6 Plutarch and Epicurus
In: Plutarch and his ContemporariesSearch for other papers by Richard Stoneman in
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Abstract
The paper considers Plutarch’s presentation of Epicurus’ ideas from several angles: first, whether his treatments are fair; secondly, why he concentrates his fire on writers of several centuries previously, even though the Epicurean schools continued to flourish in his day, and a number of Epicureans even take part in Plutarch’s dialogues. A third approach considers Epicurean elements in three of the dialogues: De tranquillitate animi, Gryllus (Bruta animalia ratione uti), and De adulatore et amico. It is suggested that some Epicurean ideas and attitudes have influenced Plutarch’s writing in these dialogues, most importantly the idea of parrhesia or frank speech, which was the subject of a treatise by Philodemus. Plutarch’s philosophical style is in this respect indebted to Epicurean influence.