Roman Lives: A Selection of Eight Lives

Travel back in time to the years of Rome's ascendancy in the Mediterranean, the fall of the Republic, and the rise of Empire. It is through the eyes of the principal actors on the scene that we witness the most momentous of events in Late Republican Rome. We meet Cato the Elder, famous for quipping that "Carthage must be destroyed, " and Aemilius Paullus who brought Macedon to heel. Next come the Gracchi brothers, both of them infamous for their appeals to the plebeians in their struggle with the Senatorial oligarchy, and for the extreme cost they both paid. Hysteria sweeps Rome as Germanic tribes invade Italy, and the people call to Marius for aid. Vying with Sulla for command of the Mithridatic war, we see crazed competition morph into Civil War and bloody proscriptions. You want more? Pompey's life features a slave revolt, the crushing of pirates, and a dramatic expansion of boundaries as more lands are turned into Roman provinces. Not to be outdone, Gaius Julius Caesar climbs the magisterial offices and wins profitable commands in his quest for prestige. When he said he'd "rather be first in a village than second in Rome" he obviously meant it. Discontent with dictatorship, a cohort of republican senators assassinate Caesar, who - like the republic itself - convulses in his twilight moments. Ushering in the Liberators' civil war, and the subsequent struggle between Mark Antony and Octavian, the tumult reaches its apex with Augustus as Emperor, and a sigh of relief among the Roman people. Great translation, and endlessly gripping. . .more than two thousand years later we get to read all about it.

I was looking for a readable Plutarch that didn't compromise the integrity of the work, and heard of Waterfield's translation on the Simply Charlotte Mason site. I was frustrated with other translations, that were hard to read and frustrating to my kids and me in our homeschool. The language here is challenging yet understandable. I like the divisions within each life, which make it easy to read small sections throughout the school year. This book enables teachers to cover Plutarch without fear. I wanted to pull my hair out before! I simply pre-read the numbered section (which I recommend, as some topics are very mature), then read it aloud to my children. We make a list of things we remember about the particular man were studying. My 5th and 6th grade girls (and I!) actually enjoyed reading about Cato this year. I encourage those of you who want to teach Plutarch but are afraid or apprehensive: try this version!

Pleasent reading of previous lives. You might learn a lesson or 2.

Conteúdo ok, um clássico bem traduzido e organizado. Empacotamento horrível - sem selagem à vácuo em plástico protetor, só um livro dentro da embalagem de papel padrão amazon viajando entre dois continentes. As manchas pretas estavam pelo menos dois tons mais escuras, eu esfreguei com um pano umidecido. Inaceitável para um livro vendido como novo.

This is an outstanding translation of a great book. I love all of Plutarch's books but this one may be my favorite. The Oxford edition also has lots of explanatory notes and supplementary information; anyone with an interest in ancient Rome should read this work.