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.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Plutarch's Background And Authorial Silence
- Plutarch was a Greek-speaking Roman citizen and priest who wrote chiefly from Delphi and Chaeronea.
- He rarely writes about himself and focuses attention on his subjects, not his personality.
Use Lives As A Personal Mastermind
- Read Plutarch to harmonize your own life with the virtues of great men he profiles.
- Treat his biographies as a practical 'mastermind' that offers advice for living now.
Biography As Philosophy And Vision
- Plutarch treats biography as a child of philosophy, not merely history.
- He argues biography uniquely lets us both 'know and see' a life in full, combining understanding and vividness.