An Opaque Mirror for Trajan, A Literary Analysis and Interpretation of Plutarch's 'Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata'

Author

van der Wiel; Laurens

Year

2024

Publisher

Leuven University Press

Language

English

Pages

ISBN

978-9-46166-535-5

Link

Last Update

02-Jan-2026

Keywords

Language & Literature ; Philosophy

Description

Demetrius of Phalerum recommended to Ptolemy the king to buy and read the books dealing with the office of king and ruler. “For,” as he said, “those things which the kings’ friends are not bold enough to recommend to them are written in the books.”

It was perhaps for this same reason that Plutarch dedicated Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata to Trajan, well aware as he was of the dangers of flattery at the imperial court.² The collection contains 494 apophthegms of the most famous monarchs, lawgivers, and commanders of antiquity (cf. 172C: τῶν ἐπιφανεστάτων παρά τε Ῥωμαίοις καὶ παρ’ Ἕλλησιν...