Plutarch

Part of speech: noun, proper noun

Definitions

1. A prominent Greek philosopher and biographer known for his works on moral philosophy and the lives of notable historical figures
2. An ancient author from the Roman Empire famous for his parallel biographies, comparing Greek and Roman leaders
3. A key figure in philosophy and literature whose writings continue to influence ethical thought and historical study

Etymology: Plutarch's name is Greek and means something close to "wealth-ruler." It combines "ploutos," wealth, with "arkhos," a leader or ruler, the same second element found in words like "monarch" and "archon." The name reached English through Latin "Plutarchus," which carried it over from the Greek "Ploutarkhos." The name is now attached to a figure who was far more famous for his biographies than his philosophy. The writer, who lived roughly from the first to second centuries CE, is best known for the "Parallel Lives," paired biographies of Greek and Roman statesmen and soldiers, and for the "Moralia," a collection of essays on ethics, religion and natural science. The title word "moralia" itself, meaning "moral matters," was not Plutarch's own name for his essays but a later Latin label for the collection. Because English has so few older words for "biography" in this sense, the writer's name became a kind of shorthand for the genre of lives of great men, and the adjective "Plutarchian" is still used for works in that tradition.