Searching for: "Plutarch"

  • Plutarch

    Pompey, Caesar, Cicero, Brutus, Antony: the names still resonate across thousands of years. Major figures in the civil wars that brutally ended the Roman republic, their lives pose a question that haunts us still: how to safeguard a republic from the flaws of its leaders. This edition of Plutarch delivers a fresh translation of notable clarity, explanatory notes, and ample historical...read more

  • Plutarch

    The Romans hated Pompey’s greedy father, Strabo, with a vengeance. Yet when Pompey rose in prominence, Plutarch notes that he developed the opposite character, and the Romans loved him for it. Pompey had many great accomplishments in his military and political life, but his legacy lies in forming the First Triumvirate with Crassus and Caesar. When the alliance eventually dissolved, and Pompey fled from Caesar to his death, the Roman world would never be the...read more

  • Plutarch

    In this biography, Plutarch states that Tiberius Gracchus was known more for his virtue than for his achievements. Tiberius’ virtue, and thus his legacy, lies in his actions as a reformer. Himself of plebeian leader, he sought to aid the poor by giving them some of the land belonging to wealthy landowners. These reforms shook the Roman world and led to his assassination, making Tiberius a martyr for working class people and the politicians who fight for their...read more

  • Plutarch

    The Life of Philopoemen is one of the many lives described in Plutarch’s famous Parallel Lives. Philopoemen, whose father died when he was very young, was adopted by a notable Megalopolan figurehead and studied under the local Greek philosophers. Not only was he smart, but he went on to advise and help defend Greece from Cleomenes III and the many people attempting to gain control of the powerful empire. But as Sparta began to rise in his later years, his political actions became more and more risky – which ultimately lead to his...read more

  • Plutarch

    One of the world’s most profoundly influential literary works and the basis for Shakespeare’s Roman plays (Julius Caesar, Coriolanus, and Antony and Cleopatra), Plutarch’s Lives have been entertaining and arousing the spirit of emulation in countless readers since their creation at the beginning of the second century. Originally named Parallel Lives, the work pairs eminent Romans with famous Greek counterparts—like the orators Cicero and Demosthenes—giving illuminating treatments of each separately and then comparing the two in a pithy essay. The first of the two volumes in this translation by John Dryden presents Theseus and Romulus, Pericles and Fabius,...read more

  • Plutarch

    Plutarch set out to understand the lives of the political greats of his time when he wrote his famous Parallel Lives, of which The Life of Artaxerxes is included. Artaxerxes was fairly unique among the mix of famous names listed here, as he was a Persian King. His influence upon the Persian war and the remainder of Parallel Lives biographies is irrefutable. Though arguably his inclusion was merely in relation to his influence on Greece and Rome, Artaxerxes is still one of the more interesting biographies you will read in the...read more

  • Plutarch

    The ancient biographer and essayist Plutarch thought deeply about the leadership qualities of the eminent Greeks and Romans he profiled in his famous-and massive-Lives, including politicians and generals such as Pericles, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Mark Antony. Luckily for us, Plutarch distilled what he learned about wise leadership in a handful of essays, which are filled with essential lessons for experienced and aspiring leaders in any field today. In 'To an Uneducated Leader,' 'How to Be a Good Leader,' and 'Should an Old Man Engage in Politics?' Plutarch explains the characteristics of successful leaders, from being guided by reason and exercising self-control to being...read more

  • Plutarch

    Written at the beginning of the second century, Plutarch's collection of accounts of the lives of noble Grecians is a brilliant social history of the ancient world by one of the greatest biographers and moralists of all time. Still inspiration after 19 centuries, Plutarch's "Livesoffers a unique insight into the characters as well as the achievements of men who influenced their age and the empires that their culture dominated. As accessible now as when first written, Naxos AudioBooks' premiere recording of these selections from Plutarch's "Liveswill be a welcomed addition to our catalog of classic...read more

  • Plutarch

    A few days before Pericles’ birth, his mother dreamed she gave birth to a lion. Symbolically, her son grew up to be a noble, magnanimous leader who sought the best for his people. He governed primarily in the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, which allowed him to focus on promoting art, literature, and culture. Athens developed its reputation as a cultural center thanks to the “Age of Pericles,” which saw the construction of its most lasting monuments, including the...read more

