Parallel Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans
People who bought this also bought...
-
The Peloponnesian War
- By: Thucydides
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 26 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 318
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 287
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 285
Historians universally agree that Thucydides was the greatest historian who has ever lived, and that his story of the Peloponnesian conflict is a marvel of forensic science and fine literature. That such a triumph of intellectual accomplishment was created at the end of the fifth century B.C. in Greece is, perhaps, not so surprising, given the number of original geniuses we find in that period. But that such an historical work would also be simultaneously acknowledged as a work of great literature and a penetrating ethical evaluation of humanity is one of the miracles of ancient history.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
You better know the events before listening
- By David A. Montalvo on 05-25-16
-
The Commentaries
- By: Julius Caesar
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 14 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 578
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 476
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 473
Julius Caesar wrote his exciting Commentaries during some of the most grueling campaigns ever undertaken by a Roman army. The Gallic Wars and The Civil Wars constitute the greatest series of military dispatches ever written. As literature, they are representative of the finest expressions of Latin prose in its "golden" age, a benchmark of elegant style and masculine brevity imitated by young schoolboys for centuries.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
My favourite audiobook
- By David Cormier on 08-17-11
-
The History of Rome: The Complete Works
- By: Titus Livy, Cyrus Edmunds - translator, William A. McDevitte - translator
- Narrated by: Alastair Cameron
- Length: 88 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
Titus Livy's only known surviving work is a monumental history of Rome that was originally written in Latin. It is estimated that Livy's The History of Rome was written between 27 and 9 BC and covers the legends of Aeneas, the fall of Troy, the city's founding in 753 BC, and Livy's account ends with the reign of Emperor Augustus. The History of Rome is a must-have for anyone interested in ancient history and the Roman era. With colorful detail and intriguing insight, Titus brings to life some of the most turbulent times in human history.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
The horrible book
- By Amanda on 08-22-18
-
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
- By: Edward Gibbon
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 126 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 545
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 491
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 489
Here in a single volume is the entire, unabridged recording of Gibbon's masterpiece. Beginning in the second century A.D. at the apex of the Pax Romana, Gibbon traces the arc of decline and complete destruction through the centuries across Europe and the Mediterranean. It is a thrilling and cautionary tale of splendor and ruin, of faith and hubris, and of civilization and barbarism. Follow along as Christianity overcomes paganism... before itself coming under intense pressure from Islam.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Outstanding Reading of a Classic Historical Work
- By Kindle Customer on 08-05-17
-
The Twelve Caesars
- By: Suetonius
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 211
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 161
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 160
The Twelve Caesars was written based on the information of eyewitnesses and public records. It conveys a very accurate picture of court life in Rome and contains some of the raciest and most salacious material to be found in all of ancient literature. The writing is clear, simple and easy to understand, and the numerous anecdotes of juicy scandal, bitter court intrigue, and murderous brigandage easily hold their own against the most spirited content of today's tabloids.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A pleasure to read...
