Episodes
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Full Show Notes - https://plutarch.life/titus-flamininus/
Greek Parallel - PhilopoemenImportant People
Philip V - The second-to-last Macedonian king because the Romans play fair in this generation and allow Philip to remain on the throne even after soundly defeating him in battle twice. Philip also has to give up over-lordship of Greece which allows Titus to declare them free.
Antiochus III - Antiochus swoops in when he sees an opportunity and tries to market himself as a liberator for the Greeks. The way Plutarch paints it, no one buys what Antiochus is selling and the Romans defeat him too, though Titus Flamininus isn't involved in that victory.
Hannibal - The Romans expand into Asia Minor with their influence and power. In so doing, Hannibal, exiled from Carthage
Important Places
Battle of Aous -
Battle of Cynoscephalae -
Key Vices and Virtues
Ambitious - φιλοτιμότατος δὲ καὶ φιλοδοξότατος - the first implies a love of honor while the second implies a love of glory. This brings with it the question: how does honor differ from glory? Is the latter longer-lasting and the former more present-focused. If I only care about what my peers think, am I obsessed then with honor. That may be one. Another could be that honor has physical aspects to it whereas glory is entirely intangible. I think this because τιμή is also the Greek word for price. Most of us can (and do) judge price by the look or feel of the thing, some of its tangible attributes. τήν ὄψιν φιλανθρώπῳ (cf. Section 5) - humane in look - Can one look like a philanthropist? Plutarch thinks so. φωνήν τε καὶ διάλεκτον Ἕλληνι - Greek in voice and language - This is a compliment. A Greek calls a Roman Greek!τιμῆς ἀληθοῦς ἐραστῇ - lover of true honor - Back to honor. Not only is there honor vs. glory, but not all honor is worthy of pursuit!Section 17 -
bitterness (πικρός)hastiness (ὀξὺς)levity (κοῦφος)Support the show
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Full Show Notes
Roman Parallel – Titus FlamininusImportant People
Epaminondas – A personal hero of Philopoemen’s; he can imitate him in nearly everything except his calmness (cf. Section 3). Epaminondas sets a high water mark for Theban military and political power which Philopoemen is not able to replicate with Megalopolis.Nabis – Spartan tyrant
Machanidas – Spartan tyrant who dies in an epic one-v-one against Philopoemen.
Antigonus III Doson of Macedon (263-221 BC) – Second to last Macedonian King, winner of the battle of Sellasia, and the same guy whose death was reported towards the end of the Life of Cleomenes.
Philip V of Macedon (238-179 BC) – The last Roman king, whose defeat we will see in the Life of Aemilius Paulus
Antiochus III of Seleucid Empire (241 – 187 BC) –
Titus Flamininus – This pair of biographies marks the only time Plutarch chose to compare contemporaries. While the Roman certainly outshines the Greek, Plutarch wants to emphasize that it’s only because Titus out-Greeks (the virtues of human excellence, which the Greeks saw themselves originally as the sole source and only practicioners of) the Greeks while also out-Romaning them (i.e. larger, more disciplined, better supplied, better trained armies)
Important Places
Megalopolis – Philopoemen's hometown, and one that sees itself as the countebalance to Spartan hegemony in the Peloponnesus. Generally, the leaders of the Achaean League come from this city, the most famous of whom is, of course, Philopoemen.Sparta – Cleomenes is king while Philopoemen is a young man, but soon Sparta will fall to greedy tyrants the last of whom will negotiate peace not with Philopoemen, but with the Romans.
Gythium – Philopoemen takes this key Spartan port through a marine maneuver that earns him much acclaim. This it he same Spartan port through which Cleomenes escaped to Egypt.
Messene – The next-door neighbor, and longtime subjugated polis, of Sparta. Philopoemen will free them, but their revolt towards the end of his life is the beginning of his undoing.
Key Vices and Virtues
Contentiousness (φιλονεικία) – A contentious word in the Greek, since it differs by only one letter from a love of victory (φιλονικία). Nevertheless, Philopoemen has a cantankerous outer shell that many find off-putting. Some come across that way, but we should be encourage by this life to look under the outer shell and see the character inside.
Anger (ὀργῆ) – It seems at time Philopoemen is motivated by anger more than justice. While Plutarch seems to overlook this flaw, it's an interesting one to note as Plutarch thought it has no place in the virtuous life.
Pausanias (Description of Greece) – Background of Philopoemen
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Full Show Notes for Plutarch's Life of Cleomenes
Roman Parallel - Tiberius Gracchus
Important PeopleAratus - The same Aratus from the last life, but older and more experienced now. Between Aratus, Cleomenes, and Philopoemen, it becomes clear that the Greeks themselves are the architects of their own undoing. None of these three men cooperates with the other and this dissension makes easy target for Antigonus.
Megistonoüs - Cleomenes's father-in-law and right-hand man once he takes the throne.
