The Plutarch Podcast
Tom Cox - grammaticus
Tom Cox from grammaticus.co explores Plutarch’s Parallel Lives to introduce you to antiquity, encourage you in your education, or refresh your perspective on people and politics by stepping outside the news cycle. Biography invigorates the study of history by bringing it to life. Plutarch was the first master of this form, examining in a person the relationship between fortune, virtue, and excellence. Whether you just want to study antiquity from your armchair, sit at the feet of the greatest teachers of the West, or expand your own classical education, Plutarch’s Parallel Lives and the podcast are here to serve. Plutarch wrote almost 50 lives exploring the greatest leaders of the Greek and Roman world before Christ. His lives have been foundational to education for centuries, but they are often wrapped in the obscurity of older translations or bog the reader down with specific political and social terms from Athens or Rome. Let Tom translate the jargon and enliven the journey by outlining and explaining each essay encouraging you to dive in and learn from the teacher himself, or guide your students through his essays. Whether you learn or teach in a classroom or at home, join Plutarch—and Tom—in examining what it means to live well, by considering those who have lived before us.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 27, 2020 • 37min
Solon
Send us Fan MailSolon was not only the wisest man to be found in Athens, but the most profound political genius of antiquity; and the easy, bloodless, and pacific revolution by which he accomplished the deliverance of his country was the first step in a career which our age glories in pursuing, and instituted a power which has done more than anything, except revealed religion, for the regeneration of society .... By making every citizen the guardian of his own interest Solon admitted the element of Democracy into the State.—Lord Acton, "The History of Freedom in Antiquity" (1877)Rise to powerPolitical background in AthensDivisionsRich v. PoorHill v. Shore v. PlainLegislation 1, 2, 3!1) repeal Draconian laws2) Set up the Census Classes3) Areopagus, Council of 400, AssemblyAporias – the weird and bewilderingTravelEgyptCreteAsiaReturnTyrannyImportant PeopleThalesPisistratusCylon and Draco – political back-story for AthensImportant PlacesSalamisMegara DelphiEgypt (Canopus)AtlantisCreteLydiaSupport the show
6 snips
Jul 27, 2020 • 26min
Why Read Plutarch?
Plutarch, an ancient biographer who compared Greek and Roman heroes, is the guest of this podcast. Topics explored include Plutarch's focus on virtue, the format of the show which covers one episode per life, the best English translations of Plutarch's works, and the organization of his lives.
