Source edition
Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol. VI. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1895.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This philosophical work explores whether humans or beasts are superior in terms of virtue and reason, presented in a humorous dialogue format. Set on the island of the enchantress Circe, the dialogue takes place between the hero Odysseus and Gryllos, a Greek who has been transformed into a pig by magic. Refusing to be restored to his human form, Gryllos argues for the superiority of the beastly life from the perspective of virtue. He points out that the courage of animals is genuine and innate, unlike that of humans, and that beasts maintain a natural "temperance" free from vain desires and luxury. Furthermore, Gryllos demonstrates that animals possess inherent wisdom, learning abilities, and self-healing skills, thereby challenging Odysseus's assumption that beasts lack reason. The work playfully subverts anthropocentric values, leaving the reader to question the true nature of rationality and a life lived according to nature.