
Plutarch's Life of Alcibiades
Story, Text and Moralism
Simon Verdegem
Preface 11
Abbreviations 13
Introduction 19
1. Moralism 19
2. Story 60
3. Text 79
1. The Proem (Alc. 1) 97
1. An Intriguing Beginning 97
2. Making a Start 100
3. Conclusions 117
2. A Difficult Character (Alc. 2-9) 119
1. On Character Changes and Innate Passions (Alc. 2.1) 119
2. Childhood Stories (Alc. 2.2-3.2) 121
3. How to Distinguish Flatterers from a Friend (Alc. 4-6) 131
4. Sayings and Doings of a Young Adult (Alc. 7-9) 151
5. Conclusions 162
3. The Ascent to Power (Alc. 10-15) 167
1. A Spectacular Entry (Alc. 10.1-2) 167
2. Alcibiades' Rhetoric (Alc. 10.3-4) 169
3. The Olympic Triumph (Alc. 11-12) 171
4. The Struggle for Power in Athens (Alc. 13) 176
5. Breaking the Peace of Nicias (Alc. 14-15) 188
6. Conclusions 208
4. A Thought-Provoking Transition (Alc. 16) 215
1. Dividing Public Opinion 215
2. Combining Source Material 220
5. The Great Reversal (Alc. 17.1-23.3) 225
1. Thinking about the Conquest of Sicily (Alc. 17.1-18.5) 225
2. From Mutilation to Condemnation (Alc. 18.6-22.5) 239
3. Alcibiades' Defection to Sparta (Alc. 23.1-3) 261
4. Conclusions 264
6. The Art of Adaptation (Alc. 23.4-5) 269
1. Alcibiades' Adaptation of his Conduct 269
2. Plutarch's Adaptation of his Material 272
7. From Sparta to Samos (Alc. 23.6-26.9) 279
1. From Sparta to Sardis (Alc. 23.6-25.2) 279
2. From Sardis to Samos (Alc. 25.3-26.9) 291
3. Conclusions 304
8. Fighting His Way Back (Alc. 27-31) 309
1. A Quest for Glory (Alc. 27.1-2) 309
2. The Battle of Abydus (Alc. 27.3-6 [15] ) 310
3. In Prison (Alc. 27.6[16]-28.2[28]) 312
4. The Battle of Cyzicus (Alc. 28.2[28]-10) 314
5. Alcibiades and Thrasyllus (Alc. 29.1-5) 318
6. The Expedition against Chalcedon (Alc. 29.6-30.2) 319
7. The Capture of Selybria (Alc. 30.3-10) 320
8. The Chalcedon-Treaty (Alc. 31.1-2) 322
9. The Capture of Byzantium (Alc. 31.3-8) 323
10. Conclusions 326
9. At the Height of His Glory (Alc. 32-34) 331
1. Alcibiades' Return to Athens (Alc. 32.1-34.2) 331
2. Alcibiades' Restoration of the Procession to
Eleusis (Alc. 34.3-7) 341
3. Conclusions 346
10. A Tragic Downfall (Alc. 35-39) 351
1. In Absentia (Alc. 35.1-36.5) 351
2. A New Blow (Alc. 36.6-37.8) 372
3. The Final Act (Alc. 38-39) 385
4. Conclusions 394
Conclusions 399
1. Story 399
2. Text 410
3. Moralism 417
Bibliography 425
Index of Plutarch Passages 469
Index of Passages in Other Authors 489
Format: Monograph - hardback
Size: 240 × 160 × 40 mm
499 pages
ISBN: 9789058677600
Publication: January 04, 2010
Series: Plutarchea Hypomnemata 3
Languages: English
Stock item number: 57685
Simon Verdegem is an Associate Staff Member of the Research Unit 'Literary Studies: Text and Interpretation' of KU Leuven in Belgium.
Le commentaire de Verdegem n'est pas seulement un outil de travail précieux mais aussi un ouvrage qui permet de mieux comprendre et apprécier la finesse et la complexité de l'écriture de Plutarque en général.
Maria Vamvouri, Museum Helveticum 70/2
There can be no doubt that this work as a whole constitutes a major achievement on Plutarch's Alcibiades, combining a landmarking synthesis of the vast accumulated knowledge on the subject with an intelligent, sensitive feeling for Plutarch's creative art.
Mark DE WILDE, Latomus, Volume 71, 2012