Antigonus III "Doson"- The king of Macedon who eventually comes down to the Peloponnesus in person to settle the Spartan mischief. His death is reported right after winning his kingdom back from barbaric Illyrian invaders. He was the most powerful person standing in Cleomenes' way, but Cleomenes is unaware of his death until he has already landed in Egypt.
Ptolemy III - The successor of Alexander and ruler of wealthy Alexandria when Cleomenes arrives. He dies too soon to fulfill his promises to Cleomenes.
Ptolemy IV - Ptolemy III's son is not fit to rule, interested more in parties and pleasures. As such, he does little to help Cleomenes and eventually grows suspicious of Cleomenes's lack of interest in partying.
Sphaerus the Stoic (or Sphairus) - This student of the founder of Stoicism, Zeno of Cittium, teaches Cleomenes in his youth and helps him reform the Agōge to what it was. Plutarch has some criticisms for Stoicism in this Life that are worth considering.
Important Places
Argos - An important polis in north-western Peloponnesus, Cleomenes takes, but does not hold the city. While this is more than Pelopidas could do, it nonetheless marks the beginning of the end for him, and his father-in-law dies trying to take the city back.
Corinth - The actual gateway to the Peloponnesus, called by Philip of Macedon "the fetters of Greece." Cleomenes has to allow Antigonus to take this fortified position when he falls back to quell the revolt in Argos.
Sicyon - Aratus's hometown! Just north and east up the road from Corinth, on the opposite end of a bay facing that polis. Sicyon is not a populous or powerful polis, but their hometown hero's talents at forging unity in the Peloponnesus puts them on the map, until Cleomenes's dreams of Spartan hegemony threaten that unity.
Key Virtues
πειθαρχίας (obedience) - This touches on a Platonic concept of knowing how to lead and be led (also popular with Xenophon). (cf. 18.4)
ἐγκράτεια - self-control - A virtue that overlaps well with Lycurgan laws and Stoic ethics.
ἀφέλεια - simplicity - The ultimate Spartan virtue, particularly when compared to other Greek poleis like Athens or Corinth.
φιλότιμος - love of honor - This virtue could better be translated ambition, but so could the next one.
μεγαλόφρων - great-mindedness / ambition - The natures that seek the great things. This is ambition to a T. Not all of us want to be president, but those that do are this type.
εὐλαβὲς - piety - Another virtue Agis had but Cleomenes lacked. For a Spartan, there's a paucity of Cleomenes consulting the gods or being a religious leader in almost any form throughout this life.
Key Vices - Undermining Spartan Culture
ἀκολασία - intemperence (opposite of σωφροσύνη)
βωμολοχία - buffoonery
πανηγυρίσμος - display, ostentation
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Important People
Lycurgus - ancient lawgiver, whose biography Plutarch also wrote, and to whom everyone refers constantly in this life as the original set of laws they are trying to hearken back to.
Leonidas - one of two kings of Sparta (along with Agis, the protagonist of this life) who first secretly and then openly resists and thwarts Agis’s reforms at every turn.
Lysander - Not the Lysander who was a contemporary of Agesilaus, but a new Lysander, elected as ephor and one of the main allies for Agis in his implementation of the new Spartan system.
Important Places
Sparta - This is the story of Sparta's last gasp attempt to become an important political and military influence in the Peloponnesus.
Virtues
Discretion (or piety?) - εὐλάβεια - Some interesting shades of meaning cover this one. The conventional Greek word for piety is εὐσέβεια (eusebeia), but this less common word can work like our English word pride. That is, it can be considered a vice or a virtue depending on the context. No one wants to be prideful, but we certainly allow and often even encourage people to be proud of the good things they've done for their communities.
Gentleness - πρᾶον - A common theme we've seen in lives as disparate as Pericles, Aristides, and Aemilius Paullus. Also a contrast to those who lack it like Coriolanus or Pelopidas. Ultimately, the gentle leaders are the greater ones.
Humane / Kindness - φιλάνθρωπον - Another virtue that shows up often among Plutarch's greatest heroes. This particular virtue seems to be part of Agis's downfall. In what way can our vices be our undoing? Is it like the life of Dion where tyrants feel challenged by virtuous living? Or was it something else?
Key Vices
greed - πλεονεξία (cf. 10)parsimony - μικρολογίαluxury - ἀπολαύσειsoftness - μαλακία (cf. 10)extravagance - πολυτέλειαCaptain Ideas
What is a citizen?
A person born and raised in a certain place and manner?Someone who adopts the language, customs, and laws of the land in which they reside?When and how should citizens fight for regime change?
When and how should citizens admit defeat and work within an unjust or imperfect system of government?When in a leadership position, how does one know to instigate a change? Is every virtue to be insisted upon all the time by the laws?
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Pelopidas Show Notes
Marcellus Show Notes
How do these two hasty generals compare? Who had the greater victories? Who had the greater flaws? What lessons are there for us over two centuries later?Support the show
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Marcellus - Rome's Sword Against Hannibal
Parallel - PelopidasImportant People
Archimedes (sections 15-17; 19)
Important Places
Nola - A small settlement near Naples.