  • Plutarch

    Though he was Greek, Plutarch wrote his Lives in the first century, a world dominated by the Roman Empire. Plutarch's series of biographies was the first of its kind, as much groundbreaking in conception as the Histories of Herodotus. Plutarch looked at the great men in the Ancient World and told their stories, in many cases drawing on sources which are no longer available to us. They offer a unique insight into the characters as well as the achievements of men who influenced their age and the empires that their culture dominated. Here he considers some of the major figures that had left their stamp on the history of Rome, including generals, rulers, philosophers and politicians. It is the...read more

  • Plutarch

    Plutarch (circa A.D.45-A.D.130) traveled in Greece and Egypt, served as a diplomat in Rome, and wrote this collection of biographical portraits of 46 Greeks and Romans. This audio edition contains accounts of the lives of four of these legendary figures: Mark Antony, Cicero, Theseus, and...read more

  • Plutarch

    The story of Romulus is perhaps the most noteworthy entry in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives. According to legend, Romulus and his brother Remus founded Rome after being raised by a “she-wolf,” though Plutarch notes that this word was also used to describe sexually immoral women. “The Life of Romulus” shows how it is impossible to separate the man from the myth. For this reason, Plutarch’s portrait of Romulus argues that legends often have as great an influence on culture as the...read more

  • Plutarch

    Cato the Elder rose from his Plebeian ancestry to become a great Roman senator, orator, and historian. While he was the first in his family to hold elected office, Cato proudly declared that his military roots made bravery a family trait. Plutarch praises him for his actions as a father, his strength as an orator, and his wise ethics, but he criticizes his behavior toward animals and slaves. While there are several historical biographies of what Cato did, this entry in Parallel Lives creates an intimate portrait of who Cato was in character and in...read more

  • Plutarch

    The Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus formed the First Triumvirate with Caesar and Pompey. The collaboration proved difficult, as egos clashed amidst the wars the men waged. Yet Crassus proved himself to be the linchpin of their alliance in the age when Roman Republic became Roman Empire; after his death, Caesar turned on Pompey, the partnership dissolved. Plutarch’s account of Crassus’ life unfolds like a drama, documenting the trials and triumphs of one of Rome’s most powerful...read more

  • Plutarch

    In “The Life of Cicero,” Plutarch details the priceless contributions Cicero made to Roman society. He translated the works of Greek philosophers into Latin, gained acclaim as an orator and lawyer, and was elected to office. Politics ultimately got the better of him, however, and his life ended in assassination while in exile. Cicero’s ideas live on through his body of work, but to learn about the man himself, Plutarch’s biography is an excellent starting...read more

  • Plutarch

    The Roman statesman Sulla had the nickname “Felix,” meaning “lucky.” Yet his accomplishments were more a matter of brute force than good fortune. He put an end to a civil war, declared himself dictator, and used his power to bring Rome back to its former value system, purging thousands of Roman enemies along the way. Plutarch’s biography of Sulla shows how one man’s use of force to obtain political power influenced many who came after him, most notably Julius...read more

  • Plutarch

    Mark Antony’s personal life was almost as storied as his immensely successful political career. In Plutarch’s biography, the most striking sections revolve around Antony’s relationship with Cleopatra. Plutarch’s characterization inspired Shakespeare, whose play Antony and Cleopatra would not be the same without its influence. With such close ties to Shakespeare, it’s no wonder that the “The Life of Antony” holds great literary merit all its...read more

  • Plutarch

    Athenian politician Solon made a name for himself as a reformer and poet. Unfortunately, little of his work survives today. Plutarch’s biography serves as a leading resource on his life, even though it was written hundreds of years after Solon’s death. In his lifetime, Solon drove political efforts to preserve Greek morality, economy, and politics, laying the groundwork for Athenian democracy as we know...read more

  • Plutarch

    Alcibiades was a powerful man who made powerful enemies. Within a single war, his loyalties changed multiple times as he fled one enemy after another, bringing his unorthodox tactics to every strategic position he held. This charismatic, self-interested leader inspired admiration and hate in near equal measure. His complex character avoids simplification, so Plutarch skillfully portrays him as the multi-faceted man he was, leaving readers to make their own...read more

  • Plutarch

    Born into a royal household, Pyrrhus was destined for greatness. He fought in many battles throughout his life, but his campaigns against Rome established his reputation as a commander. Many of his victories were only achieved through heavy losses, however, which is where the term “Pyrrhic victory” comes from. From this dramatic account of Pyrrhus’ life, it’s easy to see why his contemporaries considered his valor...read more