Parallel Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans

By: Plutarch

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

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.

Download the accompanying reference guide.Public Domain (P)2015 Audio Connoisseur

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.

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.

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.

"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.

Fascinating storytelling by Plutarch and great narration by Charlton Griffin.

Great stories of men like Julius Caesar, Lycurges, Alexander the Great, King Phillip of Macedon, Antony (the simp for Cleopatra) and many more. Enjoyable discourse including petty arguments and insults, war plans, politics, and schemes of conspiracies, this historical work is a must read or listen.