The Age Of Caesar. Five Roman Lives - Hardcover

"This reader's edition of Plutarch's Lives brings to life the captivating personalities and topsy-turvy politics of the late Roman Republic. Fluid and poised, Pamela Mensch's translation does a fine job conveying the measured power of Plutarch's prose. The introduction-authored by one of the most distinguished ancient historians of her generation-masterfully sets the scene, and James Romm's notes will be an invaluable resource for readers." -- Daniel Padilla Peralta, author of Undocumented "The formidable duo of Romm & Mensch have pulled it off again-accomplishing with ease the tricky feat of making some of the best biographies from the best biographer of the ancient Roman world newly accessible in fresh, accurate, intelligently commented translations to a readership extending well beyond the usual Classicist suspects." -- Paul Cartledge, author of Thermopylae: The Battle that Changed the World "The Age of Caesar is a fine translation of Plutarch's biographies of five of the most tragic figures in ancient history. This will become the new standard." -- Ian Morris, author of War! What Is It Good For?

Major figures in the civil wars that ended the Roman Republic, the names Pompey, Caesar, Cicero, Brutus and Antony haunt us with questions of character and authority. Plutarch's rich, vivid profiles show character-shaping history through grand scale events and intimate details. The creator and master of the biographical form, Plutarch locates character in small gestures such as Brutus's punctilious use of money or Caesar's plainspoken discourse. In this reader's edition, the translation lends a straightforward clarity to the prose and the notes identify people, places and events in the text. The substantial introduction and foreword explore Plutarch as an historical figure and the history of the Republic's fall.