Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Plutarchian Puzzles (there are several)
After a week with Plutarch I'm right back where I was whenever it was I was last reading him. His writing is dense and demands some concentration not to miss a detail from which the next several pages will unfold and still, at the end of reading a dozen pages or less, if asked, I probably couldn't recall what I'd just read. Not very clearly anyway. Is that because of the translation? Is it me? What? Such strange and perfectly normal writing. Puzzle.
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7 comments:
I'll choose one of the lives I havn't read yet, read it, and see what impressions I get along the lines of your post.
OK, I just glanced through the wikipedia page for Agis (wikipedia was helpful in that there were about six Agis pages, but they listed the Plutarch one with "this is the one Plutarch wrote a life on").
Wikipedia might be the ideal source to get up to speed on each individual life before reading it. Short, to-the-point articles.
So I'll read Agis and give some impressions later.
Wikipedia actually has a special link box at the bottom of each life (and the main Plutarch article) with links to articles on each of the lives, all fifty.
I'll follow up some of this and see how valuable it is. I'm reminded that the aim is to read - or in this case - complete an unfinished reading of Plutarch. Following other sources may be an unnecessary distraction. If I was to study Crassus or Nicias, seriously, Plutarch would be but one port of several. But here my primary aim is to take in the influence which is Plutarch rather than move in to the wider territory which his writing directs us towards. Plutarch, alone and pure without recourse to other sources is, almost, mysterious, sometimes impenetrable and constantly demanding. And that's reading him after Herodotus and Thucydides.
If I focus upon just one life, if I concentrate and pay attention and follow each word and sentence - and do not permit any drift - Plutarch delivers a very forceful influence. He has that power to impact deeply and to inspire. The difficulty is that one Life quickly blends into the next and one's memory is full of strange events but, damn, whose Life?
It's premature to say it, but I may make a lasting project out of Plutarch.
If I reread any books (which is where I might be right now) it would have to be my seven book list. Maybe even expanding the Thucydides slot to 'Greek Historians' which traditionally refers to Herodotus/Thucydides.
Herodotus would be an interesting experience for me. I read it once, very early on. I could really follow it now.
I thought, after reading Herodotus, I'd never read him again. Like, he was worth getting down but not worth a second read. I don't feel that way any more - that's what time does. I see this very powerful triad: Herodotus/Thucydides - Homer - Plutarch. (As it happens, that is seven books in the editions I own.) Putting Homer into that triad may appear awkward but both Herodotus and Plutarch sail into poetry, mythical drama and history.
Had the further idea yesterday, digesting this dialogue and reading, for a Plutarch Project. Very simple. Note Cards - one per Life - filled on one side with key detail/memorable thumbnail sketches. And then just to work on committing to memory. Relatively small project but just gives a little substance to the reading. Active reading.
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