Source edition
Plutarch. Plutarch's Lives, Vol. I. Perrin, Bernadotte, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1914.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is a comparative essay that directly contrasts the lives, achievements, and characters of Theseus, the legendary hero of Athens, and Romulus, the founder of Rome. The author praises Theseus for his selfless and courageous decision to face the Minotaur in Crete, while highly evaluating Romulus's outstanding accomplishment as a founder who built a great state from nothing. The comparison highlights their political deviations, pointing out how Theseus erred toward excessive democracy while Romulus leaned toward tyranny. Furthermore, the text meticulously compares the tragedies they caused to their own relatives, the differing motives behind their abductions of women, and the divine favor surrounding their origins. By exploring these contrasts, the work vividly portrays the virtues and flaws of these two foundational heroes, prompting reflection on the qualities of a true ruler.