Advices for an Emperor: Commentary Essay

Abstract

Plutarch dedicates the collection of the Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata to Trajan, illustrating the reason why it was prepared, that is, giving the opportunity to those who, like the emperor, are burdened by many tasks, to know the personality traits of outstanding men of the past by reading short anecdotes. And it is important that the knowledge of the characters is conveyed by the sentences and sententious words that they have pronounced spontaneously and with frankness, for the fact that they are like an instantaneous and unmediated revelation of their soul, while the actions do not fully represent the fulfillment of their intentions because of the τύχη.