Plutarch's Essays and Miscellanies gathers some of antiquity's most searching reflections on religion, ethics, politics, and love. In these translated and carefully revised essays, readers enter Delphi, Egypt, Rome, and the private circles of philosophers as Plutarch probes prophecy, providence, and the hidden order of the world. The collection includes the famous dialogue "Why the Oracles Cease to Give Answers," where learned men debate the silence of sacred shrines; "Of Isis and Osiris," a symbolic reading of Egyptian myth; and a powerful defense of divine justice against the apparent delay of punishment. Other essays examine parental affection, the rise of Rome through virtue and fortune, and the dangers of talkativeness. Plutarch also offers counsel to rulers, attacks Herodotus for bias, and mounts a forceful critique of Stoic philosophy and its abstractions. Alongside these moral and historical inquiries stand lively debates on love and marriage, from the union of Ismenodora and Baccho to arguments over whether true love is noble desire, bodily appetite, or a force that elevates the soul. Across every page, Plutarch blends philosophy, myth, and practical wisdom into a vivid study of human nature. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.

À propos de l'auteur

Plutarch

Plutarch, the Greek writer, philosopher, and moralist of the early Roman Empire, was born in Chaeronea in Boeotia around the first century CE and spent much of his life balancing public service, teaching, and writing. Educated in the traditions of Greek learning, he traveled widely, studied philosophy in Athens, and later served as a priest at Delphi, a role that deepened his lifelong interest in religion, ethics, and the character of human beings. He became one of antiquity’s most admired essayists and biographers by combining historical knowledge with a keen eye for moral insight, producing works that explore virtue, vice, leadership, friendship, ambition, and the unpredictable turns of fortune. His writing is especially valued for its vivid comparisons of great public figures, his lively essays on everyday conduct and philosophical questions, and his ability to make the ancient world feel immediate and personal. What keeps Plutarch relevant today is his conviction that history is not just a record of events but a guide to character: he asks how power shapes the soul, how habits form moral life, and how private choices echo in public consequences. Readers still turn to him for his humane wisdom, his balanced judgment, and his belief that self-knowledge is essential to a meaningful life. He remains especially rewarding for readers who enjoy philosophy, history, biography, and thoughtful reflections on what it means to live well.