- By Robyn on 03-13-10
-
The March of the Ten Thousand
- By: Xenophon
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 630
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 416
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 421
Translated by W. E. D. Rouse, The March of the Ten Thousand is one of the most admired and widely read pieces of ancient literature to come down to us. Xenophon employs a very simple, straightforward style to describe what is probably the most exciting military adventure ever undertaken. It is an epic of courage, faith and democratic principle.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An intelligent leader
- By Benedict on 04-13-04
-
The Peloponnesian War
- By: Thucydides
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 26 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 318
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 287
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 285
Historians universally agree that Thucydides was the greatest historian who has ever lived, and that his story of the Peloponnesian conflict is a marvel of forensic science and fine literature. That such a triumph of intellectual accomplishment was created at the end of the fifth century B.C. in Greece is, perhaps, not so surprising, given the number of original geniuses we find in that period. But that such an historical work would also be simultaneously acknowledged as a work of great literature and a penetrating ethical evaluation of humanity is one of the miracles of ancient history.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
You better know the events before listening
- By David A. Montalvo on 05-25-16
-
The Commentaries
- By: Julius Caesar
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 14 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 578
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 476
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 473
Julius Caesar wrote his exciting Commentaries during some of the most grueling campaigns ever undertaken by a Roman army. The Gallic Wars and The Civil Wars constitute the greatest series of military dispatches ever written. As literature, they are representative of the finest expressions of Latin prose in its "golden" age, a benchmark of elegant style and masculine brevity imitated by young schoolboys for centuries.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
My favourite audiobook
- By David Cormier on 08-17-11
-
The History of Rome: The Complete Works
- By: Titus Livy, Cyrus Edmunds - translator, William A. McDevitte - translator
- Narrated by: Alastair Cameron
- Length: 88 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
Titus Livy's only known surviving work is a monumental history of Rome that was originally written in Latin. It is estimated that Livy's The History of Rome was written between 27 and 9 BC and covers the legends of Aeneas, the fall of Troy, the city's founding in 753 BC, and Livy's account ends with the reign of Emperor Augustus. The History of Rome is a must-have for anyone interested in ancient history and the Roman era. With colorful detail and intriguing insight, Titus brings to life some of the most turbulent times in human history.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
The horrible book
- By Amanda on 08-22-18
-
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
- By: Edward Gibbon
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 126 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 545
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 491
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 489
Here in a single volume is the entire, unabridged recording of Gibbon's masterpiece. Beginning in the second century A.D. at the apex of the Pax Romana, Gibbon traces the arc of decline and complete destruction through the centuries across Europe and the Mediterranean. It is a thrilling and cautionary tale of splendor and ruin, of faith and hubris, and of civilization and barbarism. Follow along as Christianity overcomes paganism... before itself coming under intense pressure from Islam.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Outstanding Reading of a Classic Historical Work
- By Kindle Customer on 08-05-17
-
The Twelve Caesars
- By: Suetonius
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 211
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 161
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 160
The Twelve Caesars was written based on the information of eyewitnesses and public records. It conveys a very accurate picture of court life in Rome and contains some of the raciest and most salacious material to be found in all of ancient literature. The writing is clear, simple and easy to understand, and the numerous anecdotes of juicy scandal, bitter court intrigue, and murderous brigandage easily hold their own against the most spirited content of today's tabloids.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A pleasure to read...
- By Robyn on 03-13-10
-
The March of the Ten Thousand
- By: Xenophon
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 630
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 416
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 421
Translated by W. E. D. Rouse, The March of the Ten Thousand is one of the most admired and widely read pieces of ancient literature to come down to us. Xenophon employs a very simple, straightforward style to describe what is probably the most exciting military adventure ever undertaken. It is an epic of courage, faith and democratic principle.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An intelligent leader
- By Benedict on 04-13-04
-
Hellenica
- By: Xenophon
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 25
The Hellenica is Xenophon’s continuation of Thucydides’ history of the Peloponnesian War, literally resuming from where the previous author’s history was abruptly left unfinished and narrating the events of the final seven years of the conflict and the war’s aftermath. Some historians consider the Hellenica to be a personal work, written by Xenophon in retirement on his Spartan estate, and intended primarily for circulation among his friends, who would have known the main protagonists and events, having most likely participated in them.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A read no history lover should do without!
