) — Author — 14 copies
De amore prolis (English) — Author — 14 copies
Mulierum virtutes (Greek) — Author — 14 copies
De capienda ex inimicis utilitate (English) — Author — 14 copies
De unius in republica dominatione (English) — Author — 14 copies
Consolatio ad uxorem (English) — Author — 14 copies
De cupiditate divitiarum (English) — Author — 14 copies
De genio Socratis (English) — Author — 14 copies
De fato (English) — Author — 14 copies
Amatoriae narrationes (English) — Author — 14 copies
Maxime cum principbus philosopho esse diserendum (English) — Author — 14 copies
Apophthegmata Laconica (Greek) — Author — 14 copies
De unius in republica dominatione (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
De Stoicorum repugnantiis (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
Maxime cum principbus philosopho esse diserendum (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
Amatoriae narrationes (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
Amatorius (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
Bruta animalia ratione uti (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
De animae procreatione in Timaeo (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
Compendium libri de animae procreatione in Timaeo (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
De sera numinis vindicta (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
Animine an corporis affectiones sint peiores (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
De vitando aere alieno (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
De capienda ex inimicis utilitate (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
De vitioso pudore (Greek) — Author — 13 copies
De vitioso pudore (English) — Author — 13 copies
Non posse suaviter vivi secundum Epicurum (English) — Author — 13 copies
De Stoicorum repugnantiis (English) — Author — 13 copies
De animae procreatione in Timaeo (English) — Author — 13 copies
De sera numinis vindicta (English) — Author — 13 copies
De Se Ipsum Citra Invidiam Laudando (English) — Author — 13 copies
Amatorius (English) — Author — 13 copies
Animine an corporis affectiones sint peiores (English) — Author — 13 copies
Quaestiones Graecae (English) — Author — 13 copies
Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata (English) — Author — 13 copies
Quaestiones Romanae (English) — Author — 13 copies
De esu carnium II (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
Quomodo adolescens poetas audire debeat (English) — Author — 12 copies
Quomodo adulator ab amico internoscatur (English) — Author — 12 copies
De fato (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De genio Socratis (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
Comparison of Theseus and Romulus (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
Consolatio ad uxorem (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
Ad principem ineruditum (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
Adversus Colotem (English) — Author — 12 copies
Adversus Colotem (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De esu carnium I (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De communibus notitiis adversus Stoicos (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De primo frigido (English) — Author — 12 copies
De Herodoti malignitate (English) — Author — 12 copies
Praecepta gerendae reipublicae (English) — Author — 12 copies
Septem sapientium convivium (English) — Author — 12 copies
Compendium Argumenti Stoicos absurdiora poetis dicere (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De Herodoti malignitate (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De faciae quae in orbe lunae apparet (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
Quomodo quis suos in virtute sentiat profectus (English) — Author — 12 copies
De Se Ipsum Citra Invidiam Laudando (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De cupiditate divitiarum (Greek) — Editor — 12 copies
De fortuna Romanorum (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De garrulitate (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
Comparison of Theseus and Romulus (English) — Author — 12 copies
De liberis educandis (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De Recta Ratione Audiendi (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De gloria Atheniensium (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De E apud Delphos (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De fraterno amore (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De defectu oraculorum (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
