Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers
Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers
Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers
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Plutarch <strong>and</strong> the Greece <strong>of</strong> His Age<br />
quiet life <strong>of</strong> a peaceable man, absorbed in his books<br />
<strong>and</strong> his studies <strong>and</strong> only appearing in public when<br />
his duties as a good citizen called him forth, there<br />
was little in his career to attract the attention <strong>of</strong> a<br />
biographer. Almost all that we know about him has<br />
to he gleaned from occasional references in his own<br />
writings. It has been aptly said <strong>of</strong> him that the<br />
prince <strong>of</strong> biographers is himself without a biographer.<br />
His father s name is not recorded. That <strong>of</strong> his<br />
gr<strong>and</strong>father was Lamprias. We do not know how<br />
many brothers <strong>and</strong> sisters he had. though he speaks<br />
<strong>of</strong> two brothers with whom he lived on the most<br />
amicable terms. Of these, Timon is an interlocutor<br />
in the dialogue De Sera. His wife s name was Timoxena.<br />
By her he had four sons <strong>and</strong> one daughter.<br />
The latter <strong>and</strong> the oldest son died when quite young.<br />
Plutarch s wife seems to have been an excellent<br />
woman <strong>and</strong> to have shared her husb<strong>and</strong> s views as to<br />
the proper conduct <strong>of</strong> life. She was plain in dress<br />
<strong>and</strong> appearance, averse to show <strong>and</strong> parade, devoted<br />
to her husb<strong>and</strong>, her children, <strong>and</strong> her household af<br />
fairs.<br />
Plutarch made some journeys beyond the bounds<br />
<strong>of</strong> his native l<strong>and</strong>; one at least as far as Alex<strong>and</strong>ria<br />
in Egypt. He spent some time in Rome where he<br />
gave lectures in Greek; for as lie himself tells us he<br />
never learned the Latin language well. He went<br />
thither on public business, <strong>and</strong> is<br />
thought to have<br />
visited other parts <strong>of</strong> Italy on a similar err<strong>and</strong>. His<br />
fame had preceded him to the imperial city where he<br />
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