Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface: Frederick Brenk’s Plutarch on Literature, Graeco-Roman Religion, Jews and Christians

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations


Part 1 Literature



1 Plutarch’s Flawed Characters: The Personae of the Dialogues

 1 Introduction

 2 The Young Plutarch and Ammonius

 3 Plutarch’s Brother, Lamprias

 4 Theon

 5 Epaminondas



2 “In Learned Conversation:” Plutarch’s Symposiac Literature and the Elusive Authorial Voice

 1 Introduction

 2 Cicero’s Philosophical Dialogues

 3 Characteristics of the Symposiacs

 4 Plutarch the Persona

 5 Other Speakers

 6 Conclusion



3 Space, Time, and Language in On the Oracles of the Pythia: 3,000 Years of History, Never Proved Wrong

 1 Introduction

 2 The Trip through the Sanctuary

 3 Space and Time in the Objects Seen

 4 The New Space, Time, and Language

 5 Conclusion



4 Voices from the Past: Quotations and Intertexuality: The Oracles at Delphi

 1 Importance of Quotations

 2 Surface and Deep Structure

 3 Proper and Improper Readings

 4 Layering and Social Memory

 5 Preference for Classical Authors

 6 Rare Re-use of Quotations

 7 Primary and Secondary Texts

 8 Parody?

 9 Use of Authorities

 10 Hypertextuality

 11 Wrapped in an Enigma

 12 Ending with a Crescendo



5 Sliding Atoms or Supernatural Light: Plutarch’s Erotikos and the “On Eros” Literature

 1 Introduction

 2 Major Writers of the On Love Literature

 3 Theophrastus

 4 Epikouros

 5 Conclusion



6 Looking at Conjectures (Guesses?) in Plutarch’s Dialogue on Love

 1 Introduction

 2 The Case of Semiramis

 3 The Impossible Date of the Young Sabinus’ Visit



7 Plutarch the Greek in the Roman Questions

 1 Preston’s Roman Questions, Greek Answers

 2 The Types of Answers

 3 Are They Really Greek?

 4 Conclusion



Part 2 Graeco-Roman Religion



8 Plutarch: Philosophy, Religion, and Ethics

 1 Introduction

 2 Philosophy

 3 Religion

 4 Ethics



9 Plutarch and Pagan Monotheism

 1 Introduction

 2 Greek Philosophers and Christians on Foreign Cultures

 3 Plutarch and Egyptian Religion

 4 One God Worshipped by All Peoples

 5 Ammonius’ Middle Platonic God in On the E at Delphi

 6 Conclusion



10 “Searching for Truth”?: Plutarch’s On Isis and Osiris

 1 Searching for ‘Ancient Wisdom’

 2 Greek Culture over All

 3 Greeks and Hybrid Gods

 4 Plutarch’s Interpretation of Egyptian Religion

 5 Did Plutarch Find Common Ground?

 6 Animal Worship and Something New?



11 “None Greater Than in the Holy City:” Lucian, Pausanias, and Plutarch on Religious Shrines

 1 Introduction

 2 Differences between Plutarch, Pausanias, and Lucian

 3 Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris

 4 The Nature of Lucian’s On the Syrian Goddess

 5 Plutarch and Pausanias on the Oracular Shrine at Delphi

 6 “Tall Tales” in Plutarch, and Pausanias

 7 “Tall Tales” in On the Syrian Goddess

 8 The Religious Purpose in Plutarch, Pausanias, and Lucian

 9 Conclusion



Part 3 Jews and Christians



12 Philo and Plutarch on the Nature of God

 1 Introduction

 2 The Monotheism of Greek Philosophers

 3 Monotheism and a Place for Minor Gods

 4 Plato’s Timaeus and Plutarch

 5 Religious Monotheism

 6 Ammonius versus Plutarch

 7 Conclusion



13 A Name by a Name? The Allegorizing Etymologies of Philo and Plutarch

 1 Philo’s On the Change of Names and Plutarch’s On Isis and Osiris

 2 Etymologies in Plutarch’s On Isis and Osiris

 3 Philo’s On the Change of Names

 4 Conclusion



14 Plutarch’s Monotheism and the New Testament

 1 General Principles

 2 Plutarch’s Monotheism and That of the New Testament

 3 Plutarch’s Monotheism in On Isis and Osiris

 4 Conclusion



15 Most Beautiful and Divine: Graeco-Romans (Especially Plutarch) and Paul, on Love and Marriage

 1 Introduction

 2 The Nature of Greek On Love Literature

 3 Epikouros’ Negative Attitude toward Love and Marriage

 4 Plutarch and the On Love Literature

 5 Plutarch’s Advice to a Bride and Groom

 6 Musonius Rufus on marriage

 7 The Dialogue on Love in Reaction to Literature on Love and Marriage

 8 Seneca on Love and Marriage

 9 Plutarch’s Dialogue on Love as His Final Word

 10 Paul on Love and Marriage

 11 Conclusion



16 Plutarch on the Christians: Why So Silent? Ignorance, Indifference, or Indignity?

 1 Plutarch’s Sympotic Questions on the Jews and Hekataios

 2 The Christian Population at the Time of Plutarch

 3 How Plutarch Might Have Learned about the Christians in Other Ways

 4 Plutarch’s Other Friends and Christians

 5 Conclusion




Index Locorum

Index of Historical Names

Index Rerum

Index of Modern Authors

About the Author

Frederick Brenk, PhD (1971), University of Kentucky, is Professor Ordinarius Emeritus Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome. He has published extensively on Plutarch during the last five decades.

Lautaro Roig Lanzillotta Dr. Litt. (1997) and Dr Theologiae (2004), is Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity.