
The Morals (Moralia), Book 1
by Plutarch
'The Morals (Moralia), Book 1' Summary
The Moralia include On the Fortune or the Virtue of Alexander the Great, an important adjunct to his Life of the great general; On the Worship of Isis and Osiris, a crucial source of information on Egyptian religious rites; and On the Malice of Herodotus (which may, like the orations on Alexander's accomplishments, have been a rhetorical exercise), in which Plutarch criticizes what he sees as systematic bias in the Histories of Herodotus; along with more philosophical treatises, such as On the Decline of the Oracles, On the Delays of the Divine Vengeance, On Peace of Mind and lighter fare, such as Odysseus and Gryllus ("Bruta animalia ratione uti"), a humorous dialog between Homer's Odysseus and one of Circe's enchanted pigs. The Moralia were composed first, while writing the Lives occupied much of the last two decades of Plutarch's own life.
Some editions of the Moralia include several works now known to be pseudepigrapha. Among these are the Lives of the Ten Orators (biographies of the Attic orators based on Caecilius of Calacte), On the Opinions of the Philosophers, On Fate, and On Music. One "Pseudo-Plutarch" is held responsible for all of these works, though their authorship is unknown. Though the thoughts and opinions recorded are not Plutarch's and come from a slightly later era, they are all classical in origin and have value to the historian.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
GreekPublished In
100 ADAuthor

Plutarch
Greece
Plutarch was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo. He is known primarily for his Parallel Lives, a series of biographies of illustr...
More on PlutarchDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

How to Listen to Music by Henry Krehbiel
This book is "not written for professional musicians, but for untaught lovers of the art". It gives broad instruction on composers, styles, instrument...

Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 1 by Francois Guizot by Francois Guizot
François Pierre Guillaume Guizot was a French historian, orator, and statesman. Guizot was a dominant figure in French politics prior to the Revolutio...

How to Tell Stories to Children by Sara Cone Bryant
Sarah Cone Bryant was an educator and storyteller who wrote several books on the importance of oral storytelling to children, and stories to tell chil...

The Science of Being Well by Wallace D. Wattles
A book for those who want health, and who want a practical guide and handbook, not a philosophical treatise. Contents: the Principle of Health, Founda...

On the Law by Marcus Tullius Cicero
The De Legibus (On the Laws) is a dialogue written by Marcus Tullius Cicero during the last years of the Roman Republic. It bears the same name as Pla...

A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times vol 2 by Francois Guizot
François Pierre Guillaume Guizot was a French historian, orator, and statesman. Guizot was a dominant figure in French politics prior to the Revolutio...

Herodotus' Histories Vol 2 by Herodotus of Halicarnassus
The Histories of Herodotus is considered the founding work of history in Western literature. Written in 430 BC in the Ionic dialect of classical Greek...

A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life by William Law
This is one of the greatest devotional books of the Christian faith, inspiring thousands to a closer walk with their Lord. John Wesley was a close ass...

He Can Who Thinks He Can by Orison Swett Marden
Do you have what it takes to be the person you want to be? This is a neat self help book in plain English by the New Thought Movement author Orison Sw...
Reviews for The Morals (Moralia), Book 1
No reviews posted or approved, yet...