De Pythiae oraculis (Greek) — Author — 12 copies
An seni respublica gerenda sit (English) — Author — 11 copies
De Alexandri magni fortuna aut virtute (Greek) — Author — 11 copies
An virtus doceri possit (Greek) — Author — 11 copies
Caius Marcius Coriolanus (English) 11 copies
Quaestiones Convivales (English) — Author — 11 copies
An vitiositas ad infelicitatem sufficia (Greek) — Author — 11 copies
Plutarch: How to Study Poetry (De audiendis poetis) (Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics) (2011) 11 copies
De fortuna (Greek) — Author — 11 copies
De virtute et vitio (Greek) — Author — 11 copies
Quaestiones Naturales (English) — Author — 11 copies
De tuenda sanitate praecepta (Greek) — Author — 11 copies
Conjugalia Praecepta (Greek) — Author — 11 copies
An Recte Dictum Sit Latenter Esse Vivendum (English) — Author — 10 copies
Platonicae quaestiones (English) — Author — 10 copies
Vides paral·leles, vol. IX: Alexandre i Cèsar (Bernat Metge) (Catalan and Ancient Greek Edition) (1942) 10 copies, 1 review
Große Griechen und Römer (Cabra-Leder mit goldener Schmuckprägung): Ausgewählte Lebensbilder (2009) 10 copies
Theseus (Greek) — Author — 10 copies
Platonicae quaestiones (Greek) — Author — 10 copies
An Recte Dictum Sit Latenter Esse Vivendum (Greek) — Author — 10 copies
De amicorum multitudine (Greek) — Author — 10 copies
Consolatio ad Apollonium (Greek) — Author — 10 copies
Praecepta gerendae reipublicae (Greek) — Author — 10 copies
An seni respublica gerenda sit (Greek) — Author — 10 copies
Quaestiones Graecae (Greek) — Author — 9 copies
Quaestiones Romanae (Greek) — Author — 9 copies
Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata (Greek) — Author — 9 copies
Plutarch: Lives of Pompey, Caesar and Cicero: A Companion to the Penguin Translation (Classical Studies) (1992) 9 copies
Quaestiones Naturales (Greek) — Author — 9 copies
Quomodo adolescens poetas audire debeat (Greek) — Author — 9 copies
Plutarchi Vitae Parallelae Vol. I Fasc. 2 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1994) 9 copies
The Boys' and Girls' Plutarch; being parts of the "Lives" of Plutarch, edited for boys and girls (2010) 9 copies
Quaestiones Convivales (Greek) — Author — 9 copies
Quomodo quis suos in virtute sentiat profectus (Greek) — Author — 9 copies
Plutarchi Vitae Parallelae Vol. II Fasc. 2 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1994) 9 copies
Quomodo adulator ab amico internoscatur (Greek) — Author — 9 copies
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. VI Fasc. 1 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (2001) 9 copies
Plutarch's Lives of Ten Noble Greeks and Romans Grolier Edition (The World's Great Classics) (1968) 9 copies
Große Griechen und Römer Bd. 2 [Kimon und Lucullus, Perikles und Fabius Maximus, Nikias und Crassus, Coriolan und Alkibiades] (1979) 9 copies
Caius Marcius Coriolanus (Greek) 9 copies
How to Listen: An Ancient Guide to Learning from Others (Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers) (2026) 8 copies
Plutarchi Vitae Parallelae Vol. III Fasc. 1 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1996) 8 copies
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. VI Fasc. 2 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (2001) 8 copies
Fem biografier : [Coriolanus, Cato d.ä., Crassus, Julius Caesar, Marcus Antonius] (2010) 8 copies, 1 review
Vides paral.leles / V (volum 1 part 5ª) (Coriolà i Alcibíades. Demòstenes i Ciceró.) (1928) 7 copies
Plutarchi Vitae Parallelae Vol. I Fasc. 1 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (2000) 7 copies
Life of Demosthenes 7 copies
Life of Timoleon 7 copies
Septem sapientium convivium (Greek) — Author — 7 copies
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. V Fasc. 3 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (2001) 7 copies
Plutarch's Lives Vol. 3 7 copies
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. I (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1993) 7 copies
A M Comp 7 copies
PLUTARCH'S LIVES - Volume 2 7 copies
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. V Fasc. 2 Pars 1 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1971) 6 copies
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. IV (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1971) 6 copies
