Theseus

The Life of Theseus by Plutarch

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I read this for the Online Great Books.

I found this to be difficult reading. Plutarch's interest was in writing biographies that would teach moral virtues to their readers. Theseus certainly ranks as chief among those who can model such virtues, mostly because he was a legendary figure, rather than an actual person.

That said, however, one of the most interesting things about the Life of Theseus is that Plutarch treats Theseus as an entirely mortal man. There is no sense in the text that Plutarch thought he was writing about a legend.

All of the legendary details are here. Theseus defeats various brigands who rob and kill in a variety of improbable ways. He frees Athens from Minos. In Plutarch's version, there is no minotaur and a realistic explanation is given for the labyrinth. Daedulus dies near Sicily, but it has nothing to do with flying.

Plutarch packs on the details. I wondered what sources Plutarch was able to use.

I probably should have come up with a few moral lessons, but, unfortunately, that seemed to elude me in the details.