Tarentum -The Greek colony that had called Pyrrhus over to help them fight the Romans about eighty years before this Second Punic War. They switch sides several times, but their location on the spur of the calf of Italy makes them strategically important for either side.
Naples - Originally a Greek colony,
Syracuse - An even wealthier Syracuse than we last saw in the Live of Timoleon and Dion, but one which has a tyrant again. The tyrant, however, seems more humane the the ones we read about in the past. For one, he is friends with and funds a great many of Archimedes's most clever and ingenious engineering devices. Hiero is particularly glad of Archimedes's friendship as the Roman besiege Syracuse to bring it over to their side.
Key Vices and Virtues
War-loving (φιλοπόλεμος) - Some might say virtue, but Plutarch likely wants to make the point that this is a vice. Marcellus is talented in many types of war as well, from sieges to guerilla skirmishes to pitched battles. He loves everything about the troop movement, exercise, motivation, and implementation.
Haughty (γαῦρος) - We saw this was a bad thing for Coriolanus, but Marcellus handles it much better. It does cause some strange choices, though, as he will defend himself in person twice against his detractors. Politics is still so very personal in Rome that his personal presence shames his litigious foes both times.
ἀγέρωχος - high minded; arrogant (noble or lordly in Homer, later takes on pejorative tone) - It's hard to see if this is a gloss on haughty or a throwback to these older Homeric heroes. His love of one-on-one combat certainly has a Homeric flavor that Plutarch highlights (along with his parallel, Pelopidas), but it's hard to know if a leader should be high-minded or not, particularly because the dictionaries also provide us with definition like arrogant, which is universally bad. The context is key, and so pay close attention to how your translator uses these words.
σώφρων - Practically wise. The tension between this virtue, which normally helps him so much against the wiliness of Hannibal, also seems to be temporarily paralyzed when he falls into the trap Hannibal sets for him. In what ways are the prideful sometimes prevented from seeing the best course of action?
Philanthropic (φιλάνθρωπος) - Probably better translated as humane, this is Plutarch's highest compliment. Ultimately, anyone who learns this learned it from the Greeks. Plutarch is just fine being ruled by Hellenized Romans, but they must be Hellenized otherwise they'll run to the extremes of someone like Coriolanus.
cf. Section 10 - naturally humane - τῷ φύσει φιλανθρώπῳ
A lover of Greek Education and Thought - (ἐραστής Ἑλληνικῆς παιδείας καὶ λόγων) - a lover of Greek education and wisdom
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Fabius Show Notes
Pericles Show NotesSupport the show
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Full Show Notes: https://plutarch.life/fabius
Greek Parallel - Pericles
Important PeopleTerentius Varro - Mastermind of Cannae, survivor of the same battle, much to his shame.
Marcellus - The sword to Fabius’s shield. Marcellus, whose life Plutarch also wrote, and Fabius together kept the Romans in their war against Hannibal without shameful or crippling setbacks.
Scipio (Africanus) - The young and ambitious general, first succesful in Spain against the Carthaginians, makes a plan to take the war to Africa. This plan that Fabius will oppose with every ounce of influence he has.
Minucius - The master of horse (magister equitum) during Fabius's dictatorship. He grows annoyed at Fabian tactics and gets himself elected “co-dictator.” After Hannibal draws him into a trap from which Fabius saves him and all his men, Minucius admits his fault and joins again in complete unity of command under Fabius.
Important Places
Trebia (218 BC) - Shortly after crossing the Alps, Hannibal crushes the Roman army that comes to meet him.
Trasimene (217 BC) - Working his way almost halfway down the peninsula, Hannibal crushes another massive Roman army.
Cannae (216 BC) - Finally working his way past Rome (perhaps not enough soldiers, supplies, or the right materials to besiege Rome), he crushes for the third year in a row an army of tens of thousands of Romans, with the consul in charge that day being one of a handful of survivors.
Tarentum (213 BC) - One of the first strategic cities that the Romans, primarily through Fabius Maximus, manage to take back and hold out of Hannibal's grasp. It also seems to be a blot on Fabius's record, as he does something out of character when taking over the city.
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Full Show Notes for Camillus - Noble Roman Dictator
Greek Parallel - ThemistoclesNo Extant Parallel Essay - :(
Important People
Brennus - Gallic chieftan, unscrupulous and forceful, but without much character development as Plutarch did for other villains (see, for example, Alexander of Pherae's character development in the Life of Pelopidas or Dionysius II's tyrannical character as developed in the Life of Dion).
The Common (Ro)Man - Whether volunteering to give your wagon to Vestal Virgins or to take a risky message across enemy lines and back again, the common Romans do a great deal in this life. This creates a great parallel with the Life of Publicola, whose life features the brave deeds of so many Romans other than himself.
Important Places
Ardea - Camillus’s chosen spot of exile
Rome - What’s in a city? When it’s all been burned to the ground, should the Romans rebuild or colonize elsewhere?
Allia - Battle v. The Gauls
Sutrium - An ally of Rome which the Tuscans besiege calling for unprecedented tactics on the part of the Romans.
