The Passionate Statesman Eros and Politics in Plutarch's Lives

One of the great strengths of the book is the clarity with which the arguments are developed, particularly when negotiating episodes already well examined in scholarship. By pursuing the angle that Plutarch viewed erotic relationships as a weathervane for the psychological disposition of his subjects, Beneker has illuminated further Plutarchs historical-ethical approach to writing lives, has added greatly to an understanding of his method, his use of sources, and his practice of inventio, and has presented new and important readings of episodes in the Lives. Noreen Humble, Phoenix I recommend Beneker's book as an excellent resource not just for scholars and students of Plutarch, but for anyone interested in Greek politics and ethics. Sophia Xenophontos, CJ-Online eminently readable and mercifully concise ... Beneker presents a convincing analysis of Plutarch's treatment of eros in the Lives, with careful judgements on his treatment of source material, enlightening philological comments on individual passages, and, above all, an innovative, illuminating interpretative framework. As such, he has proven himself to be a worthy disciple of his supervisor Philip Stadter. Lieve Van Hoof, sehepunkte