Pericles

Full Show Notes

Roman Parallel – Titus Flamininus

Important 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

Full Show Notes for Plutarch's Life of Cleomenes

Roman Parallel - Tiberius Gracchus

Important People

Aratus - 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

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 - μικρολογία
• luxury - ἀπολαύσει
• softness - μαλακία (cf. 10)
• extravagance - πολυτέλεια

Captain 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? 

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?

Marcellus - Rome's Sword Against Hannibal

Parallel - Pelopidas

Important 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

Fabius Show Notes

Pericles Show Notes

Full Show Notes: https://plutarch.life/fabius

Greek Parallel - Pericles

Important People

Terentius 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. 

Full Show Notes for Camillus - Noble Roman Dictator

Greek Parallel - Themistocles

No 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.

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. 

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: 

• Coriolanus
• Alcibiades

https://plutarch.life/coriolanus

Greek Parallel - Alcibiades

Important 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.