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Plutarch (; , ''Ploútarkhos'', ; later named, upon becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus (); c. AD 46 – AD 120)〔Lamberton, Robert. ''Plutarch''. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001. 〕 was a Greek historian, biographer and essayist, known primarily for his ''Parallel Lives'' and ''Moralia''.〔 〕 He is considered〔Dillon, John M. ''(Middle Platonists: 80 BC to AD 220 )''. Cornell University Press, 1996. p.184 ff.〕 today to be a Middle Platonist. Plutarch's surviving works seem to have all been originally written in Koine Greek.〔 〕 ==Early life== Plutarch was born to a prominent family in the small town of Chaeronea about eighty kilometres east of Delphi in the Greek region known as Boeotia. His family was wealthy. The name of Plutarch's father has not been preserved, but it was probably Nikarchus (), from the common habit of Greek families to repeat a name in alternate generations. The name of Plutarch's grandfather was Lamprias, as he attested in ''Moralia''〔''Symposiacs'', Book IX, questions II & III〕 and in his ''Life of Antony''. His brothers, Timon and Lamprias, are frequently mentioned in his essays and dialogues, wherein Timon in particular is spoken of in the most affectionate terms. Rualdus, in his 1624 work ''Life of Plutarchus'', recovered the name of Plutarch's wife, Timoxena, from internal evidence afforded by his writings. A letter is still extant, addressed by Plutarch to his wife, bidding her not give way to excessive grief at the death of their two-year-old daughter, who was named Timoxena after her mother. Interestingly, he hinted at a belief in reincarnation in that letter of consolation. The exact number of his sons is not certain, although two of them, Autobulus and second Plutarch, are often mentioned. Plutarch's treatise ''De animae procreatione in Timaeo'' is dedicated to them, and the marriage of his son Autobulus is the occasion of one of the dinner-parties recorded in the "Table Talk". Another person, Soklarus, is spoken of in terms which seem to imply that he was Plutarch's son, but this is nowhere definitely stated. His treatise on marriage questions, addressed to Eurydice and Pollianus, seems to speak of her as having been recently an inmate of his house, but without enabling us to form an opinion whether she was his daughter or not. Plutarch studied mathematics and philosophy at the Academy of Athens under Ammonius from 66 to 67.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Plutarch Bio(46c.-125) )〕 At some point, Plutarch took up Roman citizenship. As evidenced by his new name, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus, his sponsor for citizenship was Lucius Mestrius Florus, a Roman of consular status whom Plutarch also used as a historical source for his ''Life of Otho''.〔Plutarch, ''Otho'' 14.1〕 He lived most of his life at Chaeronea, and was initiated into the mysteries of the Greek god Apollo. However, his duties as the senior of the two priests of Apollo at the Oracle of Delphi (where he was responsible for interpreting the auguries of the Pythia) apparently occupied little of his time. He led an active social and civic life while producing an extensive body of writing, much of which is still extant. For many years Plutarch served as one of the two priests at the temple of Apollo at Delphi, the site of the famous Delphic Oracle, twenty miles from his home. By his writings and lectures Plutarch became a celebrity in the Roman empire, yet he continued to reside where he was born, and actively participated in local affairs, even serving as mayor. At his country estate, guests from all over the empire congregated for serious conversation, presided over by Plutarch in his marble chair. Many of these dialogues were recorded and published, and the 78 essays and other works which have survived are now known collectively as the ''Moralia''. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Plutarch」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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