- By Epaminondas on 11-07-19
-
Rome and the Mediterranean Vol. 1
- The Histories
- By: Polybius
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 137
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 99
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 99
Polybius wrote his Histories "to find out by what means and by what political system the entire world was brought under the domination of Rome." Within the short space of about 50 years Rome went from being a provincial leader of an Italian confederacy to become the Mistress of the Mediterranean. Polybius was one of the first historians to attempt to present history as a sequence of causes and effects, based upon a careful examination of tradition and a keen scrutiny of the facts.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
You have to know what your are getting into
- By Dylan on 01-24-10
-
The Histories
- The Persian Wars
- By: Herodotus, A. D. Godley Translator
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 27 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 52
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 52
Herodotus was a Greek historian born in Halicarnassus, subject at the time of the great Persian Empire. He lived in the fifth century BC (c. 484 - c. 425 BC), a contemporary of Socrates. He is often referred to as "The Father of History", a title originally conferred by Cicero. Herodotus was the first historian known to have broken from Homeric tradition in order to treat historical subjects as a method of investigation, specifically by collecting his materials in a critical, systematic fashion and then arranging them into a chronological narrative.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Popular for a reason
- By Reader on 11-17-18
-
Alexander the Great
- By: Arrian
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 334
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 181
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 184
This is the incredible story of the world's greatest conqueror, a man who single handedly changed the course of history...and who was worshipped as a god. There have been many attempts in the 2,300 years since Alexander's death to tell the epic story of this enigmatic soldier. His deeds read like the stuff of legends. Of all the chroniclers of Alexander, and there have been many famous ones, including Plutarch and Ptolemy, none have given us a clearer and truer account than the one by Arrian.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Superb Chronicle of Alexander
- By Theresa on 02-23-04
-
The History of Rome, Volume 1, Books 1 - 5
- By: Titus Livy, William Masfen Roberts (translator)
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 18 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 164
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 135
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 132
When Livy began his epic The History of Rome, he had no idea of the fame and fortune he would eventually attain. He would go on to become the most widely read writer in the Roman Empire and was eagerly sought out and feted like a modern celebrity. And his fame continued to grow after his death. His bombastic style, his intricate and complex sentence structure, and his flair for powerfully recreating the searing drama of historical incidents made him a favorite of teachers and pupils alike.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
1
- By Darwin8u on 03-30-17
-
The Complete Works of Tacitus: Volume 1: The Annals, Part 1
- By: Cornelius Tacitus
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 164
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 108
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 108
In the pantheon of ancient men of letters, none hold a more venerated position than the Roman historian, Tacitus, venerated alike for the accuracy of his chronicles as well as for the superiority of his style. He was a writer of unexcelled genius and consummate skill. But his work fell into oblivion not long after his death, and has come down to us based on the text of a single tattered manuscript from the Middle Ages.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Tacitus
- By cbrann on 03-25-08
-
The Complete Essays of Montaigne
- By: Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, Donald M. Frame (translator)
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 49 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 354
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 303
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 297
“A faithful translation is rare; a translation which preserves intact the original text is very rare; a perfect translation of Montaigne appears impossible. Yet Donald Frame has realized this feat. One does not seem to be reading a translation, so smooth and easy is the style; at each moment, one seems to be listening to Montaigne himself - the freshness of his ideas, the unexpected choice of words. Frame has kept everything.” (Andre Maurois, The New York Times Book Review)
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Spend some enjoyable time with Michel de Montaigne
- By Rooby on 10-04-12
-
Histories
- By: Herodotus
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 27 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 539
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 495
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 494
In this, the first prose history in European civilization, Herodotus describes the growth of the Persian Empire with force, authority, and style. Perhaps most famously, the book tells the heroic tale of the Greeks' resistance to the vast invading force assembled by Xerxes, king of Persia. Here are not only the great battles - Marathon, Thermopylae, and Salamis - but also penetrating human insight and a powerful sense of epic destiny at work.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very Entertaining
- By John on 11-06-16
-
The Metamorphoses
- By: Ovid
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 16 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 431
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 286
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 286
An undeniable masterpiece of Western Civilization, The Metamorphoses is a continuous narrative that covers all the Olympian legends, seamlessly moving from one story to another in a splendid panorama of savage beauty, charm, and wit. All of the gods and heroes familiar to us are represented. Such familiar legends as Hercules, Perseus and Medusa, Daedelus and Icarus, Diana and Actaeon, and many others, are breathtakingly recreated.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Charlton Griffin's Metamorphoses
- By Coach of Alva on 01-23-14
-
Apology and Memorabilia
- By: Xenophon
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 4 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 30
Xenophon was a friend of Socrates, and yet his concise memories of the iconic philosopher have lived under the shadow of the more voluminous accounts by Plato. Yet Xenophon’s two works are, in many ways, more entertaining and more accessible, and they present a different view of the man who embodies a clear mind, temperate, ethical living, sharp intellect and humour.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Socrates was an ancap?
