Reflections on Plutarch’s Lives of Aemilius Paullus and Timoleon

Abstract

Plutarch opens the Lives of Aemilius Paullus and Timoleon with a metaphor comparing his writing of biographies to a mirror in which he contemplates his own life.  This is the only time in the Lives he uses this metaphor.  The paper seeks to relate this image to the fact that, apparently for the first time, Plutarch has placed the Life of his Greek hero after that of the Roman.  It is suggested that this reversal of his usual practice, combined with several subtle indications throughout the pair of Lives, indicates Plutarch’s greater sympathy for, and even identification with, Timoleon, despite his frequent efforts to appear to be even-handed in his treatment of the two men.