Burying the Greek Heroes: Heroic Funerals in the Greek Lives of Plutarch

Abstract

In this paper, I will analyse the features of heroic funerals in Plutarch’s Greek Lives, their differences with the funerals of common people, and how the author makes use of the ceremony to portray each character. A close reading of various passages will show patterns in Plutarch’s description of the burial of heroes and his depiction of the hero’s body. This work will examine the funerals of Aratus, Philopoemen, Hephaestion, Pelopidas, Theseus and Timoleon.