Grecian Lives (Parallel Lives)

From the legendary exploits of Theseus to the campaigns of Philopoemen, Grecian Lives presents all of Plutarch’s surviving biographies of Greek statesmen, lawgivers, generals, and kings—alongside Aratus and Artaxerxes, and the illuminating “Comparisons” in which each Greek figure is weighed against his Roman counterpart. Arranged here in a mostly chronological order, this edition offers a smooth, coherent journey through centuries of Greek history, myth, and political life.Plutarch (c. 46–120 CE), a Greek scholar, philosopher, and moralist from Chaeronea in Boeotia, devoted his Parallel Lives to exploring the moral character of great individuals as much as their historical deeds. Each biography pairs a Greek and a Roman figure of similar career or temperament, followed by a direct comparison of their virtues, faults, and ultimate legacy. The result is not only a vivid historical record but also a timeless study of leadership, ambition, and human nature.This translation, by Bernadotte Perrin, was first published in 1923 by the Loeb Classical Library, which presented it across eleven volumes with the original Greek on facing pages. Long unavailable outside that scholarly format, Perrin’s version is valued for its accuracy, clarity, and dignified prose. In this new two-volume English-only edition, it is accessible to all readers in an uninterrupted, engaging narrative.Volume I: Grecian Lives includes:All of Plutarch’s Greek biographies, from Theseus to PhilopoemenThe lives of Aratus and ArtaxerxesAll “Comparisons” between the Greek and Roman subjectsA mostly chronological arrangement for a more natural historical progressionWhether you are reading for history, literature, or moral philosophy, this volume offers an immersive encounter with the statesmen, warriors, and thinkers who shaped the Greek world—and with Plutarch’s enduring insight into the human condition. Read more