Character Catalog

A collection of 23 pairs of biographies comparing a great Greek figure with a great Roman one (Alexander/Caesar, Solon/Publicola…). A foundational work that profoundly influenced the European Renaissance and the modern understanding of Antiquity.

A collection of 78 essays covering ethics, philosophy, religion, politics, and science. These texts make Plutarch an essential source for understanding moral thought and everyday life in the Greco-Roman world.

A philosophical treatise dedicated to a friend, outlining the paths to inner serenity. Plutarch develops a practical wisdom rooted in Platonism, written to be accessible to a broad and educated readership.

A collection of conversations held at dinner parties, blending scientific and philosophical questions with historical anecdotes. A valuable document on the intellectual and social practices of the Greco-Roman elite in the 1st century AD.

A pedagogical treatise long attributed to Plutarch, advocating an education that combines nature, habit, and reason. It had a lasting influence on educational theory in Late Antiquity and the Renaissance.

A philosophical and dramatic dialogue weaving together a Theban political conspiracy with a reflection on the nature of Socrates' divine sign. An important testament to Plutarch's Neoplatonic spirituality.

It is not histories that I am writing, but lives; and in the most glorious deeds there is not always an indication of virtue or vice, but often a small thing, a word, or a jest reveals a man's character better than battles where thousands fall.

It is not in places, nor in foreign lands, nor in changes of condition that we must seek peace of mind, but within ourselves.

The wise man must make useful use of everything. An enemy is useful to those who know how to turn him to advantage and who regard the enmity itself as a school of vigilance.

Solon was the first to give the Athenians a law forbidding anyone to speak ill of the dead. It is pious to respect those who are no more, just to spare those who are absent, and good policy not to perpetuate hatred.

Philosophy is the only discipline that teaches us to do what must be done: to honor the gods, to respect one's parents, to cherish one's elders, to obey the laws, to submit to those in authority, and to love one's friends.

Plutarch's hometown, to which he remained deeply attached throughout his life despite his travels. He taught there, welcomed disciples, and wrote the bulk of his work there.

Site of the famous sanctuary of Apollo where Plutarch served as a priest during the last decades of his life. He dedicated several philosophical works there to the nature of divination and oracles.

The city where Plutarch studied philosophy under Ammonius, attending the Platonic Academy. There he acquired the foundations of his philosophical thought and his vast literary culture.

The capital of the Empire, which Plutarch visited on several occasions to teach, meet notable figures, and conduct research. His stays in Rome allowed him to collect sources on the great Latin figures he paired with their Greek counterparts.