Key Virtues and Vices
φρόνησις - practical judgment - Not quite prudence, but the lower element of it that chooses the means most appropriate to the ends. His parallel, Themistocles, had this in spades, but Camillus is no slouch at planning and tactics, both political and military.
Moderation - μετριότης (cf. 11 for lack of it in grieving)
Boldness of Speech - παρρησία - This one often is on a knife's edge between vice and virtue. This is the same key word that Luke uses in Acts of the Apostles when describing the boldness with which the apostles preached about Jesus. Plutarch, writing after Luke and with no knowledge of the man, already recognizes the long Greek history behind this word.
Hatred - ἀπεχθεία - You will accrue allies, but you will also accrue enemies in doing worthy political work.
Gentleness - ἥμερος (cf. 11) - Here one almost wishes his parallel were Pericles, though he is *not* as gentle as Pericles, so again Plutarch chose well in that parallel too (see next month for the Life of Fabius!)
Kindliness - χρηστός (cf. 11) - Has at its root usefulness, and was a key virtue in the life of that obscure Greek, Pelopidas.
Avoidance of Conflict - On several occasions Camillus seems to choose to do the easier thing, rather than having the difficult conversation or confrontation necessary to ensure the right action is taken.
Justice - δικαιοσύνη - More important even than victory, Camillus’s conscientious application of the law even to his enemies in war wins him admiration and trust on both sides of a conflict.
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So how do Coriolanus and Alcibiades actually compare? One seems like an angry fireball of revenge, the other a self-serving but talented chameleon. Coriolanus couldn't care less about his reputation, but wants the excellence that lives up to his own standard. Alcibiades can accept anyone's standards of behavior... as long as there is something in it for him. How do these two very different men stand in their similarities and differences? What can we learn for ourselves and apply to our own lives if we ever interact with someone like Alcibiades or Coriolanus.
CoriolanusAlcibiades
First we'll hear from Plutarch himself, and then Tom will give his perspective with some helpful ways to grow in virtue, particularly key in this life is the ability to know when to lead and when to follow.
Re-listen to the original lives for a refresher:Support the show
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https://plutarch.life/coriolanus
Greek Parallel - AlcibiadesImportant People
Volumnia - Coriolanus’s mother and, because his father died young, the woman on whom Coriolanus will pour all his filial piety.
Tullus Aufidius - The leader of the Volscians against the Romans. When Coriolanus switches sides, it is Tullus who is eclipsed.
The Senate - Yes, the Senate acts as a character in this Life, so much so that they represent those with all the power and control, even though they don’t do all the fighting. Coriolanus represents their interests primarily, even over Rome’s.
The People or Plebs - Also a character seen as a body, with no one to represent them. They fight and die in Rome’s wars but often do not see the political fruits of their sacrifices. As such, they secede from Rome and refuse to fight in wars the Senate votes for. This enrages Coriolanus and is one of the major turning points in his life.
Important Places
Corioli - The town which Marcius takes nearly single-handedly after a risky choice, earning him the agnomen Coriolanus.
Rome - Really just a city-state at this time. As a young Republic, the people are probably more sensitive to attitudes of hubris and condescension in their leaders. Coriolanus will be put on trial for tyranny, though the charges morph as the trial progresses.
The Sacred Mount - The plebes are many generations away from full political involvement in this fledgling Republic. As such, they have to force the patricians to notice them. One tactic available to them is secession, and they flee to the Sacred Mount to show the Roman Senators that they will not just be dictated to about what wars they will and will not fight in. They demand justice and the sacred mount shows how closely woven were military, religious, and political interests of the Roman people.
Key Virtues and Vices
Gravity - ἐμβριθής - We might call this virtue steadiness since it implies the ability to see a task through even as everyone around you changes his mind or runs around like an electrocuted chicken. Coriolanus is too reactionary, and gravity allows a leader to stick with the good plan even in the moments when everyone else thinks its a bad one.
Mildness - πραότης - This virtue, coupled with the previous one, were what Plutarch (and Thucydides for that matter) admired so much about Pericles.
Anger - ὀργή - What seems more to us like an emotion, and Plutarch, when pressed would call a passion (παθή) he often treats as a vice, particularly in this Life. One interesting thing to note, though, is that the words for anger and indignation are used more often in the English translations where the Greek has a word with much greater semantic range: θυμός - listen to the podcast to find out more about this fascinating word.
Ambition - φιλοτιμία - Plutarch examines this from many angles, but Coriolanus’s appetite for glory is unquenchable. It also seems only to be tempered by his love for his mother… almost.
Love of Strife - In Greek, the difference between the love of victory (φιλονικία) and the love of strife (φιλονεικία) is one letter, an epsilon. That slippery little letter has caused a lot of strife among Plutarch scholars, but I think we can safely say here that Coriolanus had a love of strife that sat deeper in his soul than a love of victory, particularly when he disregards Rome’s victories as he fought for them and chooses to fight for her defeat.
