The religion of Plutarch: A pagan creed of apostolic times

About this book

The work is a scholarly essay by John Oakesmith that revisits his earlier privately‑circulated volume on Plutarch’s “Ethics,” trimming the Greek and Latin quotations while preserving the source references. In the prefatory pages Oakesmith explains that the new edition incorporates verbal corrections, a few fresh pages, and the suggestions of J. E. Sandys and other colleagues, and he acknowledges the assistance of civil‑service friends and the critical apparatus of G. N. Bernardakis. The opening argument sets out a broad agenda: to explore how Plutarch, best known for his “Parallel Lives,” treats the religious questions of his age within the diverse essays of his “Moralia,” and to assess whether his pagan creed can coexist with the philosophical and moral concerns that dominate his writings.

The tone is that of an early‑twentieth‑century academic, marked by a formal, erudite style and frequent references to contemporary scholars, editions, and critical debates. Readers who enjoy detailed textual analysis, the history of classical scholarship, and a deep dive into the intersection of religion, philosophy, and social life in the first‑century Greco‑Roman world will find Oakesmith’s methodical exposition rewarding.

Opening lines

The following pages are practically a reprint of a volume which was issued for private circulation some twelve months ago, under the title “The Religion of Plutarch as expounded in his ‘Ethics.’” The main difference between the present volume and its predecessor consists in the translation or removal of various quotations from Greek and Latin sources which were given in full in the first edition of the book. The references to these sources have, of course, been retained. Verbal corrections have been made here and there, and a few pages of new matter have been introduced into the “Preface.” In other respects the two impressions are substantially the same. …

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