Plutarch

Plutarch (c. 46 - 120s), full name Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus, was a celebrated Greek biographer, historian, and essayist, more properly the writer of lives, and moralist, born at Chæronea, in Boeotia. He studied at Athens, paid frequent visits to Rome, and formed friendships with some of its distinguished citizens. He spent his later years at his native place, and held a priesthood. His fame rests on his "Parallel Lives" of 46 (23 pairs) distinguished Greeks and Romans along with four individual biographies, totaling 50. It was a series of portraitures true to the life, and a work one of the most valuable we possess on the illustrious men of antiquity, and an enduring memorial of them.

Wisdom & Quotes

• Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are taken together, yield themselves up when taken little by little.

- Life of Sertorius, in Parallel Lives

• A sage thing is timely silence, and better than any speech.

- The Education of Children

• Valour, however unfortunate, commands great respect even from enemies: but the Romans despise cowardice, even though it be prosperous.

– Life of Aemilius Paulus, in Parallel Lives

• Authority and place demonstrate and try the tempers of men, by moving every passion and discovering every frailty.

– Comparison of Demosthenes and Cicero

• Be ruled by time, the wisest counsellor of all.

– Pericles, in Parallel Lives

• Rest gives relish to labour.

– Of the Training of Children, Moralia

• He is a fool who lets slip a bird in the hand for a bird in the bush.

– Of Garrulity, Moralia

• The mind is not a vessel that needs filling, but wood that needs igniting.

– On Listening to Lectures, Moralia

Bible