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75 AD

THE COMPARISON OF TIMOLEON WITH

AEMILIUS PAULUS

Plutarchtranslated by John Dryden

Pl ut arch (46-120) - G reek biographer, histor i an, and phi l osopher,somet i mes know n as t he encycl opaedi st of ant i qui t y. H e i s most renow ned fo r hi s seri es of character studi es, arranged most l y i n pai rs, know n as Pl ut archs Li ves of t he N oble Greci ans and Romans or Parallel Lives. Timoleon and Aemilius Paulus

Compared (75 AD ) - Compar es and contr ast s the l i ves of Ti mol eon,a Gr eek general , and A emi l i us Paul us, a Ro man general .

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from Syracuse, and the other a hired captain of foot under Dion,and came into Sicily with him. But Timoleon, at the request andprayers of the Syracusans, was sent to be their general, and had noneed to seek for power, but had a perfect title, founded on theirown offers, to hold it; and yet no sooner had he freed Sicily fromher oppressors, but he willingly surrendered it.It is truly worthy our admiration in Aemilius, that though heconquered so great and so rich a realm as that of Macedon, yet hewould not touch, nor see any of the money, nor did he advantagehimself one farthing by it, though he was very generous of his ownto others. I would not intend any reflection on Timoleon foraccepting of a house and handsome estate in the country, which theSyracusans presented him with; there is no dishonour in accepting;but yet there is greater glory in a refusal, and the supremest virtueis shown in not wanting what it might fairly take. And as that body

is, without doubt, the most strong and healthful which can theeasiest support extreme cold and excessive heat in the change ofseasons, and that the most firm and collected mind which is notpuffed up with prosperity nor dejected with adversity; so thevirtue of Aemilius was eminently seen in his countenance andbehaviour, continuing as noble and lofty upon the loss of two dearsons, as when he achieved his greatest victories and triumphs. ButTimoleon, after he had justly punished his brother, a truly heroicaction, let his reason yield to a causeless sorrow, and humiliatedwith grief and remorse, forbore for twenty years to appear in any

public place, or meddle with any affairs of the commonwealth. It istruly very commendable to abhor and shun the doing any baseaction; but to stand in fear of every kind of censure or disreputemay argue a gentle and open-hearted, but not an heroic temper.

THE END