Plutarch begins this collection with the parallel lives of Agis and Cleomenes, kings of Sparta who attempted to revive the ancient, austere constitution of Lycurgus by cancelling debts and redistributing land among impoverished citizens. Their bold efforts to restore equality met fierce resistance from corrupt oligarchs and wealthy women, leading to the brutal execution of Agis and the eventual military defeat and tragic exile of Cleomenes. Plutarch then compares these Spartan reformers with the Roman tribunes Tiberius and Caius Gracchus, who similarly championed land reform and the relief of the poor against the entrenched power of the Senate. Despite their noble lineage, high-minded eloquence, and initial popular support, both Gracchi brothers were violently murdered during civil disturbances, and their bodies cast into the Tiber, marking the tragic breakdown of traditional Roman political compromise.
Following these lives, Plutarch turns to the parallel biographies of the master orators Demosthenes and Cicero. He details how Demosthenes overcame physical infirmities and speech impediments through relentless discipline to become the fierce defender of Greek liberty against the encroaching power of Philip of Macedonia. Despite occasional moral failings and accusations of accepting foreign bribes, Demosthenes remained steadfast to his political principles until his suicide by poison to escape the agents of Antipater.
In parallel, Cicero rises from an obscure municipal family to the highest consular office through sheer rhetorical brilliance and political ambition. The narrative of Cicero's life highlights his decisive suppression of the Catilinarian conspiracy, his subsequent exile, his provincial administration in Cilicia, and his agonizing vacillations during the civil wars between Pompey and Caesar, culminating in his proscription and murder. Throughout these texts, Plutarch explores the enduring tension between high philosophical ideals and the brutal realities of political power, examining how extraordinary eloquence, personal ambition, and unwavering dedication to the state ultimately shaped the tragic destinies of these legendary figures.
