1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910959773003321

Titolo

Plutarch's pragmatic biographies : lessons for statesmen and generals in The parallel lives / / edited by Susan G. Jacobs

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Leiden ; ; Boston : , : Brill, , [2017]

ISBN

9789004276611

9004276610

Edizione

[1st ed.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (xv, 471 pages)

Collana

Columbia studies in the classical tradition ; ; v. 43

Altri autori (Persone)

JacobsSusan G

Disciplina

809/.93592

Soggetti

Biography as a literary form

Biografia clàssica

Llibres electrònics

Greece Biography History and criticism

Rome Biography History and criticism

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Preliminary Material -- Introduction -- Plutarch and His Audience -- Pragmatic Literature for Statesmen and Generals -- Didactic Agenda of the Parallel Lives: Insights from the Prologues and Synkriseis -- Political and Military Leadership -- Pericles-Fabius Maximus -- Coriolanus-Alcibiades -- Agesilaus-Pompey -- Ruling and Being Ruled -- Aemilius-Timoleon -- Demetrius-Antony -- Phocion-Cato Minor -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Index.

Sommario/riassunto

In Plutarch’s Pragmatic Biographies , Susan Jacobs argues for a major revision in how we interpret the Parallel Lives. She integrates the existing focus on moral issues into the much broader paradigm of effective leadership found in Plutarch’s Moralia. There, in addition to moral virtue, the successful leader needed good critical judgment, persuasiveness and facility in managing alliances and rivalries. The analysis of six sets of Lives shows how Plutarch carefully portrayed Greek and Roman leaders of the past assessing situations and solving problems that paralleled those faced by his politically-active audience. By linking victories and defeats to specific strategic insights and practical skills, Plutarch created “pragmatic biographies” that could



instruct statesmen and generals of every era.