Everybody's Plutarch,: Arr. and edited for the modern reader from the "Parallel lives" (Great illustrated classics: Tita (1931) 6 copies
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. VI Fasc. 3 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1966) 6 copies
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. V Fasc. 1 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (2001) 6 copies
Vidas paralelas : Dion, Bruto 6 copies
Vite Parallele.Nicia e Crasso 6 copies
Lisandro e a supremacia de Esparta 6 copies
Plutarchi Vitae Parallelae Vol. II Fasc. 1 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1993) 6 copies
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. III (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (2001) 6 copies
Vita Aristidis 6 copies
Opera Graece 6 copies
Pythici Dialogi: De E Apud Delphos, De Pythiae Oraculis, De Defectu Oraculorum (Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1997) 5 copies
Vides paral.leles / VIII Volum 2 part 3ª (Filopemen i Titus Flaminí. Pelòpidas i Marcel.) 5 copies, 1 review
Застольные беседы [Перевод] 5 copies
Obras morales y de costumbres (Moralia) XIII. Sobre la música (Pseudo Plutarco) · Fragmentos (2004) 5 copies
Obras morales y de costumbres (Moralia) XI. Tratados platónicos · Tratados antiestoicos (2004) 5 copies
The Plutarch Anthology: The Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, Parallel Lives and Moralia (Illustrated) (Texts From Ancient Rome) (2012) 5 copies
Sobre la vida y poesía de Homero / El antro de las ninfas de la odisea / Sobre los dioses y el mundo (1989) 5 copies
5: Demetrio e Antonio, Pirro e Mario, Arato e Artaserse, Agide-Cleomene e Tiberio-Gaio Gracco (1992) 4 copies
The Roman questions of Plutarch; a new translation with introductory essays & a running commentary (1976) 4 copies
Cimon 4 copies
How to profit by one's enemies (EASY READING. The great classics of philosophy revisited for an easier interpretation.) (Italian Edition) (2013) 4 copies
Vite parallele Vol 1 4 copies
Plutarch's Life of Publicola: Plenary Annotated Study Guide (The Plenary Plutarch Series) (Volume 1) (2018) 4 copies
Οι αρετές της περιαυτολογίας : ΠΛΟΥΤΑΡΧΟΣ: Πώς να επαινούμε τον εαυτό μας χωρίς να προκαλούμε τον… (2021) 4 copies
Sólon, legislador de Atenas 4 copies
Como tirar proveito de seus inimigos, seguido de Da maneira de distinguir o bajulador do amigo (2003) 4 copies
Lives from Plutarch 4 copies
Crassus (Greek) 4 copies
Bloemlezing uit de Moralia 4 copies
PLUTARCH'S LIVES: Vol. IV - The Translation Called Dryden's Corrected from the Greek and Revised in five volumes (2013) 3 copies
Great Lives by Great Writers 3 copies
Demetrius (Greek) 3 copies
The rise of Rome : twelve lives 3 copies
Plutarch's Lives, Volume 4 of 4 3 copies
Hellāda no Perikla līdz Aleksandram 3 copies
Lykurgos, Spartan lainsäätäjä 3 copies
Vies 3 copies
Oeuvres morales, tome VII, 1ère partie: Traités de morale, livres 27-36 (édition bilingue français/grec) (2003) 3 copies
Arte de la biografía — Contributor — 3 copies
Żywoty równoległe. T. 1, Tezeusz - Romulus i ich porównanie, Likurg - Numa i ich porównanie (2004) 3 copies
La coscienza tranquilla 3 copies
Vite parallele Coriolano Alcibiade 3 copies
Životopisy slavných Řeků a Římanů 3 copies
Alexandre e César: As Vidas Comparadas Dos Maiores Guerreiros da Antiguidade (Portuguese Edition) (1998) 3 copies
Obras morales y de costumbres (Moralia) VI: 6 (Biblioteca Clásica Gredos) (Spanish Edition) (2016) 3 copies
Licurgo: reformador de Esparta 3 copies
De liberis educandis (English) 3 copies
Plutarch's lives and writings 3 copies
Selected essays of Plutarch 3 copies
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. II (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1971) 3 copies
Plutarchi Vitae Parallelae Vol. III Fasc. 2 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1998) 3 copies
Il secolo di Pericle, Vita di Cesare 3 copies
Nicias (Greek) 3 copies
Brutus (Greek) 3 copies
Dion (Greek) 3 copies
Pompey (Greek) 3 copies
Romulus (Greek) 3 copies
Aratus (Greek) 3 copies
Otho (Greek) 3 copies
Fabius Maximus (Greek) 3 copies
Plutarch’s Morals. Vol. IV 2 copies
Plutarch’s Morals. Vol. V 2 copies
Livsskildringer med sammenligning 1 2 copies
Plutarch's Lives, Volume 1 of 2 2 copies
Plutarch's Lives, Volume 2 of 2 2 copies
Virtu delle donne 2 copies
Kinderzucht 2 copies
Hayatlar XXI Lysandros-Sulla 2 copies
