The Age of Alexander: Nine Greek Lives (Penguin Classics, L286) [Paperback]

Plutarch (Author), Ian Scott-Kilvert (Author)

Book Description

Series: Penguin Classics, L286 | Publication Date: September 30, 1973

This title includes textual and historical notes that supplement a segment of Plutarch's "Lives" which covers the rise of Macedonia.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Latin (translation)

About the Author

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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (September 30, 1973)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140442863
• ISBN-13: 978-0140442861
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #8 in Books > History > Europe > Greece
  • #29 in Books > History > Ancient > Greece
  • #54 in Books > History > Ancient > Rome

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some "Lively" Greek Biogs By Plutarch, September 10, 2001

By 

AntiochAndy "antiochandy" (Antioch, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Age of Alexander: Nine Greek Lives (Penguin Classics, L286) (Paperback)

Plutarch was a Greek scholar living in the Roman Empire. He was not a historian, per se, but rather a biographer who used the lives of famous Greeks and Romans to illustrate strengths and weaknesses of character, how they impacted events, and how events impacted them. He wrote his biographies in pairs, matching a Greek and Roman whose lives, in his view, exemplified common traits or themes. His pairings being generally rather superficial, Penguin has chosen to publish the individual "Lives" in chronological groupings. The nine presented in "The Age Of Alexander" include Plutarch's biography of Alexander the Great along with those of eight famous Greeks from the same period.

Writing during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian, Plutarch was already dealing with people from hundreds of years in his past. Fortunately for us, as his writing shows, he still had a lot of evidence to draw on. Frequently mentioned are contemporary accounts and, in the case of Alexander, letters written by Alexander himself, which apparently still existed in Plututarch's time. Sometimes he cites more than one source in cases where accounts disagree. The richness of Plutarch's sources is valuable because so much of that ancient source material is now lost.

Plutarch is at his best in describing dramatic events and when commenting on the strengths and weaknesses of his subjects. As reading material, this book could hardly be called a "page-turner" in the contemporary sense of that term, but you don't have to be a student of history to appreciate the dramatic, and often violent, nature of the times and of the lives of the men covered in this collection. Only one of them died in bed. Life was often violent and short, and the violence was gratuitous. A man whose deeds were out of favor might well be treated to the sight of his family being executed before being dispatched himself.

Personally, I'm more a fan of Roman history than the Greeks (although Alexander is certainly a fascinating character), and the Greeks covered in this book are generally much less familiar to me than those of the Romans contained in other volumes. Nevertheless, this is classic literature of a high order. Plutarch is a great storyteller, and his insightful and anecdotal style is never dull. Further, his work is one of those rare examples of ancient writing and scholarship that have survived, and in that sense alone his "Lives" are a treasure. "The Age Of Alexander" isn't the easiest reading you'll find, but it is both interesting and rewarding. It's probably not everyone's cup of tea, but give it a try. You may just find it as enjoyable as I do.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A personality sketch of Alexander the Great, August 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Age of Alexander: Nine Greek Lives (Penguin Classics, L286) (Paperback)

This edition combines great greek lives, but most will be buying it because of Alexander the Great. Originally intended to be published as one of his "Parallel Lives" series with Caesar, this short biography of Alexander is one of the three main sources used to derive what little information we have on Alexander. It is also the only history that survives that discusses his childhood. Not necessarily accurate, but Plutarch never claimed to be a historian. While not always successful, he does attempt to explain Alexander's complicated personality. A must read for Alexanderophiles.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Open Letter to Penguin Classics:, April 26, 2008

By 

F. S. L'hoir (Irvine, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Age of Alexander: Nine Greek Lives (Penguin Classics, L286) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book. The translations by Prof. Scott-Kilvert are lively and interesting, especially for undergraduates. But the book is a pain in the neck to use because the editors have not thought it necessary to include an index. I have had to do one myself on the life of Alexander for my students who are using the book in tandem with Arrian's Campaigns of Alexander and Quintus Curtius (both of which are your books, Penguin, and both of which have indexes!).

Penguin, you have tarted up all your other books with new covers, and you have jacked up the prices accordingly, so when you get around to Alexander, who, after all, is the selling point of this eponymous tome, please include an index so that the book will become useful as well as entertaining.

Thank you.