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Plutarch and His Times
202 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1977
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January 8, 2024When Barrow disclaimed that "this book is an attempt to provide something ... till the big book appears which undoubtedly ought to be written," a thrill ran through my bibliophile's soul. No literaria are ever so enticing as those that disavow comprehensiveness. In this respect, Barrow does not disappoint, giving free rein to his affection for Plutarch. This is delightfully infectious; we come to feel a kinship for this Boeotian homebody and antiquarian, with his rambling dinner party discussions and notebooks always close at hand. Entirely characteristic of Barrow's approach is the footnote which admits that "sudden change of metaphor does not worry Plutarch," a statement so unnecessary and humorous that it positively revels in Plutarch's personality.
Not least of the advantages to Barrow's approach is that we only touch upon his favorite episodes from the various works, i.e., Table Talks, Roman & Greek Questions, Parallel Lives, and the Moralia. At key points, Barrow utilizes narrative to submerge us in the scene. We marvel, for example, at history brought to life when Plutarch tells of his great grandfather witnessing the wheat levies preceding the battle of Actium, or when he insists that Fortune paved the way for Rome by laying Alexander low. We smile to read of Plutarch savaging Herodotus in "the first slashing literary review" for speaking ill of his beloved Boeotia or pointing out the hypocrisy of keeping animals for food and labor even though their ability to reason proves their right to justice. Ultimately, Barrow sees in Plutarch a man who aches at injustice, past and present, and aims in all his writings to lend moral guidance to human activities. This is a fine tribute, and ample cause to search the local shelves for Plutarch.
Not least of the advantages to Barrow's approach is that we only touch upon his favorite episodes from the various works, i.e., Table Talks, Roman & Greek Questions, Parallel Lives, and the Moralia. At key points, Barrow utilizes narrative to submerge us in the scene. We marvel, for example, at history brought to life when Plutarch tells of his great grandfather witnessing the wheat levies preceding the battle of Actium, or when he insists that Fortune paved the way for Rome by laying Alexander low. We smile to read of Plutarch savaging Herodotus in "the first slashing literary review" for speaking ill of his beloved Boeotia or pointing out the hypocrisy of keeping animals for food and labor even though their ability to reason proves their right to justice. Ultimately, Barrow sees in Plutarch a man who aches at injustice, past and present, and aims in all his writings to lend moral guidance to human activities. This is a fine tribute, and ample cause to search the local shelves for Plutarch.
November 10, 2015
I hate to pan an old book, but this book really wandered between information too general to be of use and facts too specific to be of interest to nonspecialists. It also really got off track towards the end. There are probably better intros to Plutarch out there.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews