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'''Mestrius Plutarchus''' (Greek '''Μεστρίος Πλούταρχος'''), usually known in English as '''Plutarch''', was a Greek historian, biographer and essayist, born in [[ | '''Mestrius Plutarchus''' (Greek '''Μεστρίος Πλούταρχος'''), usually known in English as '''Plutarch''', was a Greek historian, biographer and essayist, born in [[Chaironeia]], [[Boeotia]] in the mid-1st century AD. He is known for his ''Moralia'', a collection of essays on ethical and cultural subjects, and his ''Parallel Lives'', biographies of forty-six prominent Greeks and Romans arranged in pairs, usually followed by a short comparison. The ''Lives'' were intended as moral lessons rather than as history,<ref>Plutarch, ''Alexander'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Alexander*/3.html#1 1]</ref> but are nonetheless valuable as historical accounts. Of the ''Moralia'', the 113 ''Quaestiones Romanae'' (Roman questions) are particularly valuable as a record of Roman religious practices, marriage and other customs. | ||
Most of what is known of Plutarch comes from his own work. He was a young man in the time of [[Nero]].<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Antony*.html#87 87]; ''On the 'E' at Delphi'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/misctracts/plutarchE.html 1]</ref> His father's name is not known, but his grandfather was called Lamprias,<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Antony*.html#28 28]</ref> and his great grandfather Nicarchus.<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Antony*.html#68.4 68.4]</ref> He spent some time in [[Italy]], including in [[Rome]] where he taught philosophy, but did not master [[Latin]] until late in life, when he began to study it seriously.<ref>Plutarch, ''Demosthenes'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Demosthenes*.html#2 2]</ref> He tells us in the ''Moralia'' that he was a priest at [[Delphi]], a fact confirmed by an inscription on the base of a statue of [[Hadrian]] there. The inscription also provides his Roman ''nomen'', Mestrius, indicating he was a Roman citizen, probably enfranchised by the [[consul]] [[Lucius Mestrius Florus]].<ref>[http://www.utexas.edu/depts/classics/chaironeia/inscriptions.html Plutarch Inscriptions] at [http://www.utexas.edu/depts/classics/chaironeia/index.html Chaironeia: Plutarch's Home on the Web]</ref> According to the ''[[Suda]]'' he was himself raised to the consulship by [[Trajan]] (emperor 98-117),<ref>''[[Suda]]'' [http://www.stoa.org/sol-bin/search.pl?db=REAL&search_method=QUERY&login=guest&enlogin=guest&user_list=LIST&page_num=1&searchstr=plutarch&field=hw_eng&num_per_page=100 pi 1793]</ref> and had a son called Lamprias who wrote a catalogue of his works.<ref>''Suda'' [http://www.stoa.org/sol-bin/search.pl?login=guest&enlogin=guest&db=REAL&field=adlerhw_gr&searchstr=lambda,96 lambda 96]</ref> The date of his death is not known. | Most of what is known of Plutarch comes from his own work. He was a young man in the time of [[Nero]].<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Antony*.html#87 87]; ''On the 'E' at Delphi'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/misctracts/plutarchE.html 1]</ref> His father's name is not known, but his grandfather was called Lamprias,<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Antony*.html#28 28]</ref> and his great grandfather Nicarchus.<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Antony*.html#68.4 68.4]</ref> He spent some time in [[Italy]], including in [[Rome]] where he taught philosophy, but did not master [[Latin]] until late in life, when he began to study it seriously.<ref>Plutarch, ''Demosthenes'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Demosthenes*.html#2 2]</ref> He tells us in the ''Moralia'' that he was a priest at [[Delphi]], a fact confirmed by an inscription on the base of a statue of [[Hadrian]] there. The inscription also provides his Roman ''nomen'', Mestrius, indicating he was a Roman citizen, probably enfranchised by the [[consul]] [[Lucius Mestrius Florus]].<ref>[http://www.utexas.edu/depts/classics/chaironeia/inscriptions.html Plutarch Inscriptions] at [http://www.utexas.edu/depts/classics/chaironeia/index.html Chaironeia: Plutarch's Home on the Web]</ref> According to the ''[[Suda]]'' he was himself raised to the consulship by [[Trajan]] (emperor 98-117),<ref>''[[Suda]]'' [http://www.stoa.org/sol-bin/search.pl?db=REAL&search_method=QUERY&login=guest&enlogin=guest&user_list=LIST&page_num=1&searchstr=plutarch&field=hw_eng&num_per_page=100 pi 1793]</ref> and had a son called Lamprias who wrote a catalogue of his works.<ref>''Suda'' [http://www.stoa.org/sol-bin/search.pl?login=guest&enlogin=guest&db=REAL&field=adlerhw_gr&searchstr=lambda,96 lambda 96]</ref> The date of his death is not known. | ||
Revision as of 05:42, 10 August 2007
Mestrius Plutarchus (Greek Μεστρίος Πλούταρχος), usually known in English as Plutarch, was a Greek historian, biographer and essayist, born in Chaironeia, Boeotia in the mid-1st century AD. He is known for his Moralia, a collection of essays on ethical and cultural subjects, and his Parallel Lives, biographies of forty-six prominent Greeks and Romans arranged in pairs, usually followed by a short comparison. The Lives were intended as moral lessons rather than as history,[1] but are nonetheless valuable as historical accounts. Of the Moralia, the 113 Quaestiones Romanae (Roman questions) are particularly valuable as a record of Roman religious practices, marriage and other customs.
Most of what is known of Plutarch comes from his own work. He was a young man in the time of Nero.[2] His father's name is not known, but his grandfather was called Lamprias,[3] and his great grandfather Nicarchus.[4] He spent some time in Italy, including in Rome where he taught philosophy, but did not master Latin until late in life, when he began to study it seriously.[5] He tells us in the Moralia that he was a priest at Delphi, a fact confirmed by an inscription on the base of a statue of Hadrian there. The inscription also provides his Roman nomen, Mestrius, indicating he was a Roman citizen, probably enfranchised by the consul Lucius Mestrius Florus.[6] According to the Suda he was himself raised to the consulship by Trajan (emperor 98-117),[7] and had a son called Lamprias who wrote a catalogue of his works.[8] The date of his death is not known.
External links
- Chaironeia: Plutarch's Home on the Web
- The Parallel Lives and Selections from the Moralia at Lacus Curtius