Source edition
Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol I. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1888.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This prose work presents a comprehensive treatise on the education of free-born children, aiming to cultivate morally and intellectually outstanding individuals. The discussion begins with the prerequisites for child-rearing, emphasizing the role of nobility, parental preparation, and the triad of nature, reason (logos), and habit in attaining virtue. It then addresses early childhood care and the rigorous selection of teachers, identifying philosophy as the pinnacle of all learning to harmonize the soul. The author advocates for non-violent guidance through praise and appropriate rest, while advising on self-control, speech, and social interactions as the child grows. Finally, after warning against evil companions and flatterers using Pythagorean precepts, the work concludes by urging fathers to show tolerance and lead by moral example.