Vite. vol. I: Teseo e Romolo, Solone e Publicola, Temistocle e Camillo, Aristide e Catone, Cimone e Lucullo (1992) 2 copies
Le piaceuoli et ingeniose questioni di Plutarcho, trattate in varii et diuersi conuiti d'huomini di raro intelletto de la Grecia, nuouamente tradotte in volgare per Pietro Lauro… 2 copies, 2 reviews
Moralia, Volume V/Fasc 2/Pars 2, Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana: 5 (2015) 2 copies
Thésée, images et récits : Présentés par Ch. Charles Dugas,... et R. Robert Flacelière (1958) 2 copies
Plutarch's Lives, Volume 1 of 2 2 copies
Plutarque. Les Vies des hommes illustres : . Traduction de Jacques Amyot. Préface de André Maurois,... Gravures au burin de Decaris (1967) 2 copies
Il secolo di Pericle 2 copies
Plutarch's Lives of Galba and Otho 2 copies
Obras morales y de costumbres (Moralia) II: Sobre la fortuna. Sobre la virtud y el vicio. (Biblioteca Clásica Gredos nº 98) (Spanish Edition) (1986) 2 copies
De juiste gemoedsstemming 2 copies
Dión y Bruto 2 copies
Licurgo, Reformador de Esparta 2 copies
Como ouvir 2 copies
Demostene e Cicerone 2 copies
Vidas paralelas I 2 copies
Sobre los oráculos: Por que cesan los oráculos ; Por que la Pitia no da sus oráculos en verso ; Sobre la misteriosa "E" que hay en Delfos (2007) 2 copies
Vidas paralelas 2 copies
Plutarchus, Moralia 2 copies
Plutarchus, Moralia, Vol. V.3 2 copies
Vite. vol. III: Focione e Catone, Dione e Bruto, Emilio e Timoleonte, Sertorio e Eumene (1992) 2 copies
Vidas paralelas I 2 copies
Pelópidas e a Supremacia de Tebas 2 copies
Vidas paralelas I 2 copies
Plutarco sulla fortuna 2 copies
Vite. vol. IV: Filopemene e Tito Quinzio Flaminino, Pelopida e Marcello, Alessandro e Cesare (1992) 2 copies
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. V Fasc. 2 Pars 2 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) 2 copies
Lives 2 2 copies
Plutarch's Lives, Translated From the Original Greek with Notes, Critical and Historical and a Life of Plutarch, in Six Volumes (1823) 2 copies
Lives, vol. II 2 copies
Παράλληλοι βίοι : Κίμων - Λούκουλλος 2 copies
The Roman Questions of Plutarchus: A New Translation, With Introductory Essays & A Running Commentary (1924) 2 copies
Pyrrhus (Greek) 2 copies
Plutarch's lives. Vol.3 2 copies
Escrits d'ètica pràctica II 2 copies
Phocion (Greek) 2 copies
Plutarch's Lives Of Greek Heroes 2 copies
Lives volume 3 2 copies
Plutarchs Lives Volume 3 2 copies
Publicola (Greek) 2 copies
Philopoemen (Greek) 2 copies
Lives of Illustrious Men, volume I 2 copies
Solon 2 copies
Apophthegmata regum et imperatorum : apophthegmata laconica. Antiqua lacedæmoniorum instituta. ... 2 copies
Hovory o lidském štěstí 2 copies
Plutarch's Lives, Volume 4 of 5 2 copies
Lycurgus 2 copies
Pelopidas (Greek) 2 copies
Numa (Greek) 2 copies
Caius Marius (Greek) 2 copies
Marcellus (Greek) 2 copies
Galba (Greek) 2 copies
Titus Flamininus (Greek) 2 copies
Eumenes (Greek) 2 copies
Plutarchi Vitae Parallelae Vol. IV Fasc. 1 (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1998) 2 copies
Marcus Cato (Greek) 2 copies
Camillus (Greek) 2 copies
Agis (Greek) 2 copies
Opera Omnia, 12 vols. 2 copies
The Complete Works, Volume 3 2 copies
Plutarch 2 copies
IL TEMPO DI GIULIO CESARE 1 copy
Plutarch: Lives, Vol. 1 1 copy
Т. 2 1 copy
Πλούταρχος: ἠθικά, τόμος Β' 1 copy
Les Vies parallèles, tome 11 : Agis et Cléomène - Les Gracques (édition bilingue français/grec) (1976) 1 copy
Vite parallele 2 volumi 1 copy
Сочинения Пер. с древнегреч 1 copy
Vides paralleles, vol. 15 1 copy
Vides paralleles, vol. 14 1 copy
Vides paralleles, vol. 13 1 copy
Vides paralleles, vol. 12 1 copy
Vides paralleles, vol. 10 1 copy
Vides paralleles, vol. 9 1 copy
Βίοι παράλληλοι 1 copy
Párhuzamos életrajzok I. 1 copy
Т. 2 1 copy
Т. 3 1 copy
Успоредни животописи 1 copy
Сочинения 1 copy
Знаменитые греки 1 copy
Plutarch's Lives, Vol 1 1 copy
Essays 1 copy
Life of Lysander 1 copy
Lives of the Noble Greeks 1 copy
Plutarch's Lives Volume III. 1 copy
Le vite di Licurgo e di Numa 1 copy
Vita Demetris 1 copy
Tables Des Matieres Des Oeuvres Morales de Plutarque (Classic Reprint) (French Edition) (2017) 1 copy
Tables des Matières des Oeuvres Morales de Plutarque (Classic Reprint) (French Edition) (2017) 1 copy
Moralia Greek and Latin 1 copy
Περί του Σωκράτους Δαιμονίου Περί του ει του εν Δελφοίς Περί του μη χραν έμμετρα νυν την Πυθίαν… 1 copy
Přátelé a pochlebníci 1 copy
Plutarchovy Životopisy 1 copy
Három életrajz 1 copy
