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Plutarch's Moralia

The non-biographical output of Plutarch of Chaeronea (b. c. 45–d. c. 120 ad) is traditionally grouped together under the label “Moralia” (alternative titles include “Moral Works,” “Morals,” “Ethika,” and “Ethica”). Although by no means all works within the group deal with ethics, an important subgroup, placed at the head of the collection since the late 13th century, does, and has given the collection its title. In modern editions, the Moralia comprise seventy-eight texts, thirteen of which, including the famous texts On the Education of Children and On Music, are generally taken to be spurious (see Lost Works, Fragments, and Spuria). As can be seen in the so-called Lamprias catalogue, a late antique list of Plutarchan works, Plutarch’s non-biographical output was originally much larger, and so was the preponderance of ethics within it. Among the extant Moralia, one finds essays, dialogues, and letters on topics as diverse as peace of mind, the face that can be seen on the moon, and the fortune or virtue of Alexander the Great. In line with ancient rhetorical theory, these texts can be divided according to the aim or aims they pursue: their primary aim is to move, to teach, or to entertain the reader. Although these different aims go hand in hand with distinctive argumentative strategies and authorial self-presentation, the boundaries between these groups are by no means strict. In modern scholarship, Plutarch’s Moralia have received much less attention than his biographical output. In the last few years, however, several monographs and edited volumes on important texts, subgroups, and themes of the Moralia, as well as on the Moralia as a text corpus have significantly enhanced our understanding and appreciation of this multifarious group of texts. While many studies on Plutarch’s Moralia are in English and widely available, a considerable number of publications on the topic have appeared in languages other than English and may be hard to find in British or American libraries, except in universities where Plutarch studies are high on the agenda.

Oxford University Press

Lieve Van Hoof

Classics

2014

Title: Plutarch's Moralia

Description:

The non-biographical output of Plutarch of Chaeronea (b.

45–d.

120 ad) is traditionally grouped together under the label “Moralia” (alternative titles include “Moral Works,” “Morals,” “Ethika,” and “Ethica”).

Although by no means all works within the group deal with ethics, an important subgroup, placed at the head of the collection since the late 13th century, does, and has given the collection its title.

In modern editions, the Moralia comprise seventy-eight texts, thirteen of which, including the famous texts On the Education of Children and On Music, are generally taken to be spurious (see Lost Works, Fragments, and Spuria).

As can be seen in the so-called Lamprias catalogue, a late antique list of Plutarchan works, Plutarch’s non-biographical output was originally much larger, and so was the preponderance of ethics within it.

Among the extant Moralia, one finds essays, dialogues, and letters on topics as diverse as peace of mind, the face that can be seen on the moon, and the fortune or virtue of Alexander the Great.

In line with ancient rhetorical theory, these texts can be divided according to the aim or aims they pursue: their primary aim is to move, to teach, or to entertain the reader.

Although these different aims go hand in hand with distinctive argumentative strategies and authorial self-presentation, the boundaries between these groups are by no means strict.

In modern scholarship, Plutarch’s Moralia have received much less attention than his biographical output.

In the last few years, however, several monographs and edited volumes on important texts, subgroups, and themes of the Moralia, as well as on the Moralia as a text corpus have significantly enhanced our understanding and appreciation of this multifarious group of texts.

While many studies on Plutarch’s Moralia are in English and widely available, a considerable number of publications on the topic have appeared in languages other than English and may be hard to find in British or American libraries, except in universities where Plutarch studies are high on the agenda.

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