Plutarch the lives of the noble Grecians and Romans, Dryden, John translator,revised by Clough Arthur Hugh. 1309 pp.
"Plutarch's Lives is a book of epic proportions. Essentially, it is an encyclopeadia of the biographies of famous men in the history of Ancient Greece and Rome. With over 50 biographies and comparisons, this book covers the most important people in the history of Greco-Roman civilization. The impact of this book is phenomenal. Shakespeare read it, Dante read it Da Vinci read it. Its influence is evident in their writing. The book transcends simple biography though, and contains a wealth of information about ancient cultures such as Sparta. Plutarch also compares different historical figures to one another for an interesting study of comparative politics and virtue. Some of Plutarch's information is questionable, but it remains one of the best sources available. If you are interested in classical history then this is a great reference and it's enjoyable for pleasure reading as well."
NY The Modern Library Giant ND No statement of edition or printing. HC. Front cover cracked
