Nine biographies that illuminate the careers, personalities and
military campaigns of some of Rome's greatest statesmen
The lives of the statesmen featured in this collection span the earliest
days of the Republic to the establishment of the Empire. Selected from
Plutarch's Roman Lives, they include prominent figures who achieved
fame for their pivotal roles in Roman history, such as soldierly
Marcellus, eloquent Cato and cautious Fabius. Here too are vivid
portraits of ambitious, hot-tempered Coriolanus; objective, principled
Brutus and open-hearted Mark Anthony, who would later be brought to life
by Shakespeare. In recounting the lives of these great leaders, Plutarch
also explores the problems of statecraft and power and illustrates the
Roman people's genius for political compromise, which led to their
mastery of the ancient world.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of
classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700
titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works
throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the
series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and
notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as
up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.