Source edition
Plutarch. Plutarch's Lives, Vol. III. 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 evaluates and contrasts two prominent ancient leaders, the Athenian general Nicias and the Roman statesman Crassus, in terms of their character, achievements, and tragic ends. It begins by examining their methods of acquiring wealth and their patterns of spending, contrasting Nicias's relatively blameless acquisition with Crassus's massive and competitive public expenditures. Regarding political activities, the text pits Nicias's cautious, sometimes timid pursuit of peace against Crassus's violent but high-spirited confrontation with formidable rivals. In terms of responsibility to their respective states, the author criticizes Nicias for surrendering military command to an incompetent rival out of self-preservation, while also condemning Crassus for dragging Rome into an unwanted war driven by personal ambition. Finally, it contrasts the military campaigns and ends of both men, pairing Crassus's reckless and ill-fated Parthian expedition with Nicias's reluctance and eventual tragic defeat in the Sicilian Expedition, illustrating how both met their demises under tragic circumstances.