I would rather excel in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my power or possessions.
He lived mostly in Greece, where he was a local magistrate, though he was a Roman citizen who knew the Emperors Trajan and Hadrian..
Plutarch (AD 46 -119 ) was a philosopher, teacher, and biographer, whose writing strongly influenced the evolution of the essay, the biography, and historical writing in Europe from the 16th to the 19th century, especially the work of Michel de Montaigne and William Shakespeare.
Plutarch is essentially a moralist whose aim is to edify the reader; destiny follows from character, which he illustrates by anecdotes.
The Lives display formidable learning and research.
The form of Plutarch\'s Lives was new; he outlined the birth, youth, achievements, and death of his characters, followed by a formal comparison.
There are fifty biographies of famous soldiers, legislators, orators, and statesmen, and an additional eighteen comparisons.
By comparing a famous Roman with a famous Greek, Plutarch intended to provide model patterns of behaviour and to encourage mutual respect between Greeks and Romans.
Plutarch Plutarch\'s Lives is a brilliant collection of biographies by one of the greatest biographers and moralists of all time.
Plutarch It is part of a good man to do great and noble deeds, though he risk everything.
Plutarch To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future.
Plutarch Silence at the proper season is wisdom, and better than any speech.
Plutarch To be ignorant of the Lives of the most celebrated men of antiquity is to continue in a state of childhood all our days.
I would rather excel in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my power or possessions
