Plutarch's Morals

About the book

This selection from Plutarch's Moralia gathers twenty-six ethical essays, concentrating on conduct rather than attempting to reproduce the entire miscellaneous collection. Education, love, marriage, friendship, anger, curiosity, and contentment become occasions for practical reflection, supported by stories and examples from the classical world. Some pieces address intimate relationships, including a consolatory letter to his wife; others examine the small failings through which people make life harder for themselves and those around them. Arthur Richard Shilleto arranges related subjects together in his English translation. The volume's interest lies in the movement between general moral claims and recognizable behavior: excessive curiosity, misplaced deference, resentment, or the difficulty of distinguishing an honest friend from a flatterer.

• Friendship and family
• Habits and self-command
• Practical ethics

Why read it

Find a conversational ancient moralist attentive to the everyday behavior through which character becomes visible.

Twenty-six ethical essays translated by Arthur Richard Shilleto