Abstract
This paper examines the role that Plutarch allots to poetry within the philosophical education outlined in the De Audiendis Poetis . It demonstrates how Plutarch’s use of one Pindaric quotation across several books of the Moralia typifies the method of mixing philosophy with poetry that was advocated in the De Audiendis Poetis . The point of doing so, by Plutarch’s own reckoning, is to impart a pleasing seriousness to philosophical discourse, one that derives from a blend of aesthetic pleasure with philosophical rigor. In his own writing, then, Plutarch models a way to enjoy poetry in moderation, in which the ethically deleterious effects of poetry are tempered by their mixture with philosophy.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have