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Vides paralleles, vol. 8 1 copy
O lásce 1 copy
JETË PARALELE 2 1 copy
Περί του Σωκράτους Δαιμονίου Περί του ει του εν Δελφοίς Περί του μη χραν έμμετρα νυν την Πυθίαν… 1 copy
Galba-Otón 1 copy
Pericles-Fabio Máximo 1 copy
Cimon-Lúculo 1 copy
JETË PARALELE 3 1 copy
Lisandro - Sila 1 copy
Artojerjes - Arato 1 copy
Temístocles-Camilo 1 copy
Lives, Vol 3 1 copy
Life of Pelopidas 1 copy
Vides paralleles, vol. 6 1 copy
Vides paralleles, vol. 7 1 copy
Drevne izreke 1 copy
Gaj Julije Cezar 1 copy
Ηθικά-Περί παίδων αγωγής 1 copy
Vidas Paralelas. Tomo I 1 copy
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Zivljenje velikih grkov 1 copy
Vidas Paralelas, Tomo I 1 copy
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Pitijski dijalozi 1 copy
Ηθικά (β) 1 copy
Vieti paralele II 1 copy
Vies (Vite), 15 voll. 1 copy
Vieti paralele I 1 copy
Escritos sobre as mulleres: (Preceptos matrimoniais. Máximas de mulleres espartanas. Excelencia das mulleres) (2022) 1 copy
ALEJANDRO Y CESAR (53) 1 copy
un volto della luna 1 copy
Vidas Paralelas. Tomo 2 1 copy
Των Επτά Σοφών Συμπόσιον 1 copy
Πλούταρχος: Ἠθικά, Τόμος Α' 1 copy
dialogues 1 copy
Βίοι Παράλληλοι 1 copy
Œuvres 1 copy
Βίοι Παράλληλοι 1 copy
Περί παίδων αγωγής. Παραμυθητικός προς Απολλώνιον. Παραμυθητικός προς την εαυτού γυναίκα (2002) 1 copy
uvres morales 1 copy
De Isis e Osiris 1 copy
Licurgo e Numa Pompilius 1 copy
Anciani e Politica 1 copy
Vidas Paralelas. Tomo 1 1 copy
La vie des hommes illustres 1 copy
Θησεύς - Ρωμύλος 1 copy
Αγησίλαος Πομπηϊος 1 copy
Vidas paralelas VIII. Foción - Catón el Joven; Demóstenes - Cicerón; Agis -Cleómenes; Tiberio - Gayo Graco (2010) 1 copy
VARÕES ILUSTRES 1 copy
Fyra levnadsteckningar 1 copy
Gredos 132 Obras morales y de costumbres (Moralia) V: Cuestiones romanas / Cuestiones griegas 1 copy
Vidas de Galba e Otao 1 copy
Vides paralleles, vol. 5 1 copy
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Ηθικά 1 copy
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Πύρρος-Μάριος 1 copy
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Moralia. 10 1 copy
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Slavni likovi antike 2 1 copy
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PLU Vidas paralelas 1 copy
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Parallel Lives: Comparison of Tiberius and Caius Gracchus With Agis and Cleomenes (Illustrated) 1 copy
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Plutarch's Romane questions 1 copy
Plutarch's lives. Translated from the original Greek. With notes critical and historical; and a life of Plutarch, by S. Langhorne, D.D. William Langhorne, A.M. John Dryden (2010) 1 copy, 1 review
Plutarch's Lives, the Translation Called Dryden's in 5 Volumes ( Edition De Luxe Limed to 1,000 Copies ) (1910) 1 copy
[Ploutarchou Chirōneōs peri paidōn agōgēs] = Plutarchi Chaeronei de liberorum institutione 1 copy
Plutarch's Life of Alexander 1 copy
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Plutarch's Lives of illustrious men. Corrected from the Greek and revised by A.H. Clough 1 copy, 1 review
Plutarch's life of Timoleon 1 copy
Plutarch’s Lives, Vol. VIII: Sertorius and Eumenes, Phocion and Cato the Younger: English Text 1 copy
Theseus and the Minotaur 1 copy
Gaius Marius 1 copy
Ploutarchou vioi parallēloi : hois prosetethēsan sēmeiōseis, kai tōn autoschediōn stochasmōn peri tēs Hellēnikēs paideias kai glōssēs akolouthia 1 copy, 1 review
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Life of Aratus 1 copy
Lives I 1 copy
Plutarch's Lives: Grecian 1 copy
Lives III 1 copy
Plutarch, Volume 2 1 copy
Plutarch's lives of Solon, Publicola, Philopoemen, Titus Quintius Flamininus, and Caius Marius 1 copy
Beathai Phlutairc 1 copy
Plutarchi Moralia 1 copy
Vies, tome 1 1 copy
Plutarch's Essays 1 copy
Plutarch's complete works 1 copy
PLUTARCH'S LIVES: Vol. V - The Translation Called Drydn's Corrected from the Greek and Revised in five volumes (2013) 1 copy
Lives and Essays 1 copy
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Lives IV 1 copy
Plutarchs Lives Vol. 4 1 copy
Plutarchs Lives Vol. 5 1 copy
Plutarchs Lives Volume 3 Dryden Edition, Revised And With An Introduction By Arthur Hugh Clough (1933) 1 copy
PLUTARCH'S LIVES: Vol. II - The Translation Called Dryden's Corrected from the Greek and Revised in five volumes (2013) 1 copy
Lives and Writings 1 copy
Lives V 1 copy
Lives VI 1 copy
Lives VII 1 copy
