Eight Great Lives

by Plutarch, John Dryden (translator)

Classical Literature in Rinehart Edition. Plutarch's lives of Pericles, Alcibiades, Coriolanus; Comparison of Alcibiades & Coriolanus, Demosthenes, Cicero; Comparison of Demosthenes & Cicero, Alexander, Caesar, Antony.

Genres: Biography

364 pages, Paperback

First 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

[Aaron Crofut · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. Rather surprised by the fairly positive accounts for Alcibiades and Alexander. Plutarch seems to be among the first to realize that myths, while not being factual, do help us understand how others perceived those people, which is historically important. I'll have to find some of the other lives (especially Brutus and Pompey) at some point in time.