Plutarco Book order (chronological)

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An outstanding new edition of Plutarch, the inventor of biography, focused on five lives that remade the Roman world.

From an intimate and moving letter to his grieving wife on the death of their daughter, to elegant writings on morality, happiness and the avoidance of anger, Plutarch’s powerful words of consolation and inspiration still offer timeless wisdom and guidance today. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves – and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives – and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

Quale affinità lega Pericle, il campione della democrazia imperialista ateniese, a Quinto Fabio Massimo, il dittatore romano che sfiancò Annibale con la tattica della guerriglia? Difficilmente si potrebbero pensare due vite più diverse tra loro. Eppure, proprio un simile accostamento aiuta a capire il progetto che sta alla base delle "Vite". Perché a interessare Plutarco non sono tanto le vicende, pubbliche e private, dei personaggi che descrive, quando il carattere e le qualità morali, che rendono le loro vite eccezionali e degne di essere ricordate, meditate e imitate. Ed è in questo ambito che si rileva, al di là del differente contesto storico, l'affinità profonda tra il creatore della potenza di Atene e il salvatore di Roma.Questa edizione è accompagnata dal saggio Plutarco biografo di Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendrf, tradotto per la prima volta in italiano. Le introduzioni alle singole "Vite" sono affidate alle autorevoli cure di Philip A. Stadter e Roberto Guerrini.

Die Parallelen Leben sind wie eine große Galerie von Bildern, die fast die gesamte Geschichte Roms und Griechenlands durch die Porträts ihrer berühmtesten Protagonisten illustrieren. Sie sind auch das Bild des ewigen Kampfes zwischen Gut und Böse, im Wechselspiel von Licht und Schatten, von Laster und Tugend, von Siegen und Niederlagen. Dieser Gesetzmäßigkeit entgingen Alexander und Cäsar nicht, zwei Feldherren, die die Welt beherrschten, aber nicht ihre eigenen Leidenschaften, schwankend zwischen gegensätzlichen Gefühlen, zwischen Großzügigkeit und Grausamkeit, zwischen Respekt vor der Tradition und Innovation, und strebend nach absoluter Macht, der erste, um eine universelle Monarchie zu schaffen, die verschiedene Völker in einem großen multikulturellen Organismus vereint, der zweite, um die politische, militärische, intellektuelle und moralische Erlösung seines Vaterlandes zu erreichen.