The Plutarch Podcast

Why Read Plutarch?

Jul 27, 2020

Plutarch, an ancient biographer who compared Greek and Roman heroes, is the guest of this podcast. Topics explored include Plutarch's focus on virtue, the format of the show which covers one episode per life, the best English translations of Plutarch's works, and the organization of his lives.

26:05

Episode guests

Plutarch

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Plutarch wrote biographies to provide examples and inspiration for living a virtuous life.

Biography allows a deeper understanding of a person's character, choices, and experiences, with Plutarch emphasizing themes like fortune, education, and virtue.

Deep dives

Plutarch's Reasons for Writing Biography

Plutarch's main purpose for writing biography was to provide readers with examples and inspiration for living a virtuous life. He believed that by studying the lives of great men, readers could learn valuable lessons and gain insight into how to navigate their own lives. Plutarch saw these biographies as a means of self-improvement and an opportunity to filter modern experiences through the lens of historical figures. He invited these characters into his house, so to speak, keeping them alive in his memory and engaging with their virtues.

Introduction

3min

Exploring Plutarch's Essay Format and the Invitation of Heroes

4min

The Power of Biography and the Drama of the Founding of the United States

13min

Choosing the Right Translation of Plutarch

3min

Organizing Plutarch's Lives and the Value of Reading

3min

Send us a text

In this podcast, I introduce you to Plutarch, the man and the biographer.

We answer questions like:

Who was Plutarch?
An ancient biographer who wrote almost 50 biographies comparing Greek and Roman heroes. While his focus in on virtue, his characters are all human and their vices appear alongside their virtues.

Why should I read him?

He gives three reasons in three separate biographies! I put them all together here in one place.

What's the format of this show?

One episode per life, arranged chronologically.

The first five episodes will represent each season as we work through chronologically for a historical overview of Greek and Roman antiquity.

1. Solon (representing Season 1: Kings and Lawgivers)
2. Aristides (representing Season 2: The Rise and Fall of the Polis)
3. Demosthenes (representing Season 3: Macedon Rising)
4. Cato the Elder (representing Season 4: The Roman Republic: From Polis to Empire)
5. Cicero (representing Season 5: The Roman Civil Wars)

What's the best English translation of Plutarch?

That depends on what you're looking for, but I list all the translations mentioned in the show below:

Wikipedia page linking to all public domain translations of Plutarch
The Modern Library editions (Clough's update to Dryden's translation):
- Two paperback volumes
  - Vol. 1
  - Vol. 2
- One hardback volume (ISBN: 0394607058)
The Penguin Editions:
- The Rise and Fall of Athens (9 lives)
- On Sparta (4 lives)
- The Age of Alexander
- Makers of Rome (9 lives) - this volume includes Brutus and Antony, the lives I said were missing from the other volume.
- Rome in Crisis (repeats some lives, and strikes me as an odd assortment overall)
- Fall of the Roman Republic (6 lives)

Support the show

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.

The Plutarch Podcast

Why Read Plutarch?

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Plutarch's Reasons for Writing Biography

The Power of Biography

Reading Plutarch: Benefits and Influences

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts