Plutarch's Lives

Plutarch was a famous philosopher, writer, and moralist who lived at the beginning of the second century A.D. His most famous contribution was these volumes, which give mini-biographies of dozens of ancient Greeks and Romans. The biographies are rich and full of stories, detailing events in each person's life and culture while pointing out the character and moral fiber the individual. Often Plutarch gives biographies of one man from Greece and another man from Rome and then compares the two figures so readers can see how their personalities and life events differed. The first volume contains profiles and comparisons of such powerful figures as Romulus and Theseus, Numa and Lycurgus, and Fabius and Pericles, while the second contains those of Demosthenes and Cicero, Pompey and Agesilaus, Demetrius and Antony, and many more. These volumes are Modern Library Classics editions and contain the 1683 Dryden translation that was revised in 1864 by Arthur Hugh Clough, whose notes and prefaces are also included, along with an index that makes it easy to find specific profiles. They also have a bonus introduction by James Atlas and a six-question discussion guide that prompts readers to take further insights from this influential work. Volume One has 766 pgs; Volume Two has 706 pgs; both are softcover. ~ Rachel