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Lives XI 1 copy
Plutarch Vol. 1-4 1 copy
Plutarchi Moralia Vol. VII (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana) (1968) — Author — 1 copy
Plutarch's lives of Solon, Publicola, Philopoemen, Titus Quinctius Flamininus, and Caius Marius 1 copy
Sparṭah 1 copy
Römische Heldenleben. Fabius Maximus, Cato der Ältere, Die Gracchen, Marius, Sulla, Pompeius, Cäsar 1 copy
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Plutarch's Lives Vol. V 1 copy
Plutarch's Lives Volume 10 1 copy
Plutarch's Life of Aratus 1 copy
Plutarch's Lives Volume?s I II III Complete (Masterpiece Collection) Plutarch: Great Classics (2013) 1 copy
Vite Parallele (Volume VI) Agide e Cleomene e Tiberio e Gaio Gracchi; Filopemene e Tito Flaminino 1 copy
Detti dei Lacedemoni : (Apophthegmata Laconica, Instituta Laconica, Lacaenarum apophthegmata) 1 copy
Vite dei grandi Greci 1 copy
Sertorio - Eumene 1 copy
La politica 1 copy
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Vite Parallele (Volume I) Teseo e Romolo; Licurgo e Numa; Solone e Publicola; Temistocle e Camillo 1 copy
Vite Parallele (Volume IV) Timoleonte ed Emilio Paolo; Demostene e Cicerone; Alessandro e Cesare 1 copy
Vite parallele (Volume III) Lisandro e Silla; Agesilao e Pompeo; Pelopida e Marcello; Dione e Bruto 1 copy
Le vite - vol. II 1 copy
Alcuni opusculetti de le cose morali del diuino Plutarco. In questa nostra lingua tradotti 1 copy, 1 review
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Große Griechen und Römer Band 1 / mit einer Einführung von Konrat Ziegler und Hans Jürgen Hillen (2010) 1 copy
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Lives, II - Castalia Library 1 copy
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Roman Lives 1 copy
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Βίοι Παράλληλοι 1 copy
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Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Plutarch
- Legal name
- Mestrius Plutarchus, Lucius
- Other names
- Πλούταρχος
- Birthdate
- c. 0046 CE
- Date of death
- c. 0120 CE
- Gender
- male
- Education
- The Academy, Athens, Greece (mathematics and philosophy)
- Occupations
- historian
philosopher
priest
biographer
magistrate
ambassador - Organizations
- Oracle of Delphi (Priest of Apollo)
- Short biography
- Studied in Athens under a philosopher named Ammonius
- Nationality
- Boeotia
Roman Empire - Birthplace
- Chaeroneia, Boeotia, Greece
- Places of residence
- Chaeroneia, Boeotia, Greece
Athens, Greece - Place of death
- Delphi, Greece
- Map Location
- Greece
Members
Discussions
LEC Plutarch in George Macy devotees (February 2023)
Fine editions of Plutarch’s Lives in Folio Society Devotees (September 2022)
here comes Plutarch in Challenge: Loeb Classical Library (January 2020)
Plutarch in Ancient History (March 2008)
Reviews
The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: The Dryden Translation (Great Books of the Western World 14, 5510323, 1952 Hardcover Edition) by Plutarch
This is often known as the "Parallel Lives" because these biographical sketches come in pairs, one Greek, one Roman, followed by a comparison. This is a thick tome. My edition of Plutarch's Lives as translated by Dryden is nearly 800 pages. And yes, I read the whole thing and was never bored. Maybe this makes me perverse, given the number of reviewers I've heard describe them as dry. I thought it a wonderful and engaging introduction to the most illustrious personalities of Greco-Roman show more antiquity. I first read these when I was a college dropout for a time, and was reading through Good Reading's "100 Significant" books so my brain wouldn't turn to mush: I found it a favorite. Maybe it helped that by then I had made my way through Homer, Aesop, the four surviving Greek playwrights, Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, Lucretius, Vergil. Given that from the time I was a teen I was a fan of Mary Renault's and Robert Graves novels about ancient Greece and Rome, and familiarity with Shakespeare's plays (several of which were based on Plutarch) that means quite a few of the figures featured were already familiar to me: Theseus, Pericles, Alcibiades, Coriolanus, Cato, Crassus, Pompey, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Cicero, Brutus. Maybe that helped. But there were also a lot of figures then unfamiliar to me such as Sulla and Lysander and the book never lost my interest.
