Nota exegética a Plutarco, Isis y Osiris 351E

In this article, I deal with a short but complex sentence at the end of the first chapter of Plutarch’s Isis and Osiris. Plutarch there says that «the happiness of even the eternal life, which God has obtained as his portion, consists in the fact that the things that come to be do not, through knowledge, fail in advance» (351E). This obscure phrase implies, so I argue, that Plutarch’s providential God has a knowledge of particular contingencies and that this knowledge indeed contributes to his eternal blessedness without affecting His essence.En este artículo, me ocupo de una breve pero compleja frase al final del primer capítulo de la obra de Plutarco Isis y Osiris. Dice Plutarco que «la felicidad incluso de la vida eterna, que Dios ha obtenido como su porción, consiste en el hecho de que las cosas que llegan a ser no fracasan por adelantado gracias al conocimiento» (351E). Esta oscura frase implica, en mi opinión, que el Dios providencial de Plutarco tiene un conocimiento de las contingencias particulares y que este conocimiento contribuye efectivamente a su bienaventuranza eterna sin que ello afecte a Su esencia

Plutarch's Influence on John Chrysostom

© 2015 by Byzantion. All rights reserved. Many specialists of both Plutarch and John Chrysostom agree that the latter was familiar with the former's works, and that several traces of Plutarchan influence can in fact be detected in different works of John. This article offers a fresh look at all the evidence discussed so far, to conclude that no decisive argument can be found that proves Plutarchan influence on Chrysostom.status: publishe

Two Controversial Passages in Damascius (<i>In Phd.</i> I 275–292 and II 28)

Damascius’ comments on the theory of recollection may well come from a lost work of Plutarch, to judge from the structure and sequence of the arguments

Educating the young ... over wine: Plutarch, Calvenus Taurus, and Favorinus as convivial teachers

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Plutarch’s polemic against Colotes’ view on legislation and politics. A reading of Adversus Colotem 30-34 (1124D-1127E) La polémique de Plutarque contre Colotès sur la législation et la politique. Une lecture du Contre Colotès 30-34 (1124D-1127E) La polemica de Plutarco contro Colote a proposito della legislazione e della politica. Una lettura del Contro Colote 30-34 (1124D-1127E)

À la fin de son Adversus Colotem, Plutarque attaque la conception épicurienne de la politique (1124D-1127E). Son point de départ est une citation littérale de Colotès. Ce dernier avait apparemment conclu son pamphlet polémique par une appréciation enthousiaste de l’œuvre de législateurs anciens. Plutarque réagit fermement en opposant les médiocres résultats de la pensée d’Épicure aux réalisations impressionnantes des membres des autres écoles philosophiques.Dans cet article, on examine de près la position de l’épicurien Colotès et la réponse de Plutarque. Les différents arguments sont analysés un par un, et cette analyse de détail montre qu’aucun des arguments critiques de Plutarque ne saurait convaincre un épicurien. Pourtant, plusieurs d’entre eux posent des questions pertinentes et projettent une lumière intéressante sur les stratégies polémiques de Plutarque et sur ses conceptions philosophiques.<br>Alla fine dell’Adversus Colotem, Plutarco attacca la concezione epicurea della politica (1124D-1127E). Prende le mosse da una citazione letterale di Colote, che aveva apparentemente concluso la sua operetta polemica con un apprezzamento entusiastico dell’attività dei legislatori antichi. Plutarco reagisce con fermezza, contrapponendo i risultati mediocri del pensiero di Epicuro agli esiti impressionanti degli esponenti delle altre scuole filosofiche.In questo articolo, viene esaminata attentamente la posizione dell’epicureo Colote e la risposta di Plutarco. I diversi argomenti sono esaminati uno per uno e l’analisi dettagliata mostra che nessuno degli argomenti critici di Plutarco potrebbe persuadere un epicureo. Ciò nonostante, molti di essi pongono questioni interessanti e gettano una luce nuova sulle strategie polemiche di Plutarco e sulle sue concezioni filosofiche.<br>At the end of his Adversus Colotem, Plutarch attacks the Epicurean view of politics (1124D-1127E). His starting point is a verbatim quotation from Colotes. The latter apparently concluded his polemical pamphlet with an enthusiastic appraisal of the work of early legislators. Plutarch sharply reacts by opposing the poor results of Epicurus’ thinking to the impressive accomplishments of the members of other philosophical schools.In this article, both Colotes’ Epicurean position and Plutarch’s reply are examined in detail. The different arguments are analysed one by one, and this close analysis shows that none of Plutarch’s critical arguments would ultimately convince an Epicurean. Yet many of them raise relevant questions that deserve close attention and throw an interesting light on Plutarch’s polemical strategies and philosophical views

John Chrysostom on Pagan Euergetism: A Reading of the First Part of De inani gloria et de educandis liberis

This article deals with the neglected first section of John Chrysostom's De inani gloria et de educandis liberis (paragraphs 1-15; SC 188, 64-96), where John launches an interesting attack against the pagan euergetic system. His different argumentative moves are systematically analysed and a careful confrontation with critical pagan sources helps in laying bare the strategic bias of his arguments. Such a confrontation shows that the motivation of the pagan euergetês was in all likelihood often more honourable than John suggests, that his approach was more considerate, and his results less ephemeral. John's description and discussion of the euergetic system, then, should be understood against the background of his own Christian perspective.status: publishe

Epicurean Philosophy in Open Access. The Intended Reader and the Authorial Approach of Diogenes of Oenoanda

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Providential Gods and Social Justice. An Ancient Controversy on Theonomous Ethics

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Making the Best of a Bad Job (Posidippus IV, 30-35 = 25 A.-B.)

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One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six. Counting with Demosthenes and Diogenes of Oenoanda

This article focuses on a well-known passage from the proem to the Epicurean inscription of Diogenes of Oenoanda. Diogenes' notorious counting from one to six in fr. 3, iii 5-iv 3 recalls a passage from Demosthenes' De corona (18, 310), and as such throws new light on Diogenes' general education, on his familiarity with the rhetorical tradition, and on his attitude towards the 'Second Sophistic'.status: publishe