Lieve Van Hoof
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199583263
- eISBN:
- 9780191723131
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199583263.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Ancient Greek, Roman, and Early Christian Philosophy
The Second Sophistic was a time of intense competition for honour and status. Like today, this often caused mental as well as physical stress for the elite of the Roman Empire. This book studies ...
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The Second Sophistic was a time of intense competition for honour and status. Like today, this often caused mental as well as physical stress for the elite of the Roman Empire. This book studies Plutarch's practical ethics, a group of twenty-odd texts within the Moralia designed to help powerful Greeks and Romans manage their ambitions and society's expectations successfully. According to Plutarch (c. AD 45–120), the key for a happy life lies with philosophy, yet instead of advancing philosophical values as an alternative for worldly ambitions, as did other philosophers, he presents philosophy as a way towards distinction and success in imperial society. By thus subtly redefining what elite culture should be like, Plutarch also firmly establishes himself as an intellectual and cultural authority. This book combines a systematic analysis of the general principles underlying Plutarch's practical ethics, including the author's target readership, therapeutical practices, and self-presentation, with innovative interpretations of five case studies (On Feeling Good, On Exile, On Talkativeress, On Cuiusity, Precepts of Health Care). A picture emerges of philosophy under the Roman Empire not as a set of abstract, theoretical doctrines, but as a kind of symbolic capital engendering power and prestige for author and reader alike. Transcending the boundaries between literature, social history, and philosophy, Van Hoof makes a strong case for the pertinence and vitality of this often neglected group of texts, and incisively shows Plutarch to be not just a philanthropic adviser, but also a sophisticated author strategically manipulating his own cultural capital in pursuit of influence and glory.Less
The Second Sophistic was a time of intense competition for honour and status. Like today, this often caused mental as well as physical stress for the elite of the Roman Empire. This book studies Plutarch's practical ethics, a group of twenty-odd texts within the Moralia designed to help powerful Greeks and Romans manage their ambitions and society's expectations successfully. According to Plutarch (c. AD 45–120), the key for a happy life lies with philosophy, yet instead of advancing philosophical values as an alternative for worldly ambitions, as did other philosophers, he presents philosophy as a way towards distinction and success in imperial society. By thus subtly redefining what elite culture should be like, Plutarch also firmly establishes himself as an intellectual and cultural authority. This book combines a systematic analysis of the general principles underlying Plutarch's practical ethics, including the author's target readership, therapeutical practices, and self-presentation, with innovative interpretations of five case studies (On Feeling Good, On Exile, On Talkativeress, On Cuiusity, Precepts of Health Care). A picture emerges of philosophy under the Roman Empire not as a set of abstract, theoretical doctrines, but as a kind of symbolic capital engendering power and prestige for author and reader alike. Transcending the boundaries between literature, social history, and philosophy, Van Hoof makes a strong case for the pertinence and vitality of this often neglected group of texts, and incisively shows Plutarch to be not just a philanthropic adviser, but also a sophisticated author strategically manipulating his own cultural capital in pursuit of influence and glory.
