In Pursuit of Truth, Goodness and Beauty may we lift our hearts up to Him

Plutarch

Plutarch

“Perhaps nothing outside of the Bible has the educational value of Plutarch’s Lives.”

Charlotte Mason, School Education p.235

From Citizenship to Character: Sursum Corda’s Plutarch Scope & Flow

What are the duties of a citizen? What makes a hero? What should society be like? Throughout our Plutarch program, students grapple with these essential questions. They start with simpler versions of these classic biographies from Greece and Rome, then work their way through full Lives. Gradually they wrestle more and more with issues of character and conduct, as they read these nuanced portraits of historical characters marked by strengths and flaws.

Plutarch’s Lives–considered an essential component of a good education until recently–is a work that has greatly influenced our culture. The founding fathers of our nation studied Plutarch extensively to help them determine how to shape our government and constitution. Shakespeare drew extensively from Plutarch in the writing of his historical plays. Knowing these versions of these historical characters will help our students understand and enjoy our culture.

Plutarch’s Lives are also artistically beautiful. We read them in the classic translation by Sir Thomas North, and the rich sixteenth-century English stretches students’ language skills while the deep portraits stretch their souls.

Form I

Sursum Corda does not offer Plutarch in Form I, though students may begin to overhear their siblings’ conversations!

Form II

In the first year of Form II, students begin to study the lives of famous Romans, using Mrs. Beesly’s Stories from the History of Rome. In their second year, they plunge into Plutarch’s Life of Publicola. By their sixth grade year, they are ready to join in with the Life that the Form III-IV students are reading. Throughout these years, they are learning to contemplate what citizenship is, what constitutes good character, and how we might define leadership and magnanimity.

Forms III-IV

In Forms III and IV, students meet in small cohorts to read, narrate, and discuss the Plutarch Life of the year. Which leaders are virtuous? Which are effective? How can a certain decision or a fatal flaw affect the life of a leader and his people? What are Plutarch’s goals and biases–and do we agree with him? How does this relate to our modern world and politics today?

Works Read

Our Plutarch program is not cyclical. We choose a new life for the whole community each year. We try to alternate Greek with Roman lives. Here are the lives we have already enjoyed together, and those selected for coming years:

2019-2020Timoleon (Greek)
2020-2021Aristides (Greek – Persian Wars)
2021-2022Aemilius Paulus (Roman Republic) | Agis & Cleomenes (Greek)
2022-2023Themistocles (Greek – Persian Wars)
2023-2024Marcus Brutus (Rome’s Decline)
2024-2025Pericles (Greek – Peloponesian War)
2025-2026Cato the Younger (Rome’s Decline)

Guides for Teachers

Citizenship I (Year 4) Teacher Guide
Citizenship II (Year 5) Teacher Guide
Year 6 Teacher Guide
Form III-IV Teacher Guide

Resources for Further Exploration

Sursum Corda provides a booklet to all students in grades 6-12, with the Life of the year along with vocabulary and questions drawn from Anne White’s guides.

Anne White, from Ambleside Online, has written the best Plutarch Guides available. These can be purchased through Amazon, and are also found on Ambleside Online’s website. (Below AO’s scheduled readings on this page, you will find a wonderful list of questions and answers that give some background on Plutarch.)

Maps & Dictionaries

Maps and a classical dictionary are two very helpful resources when reading Plutarch. Sursum Corda will provide printed maps for each life. Most of the vocabulary has already been pulled and highlighted by Anne in her study guides. If you and your family find yourselves wanting more background or assistance, however, you might consider purchasing a classical dictionary for your home library. We recommend:

Rand McNally Historical Atlas of the World (for visual learners and those desiring additional map resources)

General Plutarch Resources