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Plutarch's Lives, Volume 2
Plutarch's Lives, Volume 2
Description
Book Introduction
The greatest heroic story in human history
A treasure chest containing all the seeds of Western culture
Now available in Eulyoo Publishing's complete translation.


How to achieve what you want and how to captivate people.
And how should one cope when fate mercilessly abandons oneself?
The lives of the great politicians and generals who shaped the early days of European history answer that question.
This is Plutarch's Lives (hereinafter referred to as the Lives).
Therefore, this book is considered an encyclopedia of liberal arts that allows one to learn about the early history and culture of Western Europe, how to conduct oneself as a leader, and ethics as a human being.
This is precisely why 『Heroic Lives』, along with the Bible and Greek tragedy, were established as a common core of Western culture until the early 20th century.
In fact, 『The Lives』 had a great influence on the thoughts of politicians and soldiers such as Napoleon and Churchill, as well as many intellectuals such as Montaigne, Francis Bacon, and Rousseau, and provided inspiration to many writers including Shakespeare, Schiller, and Goethe.
But the moment this book shined the most was when it was literally accepted as 'culture', as a means to live life.
Beethoven, who is known to have enjoyed reading 『Lives of Heroes』, is a good example.
In 1801, when Beethoven was losing his hearing, he wrote, “I have sometimes cursed my Creator and my own existence.
(But) Plutarch taught us how to accept it,” he said.


This biography, which contains the lives of famous soldiers and politicians of ancient Greece and Rome, including Romulus, the founder of Rome, the immortal leader Julius Caesar, and Hannibal, considered one of the greatest strategists, is often compared to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms of the East.
From Western political culture to artistic creation, the book's influence is truly far-reaching.
Many famous lines from 『The Heroes' Stories』 have become part of Western common sense, and the dramatic moments depicted in the various stories have been reinterpreted countless times in paintings, novels, and plays.
In this way, 『The Lives of Heroes』 is a classic that should be approached not only for its own charm that provides universal teachings to many people, but also as a key to understanding European culture.

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index
11 Kimon
12 Lucullus
* Comparison of Cimon and Lucullus
13 Pericles
14 Fabius Maximus
* Comparison of Pericles and Fabius Maximus
15 Nicias
16 Crassus
* Comparison of Nicias and Crassus
17 Alcibiades
18 Coriolanus
* Comparison of Alcibiades and Coriolanus
19 Lysander
20 Sulla
* Comparison of Lysander and Sulla

Detailed image
Detailed Image 1

Into the book
One day, Lucullus was eating alone, and the meal was simple, consisting of one dish.
He was angry and called the slave in charge of the meal and scolded him.
Then the slave said:
“I never thought I would have to prepare such expensive dishes even when there weren’t many guests.”
Then Lucullus said:
“What are you talking about? Are you saying that you didn’t even know that Lucullus invited you to dine with him today?”
--- p.118

At the moment when Pericles had all his troops on board and was himself on a trireme, a solar eclipse occurred and the whole world was darkened. Everyone was astonished and wanted to know what this sign meant.
Pericles, seeing the helmsman frightened and confused, took off his cloak, blindfolded him, and asked him:
“Are you afraid of this darkness now? And do you think it portends something terrible?”
The keyman answered.
“I’m not afraid.”
Then Pericles said to him,
“Then what difference is there, other than that the darkness cast by that eclipse is a little greater than the darkness cast by my outer garment?”
--- pp.185~186

As Pericles' death drew near, the virtuous citizens and the officers who had survived the war sat by his side, discussing his brilliance and power, and counting his achievements, they discovered that he had won victories for Athens and erected nine monuments to his glory.
As they talked like this, they thought Pericles would lose consciousness and not understand what they were saying.
But Pericles heard everything they had to say and then said:
“I am astonished that you praise me so much for the accomplishments I have achieved through good fortune, and that you ignore the noble praise I alone have achieved, and instead focus on the praise that other generals commonly receive.
"What is my greatest achievement? It is that no Athenian citizen ever wore mourning because of me."
--- p.190

