Counting the Letters of the Alphabet. A Reading of Plutarch, Quaestiones convivales 9.3

Abstract

The last book of Plutarch’s Quaestiones convivales contains several discussions of literary and grammatical topics. The present article focuses on Quaest. conv. 9.3, which deals with the number of the letters in the alphabet. This question is raised by ‘Plutarch’ to Hermeias the geometer. It is first argued that this qualifies as an excellent sympotic question (according to Plutarch’s own standards). Then, attention is given to the solution proposed by ‘Plutarch’ himself (738DE), to the learned reply by Hermeias (738EF), and to the final critical evaluation by Zopyrio (738F-739A). This detailed interpretation of the Quaestio should help in revealing the argumentative dynamics of Plutarch’s philosophical approach in the Quaestiones convivales.