Justice (δικαιοσύνη) - When the Senate and People disagree, Rome is brought to a standstill. When Coriolanus thinks he receives less than he deserves, he storms off to fight for someone who will appreciate him.
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plutarch.life/pyrrhus
Pyrrhus, tempted to fight in the old Homeric style of one on one, strikes me as a man born in the wrong era. With the rise of the Macedonian phalanx, his tactical brilliance sees some success but his personal appetite for risk and voracious craving for the next adventure over the horizon cause him to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory too many times in his life.
From Fabricius to Sparta to Argos, Pyrrhus seems to learn prudence, but only learns that even the Spartans can defend their homeland with everything they've got.
How can we learn from Pyrrhus and not earn victories so costly that we end in defeat?
Also, Pyrrhus's end in Argos...
How to read a metaphor (or an omen!).
And so much more...Support the show
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Roman Parallel - Marius (157-86 BC)
Important People
Demetrius (337-283) - Neighbor and even, for a time, brother-in-law. Son of Antigonus I and father of Antigonus II, Demetrius rules in Greece, Macedon (for seven years), Asia Minor but was ultimately conquered by Seleucus and imprisoned until he died of his own drinking habit.Cassander (355-297) - Son of Antipater, who had served as regent of Macedon during Alexander’s campaigns and later served as regent after the death of Perdiccas, he did not inherit the Macedonian throne from his father but had to fight Polyperchon for it. He conquers Greece as well and, most infamously, ends the charade of the successors serving as satraps to a regent by killing the young Alexander IV and his mother and grandmother, Olympias.Ptolemy I Soter (367-282) - The stable successor to Alexander who carves out Egypt (305 BC) for himself and founds a dynasty that rules Egypt from the prosperous port of Alexandria until Julius Caesar’s arrival. Ptolemy also strategic in his dynastic alliances to stave off further wars.Cineas - Philosopher and orator, Cineas acts as a foil to Pyrrhus’s reckless moving from hope to hope. In the midpoint of this life, he attempts to help Pyrrhus think through why he should be driven from conquest to conquest and provides reflection on Pyrrhus’s accomplishments. Nevertheless, the philosopher accompanies him on all Pyrrhus’s expeditions.Fabricius - Our first direct encounters with Roman virtue. While not given his own biography, Fabricius looms large in contrast to Pyrrhus’s vices. Fabricius is stable, cautious, and dependable where Pyrrhus is reckless, overly optimistic, and flighty.Important Places
Epirus - Pyrrhus’s birthplace and kingdom by right, inheritance, and conquest.Macedon - Neighboring kingdom to Epirus. Pyrrhus manages to win it and lose it without a fight. Rome - The new power in the Western Mediterranean, having risen even more recently than Carthage, now threatens the entire Italian peninsula, including the Greek-speaking colonies in the south. Tarentum - The colony that asks Pyrrhus for help, and then quickly comes to regret asking. Beneventum - The battle in which the Romans manage, not exactly to beat Pyrrhus, but to convince him that Italy won't be worth the fight.Key Vices and Virtues
Excessive Appetite for Conquest (πλεονεξία) - Not a vice in the Aristotelian canon, but one important to historians like Thucydides, who saw it as the root of the Athenian downfall. This Life becomes a meditation on knowign one’s political limits and serving in the capacity one has been placed. The philosopher Cineas provides some of this perspective for us without being too heavy-handed.Justice - Once again ignored by most of Alexander’s successors, we do se key aspects of it lived up to by the Romans. It is called the virtue of kings in this life and one philosopher observes that the Roman Senate strikes him as “An Assembly of Kings.” When Justice and Power are joined, Plutarch sees not only a properous state nor even just a stable situation, but a good government promoting virtue in its people. This life sets us up so well to enter into the Roman story, because Plutarch wants to remind even the Romans of their past virtues and encourage them to live up to those old virtues in the height of their power.Support the show
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Full Show Notes Available at https://plutarch.life/demetrius
Roman Parallel: Mark Antony (83-30 BC)Season 4 is brought to you by Hackett Publishing - Use the coupon code PLUTARCH for 20% off and free shipping at hackettpublishing.com
Key Vices and Virtues
Luxury or Softness (τρυφή) - At first, Demetrius seems to have control over this vice, but it turns out that it’s a symptom of a larger lack of self-control. Even when he can rein in his appetites for food and sex, he never fully conquers his appetite for conquest. As such, he over-reaches and finds himself captive.Justice - As usual for Plutarch, he wants these men to wield their power justly. In general, the Successors of Alexander are corrupted by their over-riding vice and find themselves unable to rule well, though they still treat their fellow Macedonian generals with respect and concern.Support the show
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Full Show Notes Available at https://plutarch.life/phocion
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Roman Parallel - Cato the Younger (95–46 BC)Phocion was three years old when Socrates died in 399 and then lives through the reigns of Philip, Alexander, and dies under Cassander's takeover of Athens. Though less well-known than his contemporary, Demosthenes, Plutarch wants us to remember him as a political leader who did the best he could with a bad situation.
Bravery (ἀνδρεῖος) - Phocion tempers it with caution, but leads in person up to and past the age of 80!Justice (δικαιοσύνη) - Phocion's realism that Athens does not have the power to resist the Macedonians makes him a great, if still ignored, advocate for justice. He wants to preserve the peace and harmony of the city, while receiving as fair a deal as he can for Athens, which will be conquered by an army four times in his life. Moderation (σωφροσύνη) - Sometimes also translated as “prudence,” this is not only the virtue that keeps Phocion from accepting any bribes, but also the virtue he tries to give to the Athenian people in their erratic behavior to their Macedonian overlords. His wife also practices this virtue, but his son never learns it from either parent (cf. Plato's Meno which examines whether or not virtue can be taught and looks at famous leaders whose sons did not have the same virtues as their fathers). Austerity (αὐστηρόν) - Not one of Aristotle's virtues, but one Plutarch takes pains to highlight. Whether it's walking barefoot, wearing fewer clothes than necessary, or controlling even things like laughter and crying, Phocion struck everyone as toughest first on himself, and then only secondarily hard on others. Simplicity (ἀφελείᾳ) - While the ancient Greeks (and Romans) never considered poverty a virtue as the Christians later did, there was a respect for the simplicity of knowing your limits. This knowledge of what is necessary for life makes Phocion (and his wife, see section 19) reliable and incorruptible.
Key Vices and VirtuesSupport the show
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Full Show Notes Available at https://plutarch.life/eumenes
Bravery (ἀνδρεῖος) - Eumenes, in spite of being the head secretary, is no pencil pusher. Plutarch wants to emphasize this even from the beginning. His education in and prowess in wrestling impress Philip equally as much as his intelligence. Both become an asset to Philip and then Alexander. On top of that, he's able to defeat many of Alexander's most competent generals in battle and gain a reputation among the Macedonians as a bold leader.Justice (δικαιοσύνη) - Eumenes, of all the successors, seems most motivated to keep the dynastic succession in order and rule Alexander’s new domains along the lines the Persian leaders had set up before. In other words, he considers it just to step into his role as satrap and leave it at that. As the other kings become greedier and more prideful, Eumenes serves the interests of the regent and, as he sees it, the rightful kings on the throne. He even tells Antigonus that he values his life less than the trust people have placed in him. He is just and willing to put his life on the line for it. How’s that for skin in the game?Wisdom (σοφία) - As much wiliness in this life as wisdom, Eumenes has the ability to convince those hostile to him to listen, to ourmaneuver even talented generals, and to inspire confidence through competence. He’s also smart enough to recognize all his enemies and finds ways to profit from his enemies: somethine Plutarch would be proud of, since he wrote a whole essay on the topic in the Moralia.Arrogance (ἀλαζονεία) - Categorized by Aristotle as the excess beyond honesty, this vice is rooted in a form or self-deception: seeing yourself as greater than you are. Other definitions include pretension and imposture. Plutarch points out the successors of Alexander suffer under this vice, unaware of their limitations and unwilling to accept that none of them measure up to Alexander.
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Key Virtues and VicesSupport the show
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Check out what I'm up to this summer and fall and see if you can learn some Greek and Latin with me.
Full Show Notes Available at https://plutarch.life/alexander
Season 4 is brought to you by Hackett Publishing - Use the coupon code PLUTARCH for 20% off and free shipping at hackettpublishing.com
Key Virtues and Vices
Generosity (μεγαλόδωρος) - When his wealth becomes nearly infinite his generosity keeps pace with it. Many examples given of Alexander’s largesse as he builds his empire.Justice (δική) - When founding and running a empire this big, justice has to be a key concern. Alexander tries to balance respect for the current Persian customs as he finds them and the Hellenization of the Persian peoples. While he doesn’t walk that line as well as he could have, many of his Macedonians treat the Persians far worse and Alexander is often left picking up the pieces.
Friendship (φιλία)- Plutarch, like Aristotle, sees philosophy as the foundation of a life of powerful and lasting friendships. Alexander lives this virtue in many ways but, when he falls short, he fails in impressive ways (cf. Clitus the Black).
Ambition (φιλοτιμία) - This one cuts both ways. Aristotle uses the same word to describe the virtue as he does to describe its excess (what we still today call “overly-ambitious”). Alexander’s ambition means the only things that slow him down or change his course are mutiny or death.
Important Places
Thebes - Not just in Plutarch’s backyard, but the city punished for revolting after Philip’s death. It is burned to the ground and 30,000 of its inhabitant are sold into slavery. Plutarch thinks this must anger the god Dionysius, who was born close to Thebes.The Battle of Granicus River - Alexander's first battle against the Persian army. Is he reckless or bold? Do we judge him by the consequences?
Battle of Issus - Alexander's second major battle against the Persian host, and the first in which Darius is present. Darius flees and Alexander chose better terrain than he realized.