Crassus had so many architects, yet he built only one house for himself.
He always said.
“Real estate agents don’t die at the hands of their enemies, they die at their own hands.”
--- p.297

If something is wrong, it has to be dealt with.
--- p.354

A gladiatorial contest took place.
Until then, the seats inside the stadium were not separated by gender and were chaotic.
At that time, by chance, a very beautiful woman who seemed to be of good birth was sitting next to Sulla.
The woman was Messala's daughter and the sister of the orator Hortensius, and her name was Valeria.
Coincidentally, at that time, Valeria was divorced.
He passed behind Sulla, reached out to him, brushed a lint off his coat, and then returned to his seat.
When Sulla looked at her in surprise, the woman said:
“It’s nothing, Dictator Nari.
“I just wanted to take a little bit of Nari’s happiness.”
--- p.590

Publisher's Review
The first domestic edition to include fragments added later beyond the complete translation

Professor Shin Bok-ryong, who has devoted himself to translation for a long time, and Eulyoo Publishing, which is presenting the complete translation of 『The Story of Heroes』 after 50 years, have put in a lot of effort to present a high-quality edition.
First, I translated the entire book without missing any content based on the Perrin translation published by Harvard University Press.
Additionally, several contents lost from the original text, such as the "Life of Hannibal" and the "Life of Scipio," were added in editions written by later authors.
These additional works, which boast a depth comparable to Plutarch's original text, can only be found in this edition by Eulyoo Publishing.
This edition, planned to go beyond the complete translation of the original text and present a more complete "heroic story," presents a richer account of the greatest heroic stories in human history.

Caesar, Brutus, Alexander, Pericles… …
A story like a drama before it becomes a history book


When we say old classics, we might have a preconceived notion that they are stiff stories.
However, 『Heroes' Stories』 still contains many moments that move people's hearts.
For example, there is the famous scene of Caesar's assassination, with the line, "And you too, Brutus?"
In fact, 'Even you, Brutus' is a line that Shakespeare created and added to the play 'Julius Caesar', which was adapted from this incident, and it does not appear in the actual history book that records this incident.
However, the original version of 『The Lives』 is more dramatic than Shakespeare's adaptation.
Caesar, who was running away while being stabbed by those who were trying to kill him, sees Brutus pulling out his sword from afar and stops in place, covering his eyes with his cloak without saying a word.
He was so shocked by the fact that the young man he had chosen as his successor was trying to kill him that he was so devastated that he was unable to say anything.
In addition, you can encounter hundreds of wonderful moments that fall into various genres, such as the mysterious death of Romulus, the founder of Rome, the will of Antony that contains all the regrets of his life in a single line, and Cicero's sarcastic humor that cleverly mocks his opponents.

Translations that capture the charm of classic history books and detailed original text notation

In order to further enhance the flavor of the old tales that present such dramatic drama, this edition created a more elegant atmosphere by referencing the translation of 『Heroes' Stories』 published by Eulyu Publishing in the 1960s and 1970s.
It's the same principle as preserving old speech to preserve the atmosphere of a historical drama.
Meanwhile, when Plutarch quoted books or writings by other authors, he did not specify which book or which passage he had taken.
This is inevitable since the book was written in an era when there were no established rules for citation, but it may be perceived as a barrier to readers who are curious about the original sources he cited.
This edition is also the only Korean edition that lists the titles and chapters of the books Plutarch quoted, making linked reading much easier.

A design that is good to collect

This set, designed by Workroom, is for readers who want to own the great classics for a long time.
The bold composition of the cover, which minimizes text as much as possible, gives strength to the image and creates a unique personality.
It was also produced with four-season binding and hardcover for long-term storage.
Eulyoo Publishing's "Heroes' Stories," which are pleasing to the eye wherever they are displayed and sturdy whenever they are opened, will accompany readers on a long journey as a guide to life.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: September 1, 2021
- Format: Hardcover book binding method guide
- Page count, weight, size: 604 pages | 644g | 132*217*35mm
- ISBN13: 9788932474496
- ISBN10: 8932474494

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