- By Taylor Britton on 06-21-19
-
Rome and the Mediterranean Vol. 2
- The Histories
- By: Polybius
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 74
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 75
After 18 years of desperate struggle, Rome has gradually turned the tide against Hannibal, and now the Carthaginian finds himself bottled up in the toe of Italy while Scipio ruthlessly tightens the noose around Carthage on the African mainland. Knowing that Hannibal must sooner or later abandon Italy and come to the aid of his countrymen, the brilliant Roman commander prepares for the inevitable test of strength.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Masterpiece!
- By Darrell Boatner on 07-31-17
-
On the Nature of Things
- By: Lucretius
- Narrated by: Hugh Ross
- Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 23
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 22
Lucretius was born in 99 BC, and On the Nature of Things is his only surviving work. His aim was to free the Roman world from its two great terrors - the gods and death. Lucretius argues that the gods are not actively involved in life, so need not be appeased; and that death is the end of everything human - body and soul - and therefore should not be feared. But On the Nature of Things is also a poem of striking imagery, intimate natural observation and touching pathos.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
fascinating
- By Edward Hower on 04-24-19
Publisher's Summary
Plutarch (c. AD 46-AD 120) was born to a prominent family in the small Greek town of Chaeronea, about 20 miles east of Delphi in the region known as Boeotia. His best known work is Parallel Lives, a series of biographies of famous Greeks and Romans, arranged in pairs to illuminate their common moral virtues and vices. The surviving Lives contain 23 pairs, each with one Greek life and one Roman life as well as four unpaired single lives. Currently only 19 of the parallel lives end with comparisons while possibly all of them did at one time.
Plutarch was not concerned with history so much as the influence of character, good or bad, on the lives and destinies of men. Whereas sometimes he barely touched on epoch-making events, he devoted much space to charming anecdotes and incidental triviality, reasoning that this often revealed far more about his subjects than even their most famous accomplishments. In many ways he must be counted among the earliest moral philosophers.
This volume follows the translation of Arthur Hugh Clough and John Dryden. Please see the accompanying PDF file for duration and starting times of all biographies.
What members say
Average Customer Ratings
Overall
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars155
-
4 Stars21
-
3 Stars12
-
2 Stars6
-
1 Stars2
Performance
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars150
-
4 Stars18
-
3 Stars6
-
2 Stars5
-
1 Stars4
Story
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars151
-
4 Stars22
-
3 Stars8
-
2 Stars1
-
1 Stars1
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- John Pinkerton
- 03-13-18
For the Very Dedicated
This is an outstanding historical text with the quality of narration that one comes to appreciate from Charlton Griffin after listening to him. The presentation is great and the reading is as engaging as you're going to get from the fairly "dry" text.
I would warn that this book is extremely dense and can be difficult to keep up with without fairly extensive background knowledge. If you are interested in learning more about history and are fairly new to it, I highly recommend the Great Courses titles on the subject, and to come to this after experience with some of the figures and chronology. If you know what you're getting into, Plutarch is a tremendous source of information who presents excellent but a sometimes overwhelming amount of information. I loved this audio book and the chance to listen to the source material for quite a lot of what we know of many figures in the ancient world.
32 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- SJ
- 09-29-16
Shakespearean!
Charlton Griffon is Shakespearean in his narration of "Plutarchs Lives." I literally look for books that he has narrated and buy the ones
in my topic area. It's powerful to listen to a man bring back to life words written two thousand years ago. I imagine i am on a porch in the ancient world having this read to me by my grandfather. Quite powerful.
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- alex
- 07-24-16
Charlton Griffin is the best!
If you could sum up Parallel Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans in three words, what would they be?
A crazy amount of stuff happened before Jesus was even born y'all!
Who was your favorite character and why?
I don't play favorites.
What about Charlton Griffin’s performance did you like?
Can't recommend Charlton Griffin enough- check out all his work! He is a world-class storyteller, really knows when to slow things down or speed it up, using his voice like a finely-tuned instrument.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
If you are physically capable of listening to this book in one sitting only, you might want to consult your doctor
Any additional comments?
Shout out again to Charlton Griffin- I'm slowly making my way through your audio connoisseur library and loving it... (as a lifelong sufferer of insomnia who "had to" drink heavily to put myself to sleep, listening to your voice has been a big part in me getting sober and adopting healthier nighttime habits; now I actually look forward to going to sleep, because of storytime with you). Anyhow, keep up the great work!
