writer, but he would have held a higher place in the estimation of
the judicious.’—Southey, The Doctor, chapter vi, p. 1.
OXFORD
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
1918
PREFACE
This volume covers about one-eighth part of the miscellaneous works of Plutarch known as the Moralia, much the same quantity as is contained in Professor Tucker’s volume of this series which appeared in 1913. All the pieces now offered are in the form of dialogue, except the short treatise On Superstition, which seemed to justify its inclusion by a certain affinity of thought.
The text followed is that of Wyttenbach, issued by the Clarendon Press in 1795-1800, or rather a text compounded of the Greek text there printed, his own critical notes and revision of the old Latin version, his commentary, where one exists, and his posthumous Index of Greek words used by Plutarch (1830). A few corrections by C. F. Hermann, Emperius, Madvig, and other scholars, have been introduced, for many of which I am indebted, in the first place, as I have acknowledged more particularly, to M. G. N. Bernardakis, the accomplished editor of the Moralia in the Teubner series (1888-96). A very few fresh corrections, mostly on obvious points, have been admitted.
The notes at the foot of the page are intended to show all deviations from Wyttenbach’s text, so constituted, or to give references to the authors of passages quoted by Plutarch; there may be a few exceptions, where an illustrative reference or an obvious explanation is given. For the plays and fragments of the Tragic Poets reference is made to Dindorf’s Poetae Scenici; for Pindar and other lyric poets, to Bergk’s Poetae Lyrici Graeci (ed. 1900); for the fragments of Heraclitus, to Bywater’s Heracliti Ephesii reliquiae (Oxford, 1877); those of other early philosophers will be found in their places in Diels’ Vorsokratiker (1903) or other collections.
To four of the dialogues I have with some reluctance prefixed a short running analysis. It is always a pity to anticipate what the author puts clearly before us;[[1]] but there is here a real practical difficulty, even for a careful reader, in being sure who is the speaker for the time being; and as he is often introduced by the pronouns ‘I’ or ‘he’, no typographical device quite serves. The other dialogues seem to explain themselves sufficiently. There is no attempt to supply a commentary; but it is hoped that the full index of proper names (which are very numerous) will enable a reader to distinguish those as to whom it is worth his while to inquire further from those who are only of passing interest. I have given here a good many references to other works of Plutarch, but more may usefully be sought, for instance in such an index as is appended to Clough’s edition of the Lives.