The question of the political relevance of philosophy, and of the role which the philosopher should play in the government of his state, was often discussed in Antiquity. Plato’s ideal of the philosopher-king is well-known, but was precisely his failure to realise his political ideal in Syracuse not the best argument against the philosopher’s political engagement? Nevertheless, Plato’s ideal remained attractive for later Greek thinkers. This is illustrated, for instance, by one of Plutarch’s short political works, in which he tries to demonstrate that the philosopher should especially associate with powerful rulers, because he can in this way exert the greatest positive influence on his society and at the same time maximise his personal pleasure. This study provides a thorough analysis of Plutarch’s Maxime cum principibus philosopho esse disserendum. A lengthy general introduction deals with the author and the text and discusses each step in Plutarch’s argumentation in detail. A systematic lemmatic commentary then provides a systematic complement to the previous analysis of the work, dealing with many problems of textual criticism, explaining all kinds of realia, and discussing a great number of passages through parallels from Plutarch’s own oeuvre and from other authors.
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Introduction
1. The first steps in the analysis of Maxime cum principibus
1.1. The author
1.1.1. A rich political career
1.1.2. Heir of an old tradition
1.2. The work
1.2.1. A difficult text
1.2.2. The literary genre of Maxime cum principibus
1.2.3. The date of Maxime cum principibus
2. Two further stepping-stones
2.1. Plutarch’s evaluation of the political position of his philosophical predecessors
2.1.1. Introduction
2.1.2. The Presocratics
2.1.3. Socrates
2.1.4. Plato
2.1.5. The Academy
2.1.6. Aristotle
2.1.7. The Peripatetics
2.1.8. Provisional conclusions
2.1.9. Philosophical opponents
2.1.10. Conclusion
2.2. Consistency, again and again
3. Plutarch’s argument in Maxime cum principibus
3.1. The philosopher’s φιλοκαλία: humane behaviour for the benefit of the whole community (776a-777b)
3.2. Friendship as the final end of human λόγος (777b-778b)
3.3. The pleasures of the πολιτικὸς φιλόσοφος (778b-f)
3.4. Some concrete examples of φιλοκαλία (779a-c)
3.5. Conclusion: Plutarch’s political philosophy in Maxime cum principibus
3.5.1. Friendship between the philosopher and the ruler as one of Plutarch’s political ideals
3.5.2. Plutarch and power: the philosopher’s escape from a harsh reality
3.5.3. Plutarch’s political philosophy in Maxime cum principibus: a schematic survey
3.6. Schematic structure of Maxime cum principibus
Commentary
Bibliography
Indices
Index nominum
Index locorum
Geert Roskam
Geert Roskam is Professor of Greek language and literature at KU Leuven.
Roskam's book is a concise and well executed volume. It is complete as it stands and admirable in explaining Plutarch's thought in his own terms and with his own vocabulary.
Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2011.05.15, reviewed by Eran Almagor, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
R.'s work is clear and in virtually flawless English. The commentary is prudent and informative, and one can imagine the enormous work involved in tracking down all the references both within and without Plutarch's corpus. R. displays a vast knowledge of the secondary literature, even to a pinch of pedantry. On textual matters, he is cautious and respectful but critical of many fanciful conjectures, especially of Barigazzi. Several times he demonstrates the impossibility of suggested conjectures to this difficult text and refrains from making his own. [...]
This is an excellent book and R. deserves credit for producing a work of the highest quality, with mastery of the text, the philosophical tradition, and the secondary literature.
Frederick E. Brenk, Gnomon Bd. 84, 2012, issue 3
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "Plutarch’s Maxime cum principibus philosopho esse disserendum" about?