The Siege of Tyre - This strategic city gives Alexander an excuse to take care of the Persian Navy so that his supply lines are not disrupted as he traverses into the heart of the Persian Empire.
Alexandria - Alexander, under the guidance of Homer, founds a city at the mouth of the Nile that will prosper for the next thousand years. Acting as the Greek and Roman capital of Egypt, Alexandria is still the second-most populous city in Egypt after Cairo today.
The Battle of Gaugamela - The last decisive battle to put Darius on the run. Alexander claims that Greece has been avenged and uses the title King of Persia after this.
The Battle of Hydapses - Moving beyond the frontiers of the Persian Empire, Alexander crosses the Indus River and defeats King Poros, only to return his kingdom to him because of respect for a worthy enemy. Shortly after this his men mutiny and Alexander must turn back home.
Babylon - Before he makes it home, the whole army has a prolonged victory feast in Babylon. Perhaps complications from drinking cause Alexander to fall into a fever from which he does not recover and he dies in Babylon at the age of 33, having conquered the Greeks and the Persian Empire. What if he'd managed to conquer himself? How far does Plutarch think he could have gone?
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Check out what I'm up to this summer and fall and see if you can learn some Greek and Latin with me.
Full Show Notes Available at https://plutarch.life/alexander
Season 4 is brought to you by Hackett Publishing - Use the coupon code PLUTARCH for 20% off and free shipping at hackettpublishing.com
Important People
-Bucephalus - Yes, a horse is an important character! Fiery, hard-working, and lasting till the edge of Alexander's empire, Bucephalus (ox-head) provides an analogue for us to see a fiery temperament tamed.
-Philip - Alexander’s ambitious father and the succesful military reformer who almost led an expedition against Persia himself. His untimely assassination makes that task fall to Alexander.
-Olympias - An ambitious and scheming mother, Olympias always pushes Alexander to do more and work harder. While at home, she frequently conflicts with Antipater, the regent Alexander left in charge of Macedonia in his decade-long absence.
-Darius III - The last Achaemenid emperor of Persia flees from Alexander twice but, overall, is treated well by his enemy. He didn’t choose his successor, but ultimatley respects the man who sits on the throne of Cyrus after his death.
-Poros - One of the last king-generals that Alexander defeats before turning around to head back home. Poros lives on the far side of the Indus River and earns Alexander’s respect in a hard-fought battle. Alexander keeps him in his current position and adds lands to his after defeating him.
-Aristotle - One of the greatest philosophers who ever lived worked as the personal tutor to Alexander the Great for at least two years. The two men continue to correspond later in life but some versions of the story have their relationship cool significantly after Alexander executes his grand-nephew, Callisthenes (cf. sections 53-55)
-Philotas - A contemporary of Alexander rising in the ranks under his father, Parmenio. Both experienced leaders who served under Philip and Alexander, Philotas’s pride finds him implicated in a conspiracy and Alexander kills him and his father.
-Clitus (Cleitus) - A member of Alexander’s companion cavalry who saves his life at The Battle of Granicus River. When he later tries to publicly correct Alexander for adopting too many Persian customs, the fight leads to his tragic death, which Alexander struggles to recover from.
-Callisthenes - Grand-nephew of Aristotle accompanying Alexander on the Persian Expedition. He acts as a proxy for Alexander's relationship with the ethical and political lessons Alexander had learned from Aristotle. When he dies (some reports say by Alexander's order, others do not), it seems Alexander lost his last link with his childhood education.
Important Places
-Thebes - Not just in Plutarch’s backyard, but the city punished for revolting after Philip’s death. It is burned to the ground and 30,000 of its inhabitant are sold into slavery. Plutarch thinks this must anger the god Dionysius, who was born close to Thebes.
-The Battle of Granicus River
-Battle of Issus
-The Siege of Tyre
-Alexandria
-The Battle of Gaugamela
-The Battle of Hydapses
Key Virtues and Vices
-Generosity
-Justice
-Friendship
-Ambition (φιλοτιμία)Support the show
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Check out what I'm up to this summer and fall and see if you can learn some Greek and Latin with me.
Full Show Notes Available at https://plutarch.life/timoleon
Season 4 is brought to you by Hackett Publishing - Use the coupon code PLUTARCH for 20% off and free shipping at hackettpublishing.com
Important PeopleTimophanes - Timoleon’s brother and the first tyrant we meet in this story. His name, rather fittingly, means "seems honorable."
Dionysius II - The tyrant whom Dion overthrew, but did not execute. He returns to power after Dion’s death only to be replaced by Hicetas.
Hicetas - The tyrant who replaces Dionysius II, who had allied with the Carthaginians to gain power. Starting out allied with the Corinthians, he becomes Timoleon’s main enemy in the fight to free Syracuse.
Mago - Carthaginian general allied with Hicetas and leading a formidable navy. He’s the first Carthaginian general to “capture” Syracuse, though it’s Hicetas who hands the city over.
Plato - Though dead by the time Timoleon comes to power, he haunts this dialogue both in its analysis of tyranny and its understanding of justice.
