Book description
These nine biographies illuminate the careers, personalities and
military campaigns of some of Rome's greatest statesmen, whose lives
span the earliest days of the Republic to the establishment of the
Empire. Selected from Plutarch's Roman Lives, they include prominent
figures who achieved fame for their pivotal roles in Roman history, such
as soldierly Marcellus, eloquent Cato and cautious Fabius. Here too are
vivid portraits of ambitious, hot-tempered Coriolanus; objective,
principled Brutus and open-hearted Mark Anthony, who would later be
brought to life by Shakespeare. In recounting the lives of these great
leaders, Plutarch also explores the problems of statecraft and power and
illustrates the Roman people's genius for political compromise, which
led to their mastery of the ancient world.
Plutarch's life spanned the second half of the 1st century AD. He was
highly educated in rhetoric and philosophy at Athens but his deep
interest in religion led him to Delphi, where he was eventually
appointed a priesthood. He travelled, most crucially to Rome, where he
lectured and made friends of considerable influence. He wrote and
taught throughout his life.
Ian Scott-Kilvert was Director of English Literature at the British
Council and Editor of Writers and their Works. He has tranlsated three
other of Plutarch's works for the Penguin Classics. He died in 1989.