The question of the political relevance of philosophy, and of the role which the philosopher should play in the government of his state, was often discussed in Antiquity. Plato’s ideal of the philosopher-king is well-known, but was precisely his failure to realise his political ideal in Syracuse not the best argument against the philosopher’s political engagement? Nevertheless, Plato’s ideal remained attractive for later Greek thinkers. This is illustrated, for instance, by one of Plutarch’s short political works, in which he tries to demonstrate that the philosopher should especially associate with powerful rulers, because he can in this way exert the greatest positive influence on his society and at the same time maximise his personal pleasure. This study provides a thorough analysis of Plutarch’s Maxime cum principibus philosopho esse disserendum. A lengthy general introduction deals with the author and the text and discusses each step in Plutarch’s argumentation in detail. A systematic lemmatic commentary then provides a systematic complement to the previous analysis of the work, dealing with many problems of textual criticism, explaining all kinds of realia, and discussing a great number of passages through parallels from Plutarch’s own oeuvre and from other authors.
Who wrote "Plutarch’s Maxime cum principibus philosopho esse disserendum"?
"Plutarch’s Maxime cum principibus philosopho esse disserendum" was written by Geert Roskam.
Geert Roskam is Professor of Greek language and literature at KU Leuven.
Is "Plutarch’s Maxime cum principibus philosopho esse disserendum" part of a series?
Yes, "Plutarch’s Maxime cum principibus philosopho esse disserendum" is part of the "Plutarchea Hypomnemata" series. It's book 2 in the series.
The series Plutarchea Hypomnemata intends to further the scholarly study of, and international dialogue on, this rich Corpus Plutarcheum. To that end it welcomes monographs that explore specific themes developed in one or more Plutarchan writings, offer a thorough interpretation of and/or commentary on a particular text, or discuss various aspects of Plutarch's authorial activity, philosophical thinking, religious ideas, political convictions, and attitude towards history, science, and the arts. We also welcome studies that situate him in broader ideological and literary contexts (such as the so-called ‘Second Sophistic', ‘Middle Platonism', ancient biography) and/or in a contemporary political, social, and religious context.
Volumes in this series meet the highest scholarly standards and contribute significantly to the field of Plutarch studies. Specifically, they raise innovative questions while firmly grounded in sound methodology; they reach well-argued and original conclusions; and they are disseminated in the appropriate scientific format. This overall quality is guaranteed by international peer review.
Editorial Board
Jan Opsomer (KU Leuven), Geert Roskam (KU Leuven), Frances Titchener (Utah State University, Logan), Luc Van der Stockt † (KU Leuven)
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What is the Table of Contents for "Plutarch’s Maxime cum principibus philosopho esse disserendum"?
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Introduction
1. The first steps in the analysis of Maxime cum principibus
1.1. The author
1.1.1. A rich political career
1.1.2. Heir of an old tradition
1.2. The work
1.2.1. A difficult text
1.2.2. The literary genre of Maxime cum principibus
1.2.3. The date of Maxime cum principibus
2. Two further stepping-stones
2.1. Plutarch's evaluation of the political position of his philosophical predecessors
2.1.1. Introduction
2.1.2. The Presocratics
2.1.3. Socrates
2.1.4. Plato
2.1.5. The Academy
2.1.6. Aristotle
2.1.7. The Peripatetics
2.1.8. Provisional conclusions
2.1.9. Philosophical opponents
2.1.10. Conclusion
2.2. Consistency, again and again
3. Plutarch's argument in Maxime cum principibus
3.1. The philosopher's φιλοκαλία: humane behaviour for the benefit of the whole community (776a-777b)
3.2. Friendship as the final end of human λόγος (777b-778b)
3.3. The pleasures of the πολιτικὸς φιλόσοφος (778b-f)
3.4. Some concrete examples of φιλοκαλία (779a-c)
3.5. Conclusion: Plutarch's political philosophy in Maxime cum principibus
3.5.1. Friendship between the philosopher and the ruler as one of Plutarch's political ideals
3.5.2. Plutarch and power: the philosopher's escape from a harsh reality
3.5.3. Plutarch's political philosophy in Maxime cum principibus: a schematic survey
3.6. Schematic structure of Maxime cum principibus
Commentary
Bibliography
Indices
Index nominum
Index locorum
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