Key Virtues and Vices
Justice (δίκη - dikē) - Plutarch argues (30.9) that Justice preserved Timoleon’s good fortune. With this in mind, it’s helpful to remember that Dion didn’t have the same good fortune, though he seems to have deserved it. Perhaps he stepped off the road of Justice and Plutarch allows us to decide where and when. Timoleon also puts justice and honor over convenience (5.1), his brother acts without justice (4.5) when he becomes tyrant, and Timoleon not only acts justly (5.1; 10.7; 29.6), but physically restores the courts of justice (22.3) to the democracy of Syracuse that before had to rely on the whims of the tyrant.
Gentleness (πραότης - praotēs) - Though not mentioned often, it's important for us to remember that this is a virtue listed explicitly in Aristotle's Ethics and one that Plutarch takes great interest in for his characters. Timoleon is introduced to us as gentle (3.4), but not with tyrants and base men. We're also told at the end that he dealt gently and justly with friends (37.5), but boldly and powerfully against barbarians (i.e. Carthaginians in this case). See Plutarch's "On the Moderation of Anger" or Aristotle's Ethics Book 4, Ch. 5 (1125b35) for a more thorough discussion of this virtue and its most obvious excess: anger.
Wisdom (φρονήσις - phronēsis) - Especially on the heels of Dion’s life, Timoleon just strikes us as lucky. Yet, Plutarch primes us in the preface (0.8) to read with an eye for his wise choices and not to judge every decision by its (usually positive) outcome. Plato's wisdom even helps men like Dionysius (15.4)
External Links
Ambleside Online's Study Guide for TimoleonHerman Melville's Poem Timoleon, of which I read the eighth and final stanza in the podcastEnglish Translation of Plutarch's Life of Timoleon Greek and English of Plutarch's Life of Timoleon (Perseus)Art of Manliness Podcast about Plato Trying to Convince Glaucon not to Grow into a Tyrant in the RepublicSupport the show
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Check out what I'm up to this summer and fall and see if you can learn some Greek and Latin with me.
Full show notes available at https://plutarch.life/dion
Season 4 is brought to you by Hackett Publishing. Use coupon code PLUTARCH for 20% and free shipping in the US and Canada.
Important PeopleDionysius I (the elder) - Tyrant of Syracuse taking power shortly after the Peloponnesian War and reigning until 367 BC. For some authors, he's the textbook tyrant in the way he held on to power, the fear that prevented him from trusting almost anyone (except his nephew Dion), and his cruelty. Though Plutarch doesn't mention it, this is the tyrant who shows up in stories like Damon and Pythias or The Sword of Damocles. Dionysius is called D-Prime in this podcast so that we don't confused him with his son or nephew.
Dionysius II (the younger) - Less accomplished and intelligent than his father, Dionysius does manage to rule Syracuse not once, but twice. We'll see his comeback in Timoleon's story...
Dion - The main character of our tale and one of Plato's best and brightest students. When he fails to convert either the elder or younger tyrant to philosophy, he finds himself exiled, stripped of most of his wealth, and finally discovers his wife has been ordered by the tyrant to marry another man. This means war and Dion takes it to Syracuse. Can he become the next philosopher-king? Will he instead train up a virtuous democracy to overthrow fifty years of tyranny? Tune in to find out!
Plato - Yep. Plato was a real person who had a real life outside of his dialogues (in which he never makes himself a character). You'll want to check out Plato's Seventh Letter for another perspective on the events in this Life. If you haven't read this life, though, Plato's Seventh Letter will be a great deal more obscure.
Philistus - An accomplished military mind banished by D-Prime but recalled by D-2, Philistus had taken up his pen in exile and written as a historian. As a political enemy and counterweight to Plato's influence on D-2, Plutarch has a lot of reason to hate this man.
Heracleides - The perfidious but fun-loving rival as Dion tries to tame the tyrannical democracy. Heracleides would rather feed the beast and the tensions certainly mount as Dion fights not one tyrant, but two.
Callippus - This perfidious Athenian doesn't seem important until the end... and then he's fatally important.
Important Places
Corinth - Mother city (metropolis, μητρόπολις) of Syracuse and prosperous city on the Peloponnesus.
Syracuse - 5 major neighborhoods
Ortygia - The original island settled by the Corinthians who founded Syracuse. It still contained Achradina - The heights of the mainland settlement overlooking the ocean and the Neapolis region, famous for the stone quarries in which the Athenians died during the Peloponnesian Wars and after which Dionysius would use for political prisoners. Neapolis - the most recent addition to the city, North and West of Achradina and Ortygia, but enclosed by the fortifications D-Prime builtTyche - district of NeapolisEpipolae - high plateau in the Neapolis, included in the walls D-Prime builtKey Virtues + Vices
Courage (ἀνδρεία - manliness, courage) - Dionysius I and Plato have a fight about what virtue consists in. Plato concedes that andreia is important but then proves publicly that tyrants are the least manly men.
Aloofness - Dion struggles to win friends and influence people.
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