From what I gather it's not always reliable as history. Plutarch purportedly stretched things, both to find similarities in the two figures paired and to draw a tidy moral. And given Plutarch was a Greek and a Roman citizen trying to underline what they had in common, as you could expect, those outside that charmed circle, such as Cleopatra (for all she was of Greek descent) and the Carthaginians don't exactly get good press here. It probably is a good idea to seek out an edition that's thoroughly annotated--and try different translations if you don't find Dryden congenial. But I for one think this is numbered among the great books for good reason. show less
From what I gather it's not always reliable as history. Plutarch purportedly stretched things, both to find similarities in the two figures paired and to draw a tidy moral. And given Plutarch was a Greek and a Roman citizen trying to underline what they had in common, as you could expect, those outside that charmed circle, such as Cleopatra (for all she was of Greek descent) and the Carthaginians don't exactly get good press here. It probably is a good idea to seek out an edition that's thoroughly annotated--and try different translations if you don't find Dryden congenial. But I for one think this is numbered among the great books for good reason. show less
It's been aeons since I read the Roman Lives companion volume to this, and I don't really understand why Plutarch's paired lives (one Greek, one Roman) aren't presented that way by the publisher. Still, I'm glad I finally got around to it. I enjoy Plutarch's anecdotal style, his eschewal of big battle scenes in favour of illustrative vignettes, his preference for human causes over divine ones. I especially like how he goes to the Greek comedians for evidence of how his subjects were really show more perceived by hoi polloi.
My favourite story here is of the Athenians who, destitute or enslaved in Sicily following the disastrous invasion, are able to ingratiate themselves with the locals by reciting the latest hits of Euripides. You get a sense of what a megastar Euripides was and how folks in far-flung islands, even big ones like Sicily, were desperate for access to his work. It's one of those anecdotes that makes the ancient world palpable. show less
My favourite story here is of the Athenians who, destitute or enslaved in Sicily following the disastrous invasion, are able to ingratiate themselves with the locals by reciting the latest hits of Euripides. You get a sense of what a megastar Euripides was and how folks in far-flung islands, even big ones like Sicily, were desperate for access to his work. It's one of those anecdotes that makes the ancient world palpable. show less
I wanted some background on key Roman figures, and reading Plutarch felt like going 'straight to the source'. This is effectively an abridgement of an abridgement from the full "Lives": only ten lives are featured, all of them Romans (there is a companion volume for Greeks). The introduction warns that even more cutting has occurred within the entries themselves (abridgement to the third degree!) Early selected entries from the Kingdom period are mythological but still informative, since show more these were the myths that Romans shared. I was interested in reading selections from across the Republic's span, but half of these entries are gathered at its end.
Romulus (circa 700 BC) - strong mythological tones here. Plutarch offers some alternative stories behind the roots of Rome's origin, but not one of them sounds plausibly realistic. The kidnapping and rape of the Sabine women is heinous even in Plutarch's dull telling, and their intervention in the heat of later battle has romantic overtones but a dark heart.
Numa Pompilius (753-673 BC) - in a nation irrevocably split by party lines, one party elects the next ruler for all of them from among the population of the other; that's pretty smart. They chose Numa of the Sabines to be Romulus' successor, a peace-loving, wise and noble man except for the bit where he buried vestal virgins alive if they betrayed their vows. Some good information from Plutarch here about the origin of the months' names as we know them today.
Fabius (275-203 BC) - the Roman who defeated Hannibal, which makes for an interesting biography as the clash between these two intelligent foes is described. A master of patience and of playing the long game, but perhaps not open-minded enough to allow that others could be right to take initiative when opportunity offered.
Marcellus (268-208 BC) - another Roman who fought Hannibal, as well as the imaginative defences at Syracuse as conceived by Archimedes. Admired Fabius. Seems like he was a bit of a hothead in comparison, but measured in his hotheadedness. Too bad about his fatal error.
Marcus Cato (234-149 BC) - Cato the Elder proved at Thermopolaye that he had studied his history, but he is more renowned and praised for his frugality and austerity. He rose to consul after the tail end of Hannibal's days, and then to censor, where he could bring the full power of those traits to bear. The nobility didn't like him much.
Crassus (115-53 BC) - Crassus was largely responsible for putting down Spartacus' slave rebellion. He conspired with Pompey and Caesar to extend his rule as consul, avarice blinding him to realizing he was getting played. That led to his ill-fated expedition against the Parthian Empire, a classic case of hubris.
Caesar (100-44 BC) - Caesar's political maneuvers are both complex and subtle, a bit hard to follow but largely built on his largesse among the general population. He was equally skilled if not more so at the head of an army, conquering Gaul and Britannia and then challenging Pompey. A map would have been handy to follow along with as he jumped among provinces, especially in the civil war portion. He was brilliant in a lot of respects, but he didn't know to quit while he was ahead.