26 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ron Peters
- 06-30-17
A classic among classics
What does Charlton Griffin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
The narration of Charlton Griffon is good - well-paced and clearly enunciated - though he tends to average about one misread word per page; it's not very distracting.
Any additional comments?
Happily audible.com uses the same edition I own in hard copy - Modern Library, translated by John Dryden, revised by Arthur Hugh Clough. Or luckily, rather, since audible.com is bad about telling you which translation of a classical work you are buying.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tom Dolan
- 02-06-16
PERFECT NARRATOR FOR PLUTARCH'S LIVES
Where does Parallel Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
AT OR ABOVE FIRST PLACE. THIS ONE IS A KEEPER.
Who was your favorite character and why?
DEMOSTHENES. GENIUS FOR ORATORY. WHAT A LIFE! A GREAT MAN, BUT WITH CHARACTER FLAWS THAT MAKE HIM IMPERFECT, INTERESTING, HUMAN.
What does Charlton Griffin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
CHARLTON GRIFFIN BRINGS PLUTARCH'S LIVES TO LIFE. EASY ON THE EARS AND ON THE MIND. I COULD LISTEN TO HIM READING PLUTARCH'S LIVES ALL DAY LONG. NOT TIRESOME AT ALL. PERFECT!
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
SOME LIVES ARE LARGER THAN OTHERS.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- CB
- 11-21-19
No chapter names???
Great stories and narration, but in a collection of biographies why the heck would you just have chapter numbers instead of names? It's now a matter of ten minutes to find the life I'm looking for. FIX THIS.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- amie cannon
- 02-19-17
"A bible for heroes" -Ralph Waldo Emerson
One of the greatest pieces of literature I have read. Plutarch with attention to detail and appreciation for scope catalogues the lives of men we can all learn from.
His anecdotes are memorable gems, and are as relevant today as 2000 years ago. His wit is worth emulating. His contribution is priceless.
I recommend this book to any with even a passing interest in the qualities of virtue, courage, education, or reason. It provides templates off of which to judge our own actions and intentions, and often illuminates parts of ourselves we have not fully understood.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark
- 05-10-17
A treasure of history
A fantastic performance of a lengthy and rich series of amazing biographies. I look forward to revisiting many of my favourites in the future.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Oskar
- 10-09-16
audio conneseur
great collection. fascinating read. many of my favorite historical persons and many new ones. audio conneseur indeed
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stephen Hawkins
- 02-18-20
Great narration
So I want to point out here that this is Plutarch's lives COMPLETE. Other audiobooks break it down into multiple parts but this version has it all and is 83 hours long. I admit that I have not yet finished the entire thing (it's 83 hours long) but the audio quality and the narrator are great. You know how the narrator can really make or break a title? This guy brings it home. If you're a history fan and have 83 hours free this title is probably for you.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andrew
- 06-28-16
must read for history buffs
charlton has some very weird pronunciations, but otherwise excellent. brings historical characters very much to life
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Manish
- 04-08-19
Greco Roman Ancient History
This is essentially an almost complete degree in classicism up to 0 CE. What is most fascinating is the analysis. This was a brilliant and original idea of its time - to pair similar Greek and Roman characters from history, detail their respective lives and then compare the two in thr context of their times. Plutarch being Roman obviously shows a pro Roman bias.
Many of the Roman lives we rarely hear of which makes this particularly good for Roman history pre imperial times. Similarly there are many Greek lives that have been ignored in history such as despots Sicily and Greeks after Alexander. Hence it is brilliantly educational!
The language is somewhat old fashioned and can take a little extra concentration but this probably reflects the Roman writing of the time.
Great book though!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Michael Hirst
- 10-10-18
Fairly difficult text dreadful performance
Charlton Griffin has an appalling reading style, this already rather dense and abstruse text is made more difficult to listen to by his delivery and idiosyncratic pronunciation which reminds me of the performance I have of the Sherlock Holmes stories which is only bearable because the subject matter is simpler, more exciting and familiar.