Teaching Ancient Biography
by Dr. Margaret Cotter-Lynch, Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Original text © 2005. Margaret Cotter-Lynch.
Plutarch: Life of Caesar
How is Caesar different from Antony and Pompey?
Coin with image of Julius Caesar
from Livius.org
I. Plutarch’s “Life of Caesar:” What does success look like? For Plutarch, it seems, Julius Caesar is clearly a success. However, given the facts of Caesar’s life, this is not an obvious conclusion. Caesar, like Pompey and Antony, is killed in his 50’s by political enemies. In order to support his position on Caesar, Plutarch has to call in the supernatural as proof, since historical events alone seem insufficient to support his claims (see p. 358).
a. How does Caesar look like Pompey and Antony?
i. Money: Caesar brings in lots of money from his campaigns in Gaul, then uses it for bribes and to turn people in his favor
ii. Military: Caesar conquers all of Gaul (modern day France, Switzerland, Belgium). He has amazing military successes, even when outnumbered and undersupplied.
iii. Charisma: Caesar seems overwhelmingly popular in many arenas
1. His own troops are exceptionally loyal to him
2. Other men’s troops defect to his side, because they like him
3. He’s very well-liked by the populace of Rome
4. One exception: he is very controversial in the Senate
iv. All of this seems very familiar after reading the Lives of Pompey and Antony. But throughout, somehow, Plutarch gives us the impression that Caesar is more savvy than Pompey or Antony, even when they are doing the same things
b. How is Caesar distinguished from Pompey and Antony?
i. In the “Life of Caesar,” we see Pompey over-influenced by friends
ii. In the “Live of Caesar,” we see Antony over-prone to drink
iii. By comparison, Julius Caesar seems quite prudent
1. e.g. Caesar has a relationship with Cleopatra, but doesn’t get carried away like Antony does
2. p. 335: in a battle between Pompey and Caesar prior to Pharsalus, Pompey is portrayed as unthinking, while Caesar thinks
3. p. 339: again at Pharsalus, Caesar is portrayed as reasonable, Pompey unreasonable.
iv. Our overall impression of Caesar from Plutarch is that Caesar always seems to know what he’s doing, to have clear reasons and plans. Throughout the Life, Plutarch takes pains to show Caesar thinking. According to Plutarch’s moral philosophy, this is the sign that Caesar is living correctly, and should therefore be rewarded with success.
1. There are two big, striking exceptions to Caesar’s rationality in Plutarch’s story:
a. When he crosses the Rubicon (p. 329)
b. ONCE, he is a bad judge of character (p. 352)
2. (b) Results in Caesar’s murder. Plutarch does not, however, tell us what to do with (a). Why might Plutarch have chosen to portray this important turning point of Caesar’s life and career as an emotional rather than rational decision, knowing what we do of Plutarch’s opinions of Caesar and reason?
II. Plutarch’s style and sources
a. Plutarch tells us a story in a particular way to make a particular point. He tells us things that support his opinion, and often leaves out things that don’t. This should lead you, as a reader, to ask two questions:
i. How does Plutarch know what he knows?
ii. Should we trust him?
b. Plutarch is a secondary source
i. Plutarch is not an eyewitness to the events he reports (he writes ~150 years later)
ii. Plutarch is writing, in essence, a research paper
c. Plutarch’s style is dependent upon our trusting him, upon our belief that he
i. Has access to correct information
ii. Conveys that information faithfully
d. One common way to seem authoritative, which is used by Plutarch, is to cite sources and pass judgement on them
i. p. 308: Explains that he finds a story unreliable because Cicero didn’t report it
ii. p. 311: Says that the usual view of the situation is wrong
e. Plutarch tells us where he gets his information (sometimes), and when he disagrees with others’ assessments. Plutarch, in writing his Lives, sets himself up as an expert we should trust, and therefore implies that we should share his opinions. As you read Suetonius, see if the same ideas apply regarding writing style and use of sources.
Assignment: For next time, read Suetonius' “Julius Caesar.” What does Suetonius tell us that Plutarch didn’t? What did Plutarch tell us that Suetonius doesn’t?