Pompey (106-48 BC) - Pompey served under Sylla, was consul alongside Crassus, then he became Caesar's chief rival for control of Rome. This edition includes a note to say that it omits a large section here, jumping ahead from Pompey's last triumph to his defeat by Caesar. I'm to assume there's no benefit in reading about the missing events from Pompey's point of view?
Cicero (106-43 BC) - mediocre soldier, but a renowned orator in the courts and Senate. Plutarch is able to give instances when his rhetoric saved the day (including halting a conspiracy to destroy the Senate in Pompey's absence), but cannot always provide what he actually said; I guess Shakespeare never filled this in for us? I related to him most of the bunch and found his ending sad.
Antony (83-30 BC) - always comes across to me as a sidekick who tried to be a hero, instead of the real thing. A very flawed character who you can't even say tried his best, he was the last hope to prevent Augustus from putting a final end to the Republic. Cleopatra gets too much of the blame. show less
Romulus (circa 700 BC) - strong mythological tones here. Plutarch offers some alternative stories behind the roots of Rome's origin, but not one of them sounds plausibly realistic. The kidnapping and rape of the Sabine women is heinous even in Plutarch's dull telling, and their intervention in the heat of later battle has romantic overtones but a dark heart.
Numa Pompilius (753-673 BC) - in a nation irrevocably split by party lines, one party elects the next ruler for all of them from among the population of the other; that's pretty smart. They chose Numa of the Sabines to be Romulus' successor, a peace-loving, wise and noble man except for the bit where he buried vestal virgins alive if they betrayed their vows. Some good information from Plutarch here about the origin of the months' names as we know them today.
Fabius (275-203 BC) - the Roman who defeated Hannibal, which makes for an interesting biography as the clash between these two intelligent foes is described. A master of patience and of playing the long game, but perhaps not open-minded enough to allow that others could be right to take initiative when opportunity offered.
Marcellus (268-208 BC) - another Roman who fought Hannibal, as well as the imaginative defences at Syracuse as conceived by Archimedes. Admired Fabius. Seems like he was a bit of a hothead in comparison, but measured in his hotheadedness. Too bad about his fatal error.
Marcus Cato (234-149 BC) - Cato the Elder proved at Thermopolaye that he had studied his history, but he is more renowned and praised for his frugality and austerity. He rose to consul after the tail end of Hannibal's days, and then to censor, where he could bring the full power of those traits to bear. The nobility didn't like him much.
Crassus (115-53 BC) - Crassus was largely responsible for putting down Spartacus' slave rebellion. He conspired with Pompey and Caesar to extend his rule as consul, avarice blinding him to realizing he was getting played. That led to his ill-fated expedition against the Parthian Empire, a classic case of hubris.
Caesar (100-44 BC) - Caesar's political maneuvers are both complex and subtle, a bit hard to follow but largely built on his largesse among the general population. He was equally skilled if not more so at the head of an army, conquering Gaul and Britannia and then challenging Pompey. A map would have been handy to follow along with as he jumped among provinces, especially in the civil war portion. He was brilliant in a lot of respects, but he didn't know to quit while he was ahead.
Pompey (106-48 BC) - Pompey served under Sylla, was consul alongside Crassus, then he became Caesar's chief rival for control of Rome. This edition includes a note to say that it omits a large section here, jumping ahead from Pompey's last triumph to his defeat by Caesar. I'm to assume there's no benefit in reading about the missing events from Pompey's point of view?
Cicero (106-43 BC) - mediocre soldier, but a renowned orator in the courts and Senate. Plutarch is able to give instances when his rhetoric saved the day (including halting a conspiracy to destroy the Senate in Pompey's absence), but cannot always provide what he actually said; I guess Shakespeare never filled this in for us? I related to him most of the bunch and found his ending sad.
Antony (83-30 BC) - always comes across to me as a sidekick who tried to be a hero, instead of the real thing. A very flawed character who you can't even say tried his best, he was the last hope to prevent Augustus from putting a final end to the Republic. Cleopatra gets too much of the blame. show less
I don't know why I find biographies of Roman times so fascinating. This collection, culled from Plutarch's biographies, is, like all such biographies, about powerful, violent men who wage war on the world. The most interesting is Mark Antony's story which is also, in the end, Cleopatra's story. You can almost hear Plutarch tsk-tsking at Marc Antony's fatal attraction, but theirs is much more than a tragic love-story. Cleopatra gambled on who could help her attain and keep power in the Roman show more dominated world and lost spectacularly. Her last request to Octavian (Augustus) Caesar was for her children's future. This is a woman who used everything at her disposal for much bigger goals than love. Wish she had kept a diary! show less
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