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Ambleside Online Plutarch's Life of Philopoemen: 'The Last of the Greeks'study by Anne White Introduction Here's how you say it: Phila-PEE-men. He lived from 253 to 184 B.C. (Plutarch says 183), during the "old age" of ancient Greece, when Rome was becoming stronger and the Greek city-states had lost much of their power. (Trivia: Philopoemen lived during almost the same years as the Carthaginian general Hannibal (247-183 B.C.). Here's more about Philopoemen: http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0838810.html and http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/people/a/philopoemen.htm Notes on Spelling: There are at least two English spellings of his name: Philopoemen and Philopoemon. I've also seen it spelled Philopoimen. Since Dryden spells it Philopoemen, I will keep spelling it that way; but if you are looking for information online, you might want to try the other spelling as well. Achaia can also be spelled Achaea. Dryden prefers Achaea. Recommended Online Text: You can find the entire text at http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/philopoe.html . You can choose the "download" option or just use the text provided on the page. Recommended Omissions: There's not much in this story that needs to be left out. You might tone down the second-to-last paragraph if you don't want to read about torture and cremations; but it's not any more detailed than that. Other Introductory Notes: People mentioned in the first lesson include Cleander, Craugis, Ecdemus, Demophanes; they are all explained. Other names mentioned are Arcesilaus, Aristodemus, etc; as noted later on, it's not necessary to know who they are as they will not be mentioned again. Titus Flamininus is a Roman consul (leader of the Roman Republic) who comes up again later. Achilles and Phoenix are characters in Greek mythology. Places mentioned include Megalopolis, which means "big city"--kind of
the same as "Metropolis." Megalopolis was located in an area
referred to as Arcadia, which is in the Peloponnese--the southern part
of Greece that looks almost like a large island. Achaea was
a territory on the northern coast of the Peloponnese--and the Achaean
League was a confederation of Greek city-states in that area, formed to
defend that area against enemies such as the Macedonians. Introduction If you've never read Plutarch before, the first paragraph may appear intimdating, with at least 18 different names and places in it. However, most of them don't matter much to the story. Plutarch begins the story of Philopoemen with his upbringing and education, by his father's friend and two other excellent tutors--and the fact that he had that superior education (nurture in philosophy) is what matters. The list of his tutors' achievements is also not important for our purposes; the point is that, after all these other things, they considered their education of Philopoemen to be "among their best actions." To show why this is so is one of Plutarch's aims in writing this life. The second part of this passage contains a funny story that might remind you of King Alfred burning the biscuits. Read from: "Cleander was a man of high birth" to "These are common anecdotes told of Philopoemen." Note: There is a typo at the end of the second paragraph in the online text. It says that Philopoemen had to "entertain and play" his soldiers; it should be pay, not play. Vocabulary and Notes raillery: teasing Discussion and Narration After narrating, discuss these questions: What can you tell so far about how the Greeks viewed Philopoemen, and
how he viewed himself? Lesson Two Introduction Everything Philopoemen does is concentrated towards one goal: being a great general. The books he reads, the outdoor work he does, the way he spends his time--all are aimed only at his longterm plan. Although he is a talented wrestler, he decides that even athletic training conflicts with his military goals, and so he gives that up. We begin to get a very clear picture of who Philopoemen wants to be and where he wants his life to go. Vocabulary unalloyed with -- free from Read From: "The love of honour and distinction" to "as drones and useless in the commonwealth." Narration and Discussion After narrating, discuss some of the following questions (don't feel you have to do all of them). You might want to choose one to do as a writing assignment. Explain Plutarch's comparison of Philopoemen with Epaminondas. What does he mean by "military rather than civil virtue"? Do you think one is more valuable than the other? What was Philopoemen's objection to paying a lot of attention to athletics? Do you think this was a wise decision? Consider how professional athletes are valued in our own culture; do you think NBA stars or hockey players would make good soldiers as well, or do you agree with Philopoemen that they can only perform under certain conditions? For further thought: are there any parallels here for the Christian life? More generally, is it better to have very set routines in our lives, or to be flexible about things (for instance, not fussing if we occasionally miss a meal)? Would one way or the other help you survive better in a crisis? " . . . and this not slightly, by way of diversion, but thinking it his strict duty so to manage his own fortune as to be out of the temptation of wronging others." Why was Philopoemen's land more than just a "hobby farm?" He "utterly contemned those who were not soldiers, as drones and useless in the commonwealth." Why was this perhaps a natural reaction for someone as driven and focused as Philopoemen was? How do you feel about that? (For even further thought: does this idea also apply to the life of a Christian?) Lesson THREE INTRODUCTION Lots of gory war stuff in this one! Philopoemon joins with the Macedonians (King Antigonus) to oust the king of Sparta (Cleomones) from Megalopolis. Although Antigonus is a bit annoyed that Philopoemen takes control and leads a charge without being ordered to, he has to admit that Philopoemen "did like an experienced commander." (The year is 222 B.C., and Philopoemen is about 30 years old.) VOCABULARY Cleomenes -- Cleomenes
III, king of Sparta. You can read more about him here: http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/C/Cleomenes3.asp . READ FROM: "When he was thirty years of age" to "did like an experienced commander." NARRATION AND DISCUSSION After narrating (or as an alternative to narration), discuss the following questions: How did Philopoemen convince the people that Cleomenes wasn't offering them a good deal? Have you ever been told (unfairly) to shut up because you weren't qualified to offer an opinion on something? Do you think Philopoemen should have been listened to anyway? This scene might be interesting to act out (or write as a dialogue)--Philopoemen trying to convince the officers of Antigonus that their best move would be to attack. "'This young man,' replied Antigonus, smiling, ‘did like an experienced commander.'" How did Philopoemen show that he had bravery and understanding beyond his age and experience? Lesson 4 Introduction The great teacher story . . . the great coach story . . . this is the stuff movies are made of. A rag-tag bunch of losers at first resists change, but eventually becomes a winning team under the hero's leadership. And this is no different. Philopoemen passes on his skills, discipline and passion to the Achaean cavalry--most of whom had never even bothered to show up for battles before. Vocabulary winked at this -- ignored
this, pretended it wasn't happening Read From: "This, as was natural" to "there came not into the field any better soldier or commander." Narration and Discussion The general narration or exam question would be "How did Philopoemen turn the Achaean cavalary into an unbeatable force?" But you could answer this in various ways. One way would be to pretend you are a reporter covering the story. Interview one or more people involved, and be sure to seek out the details, techniques--how did Philopoemen do this? Lesson 5 Introduction The army's improved confidence spreads to the people of Megalopolis. Everybody starts grabbing their silverware to melt down for weapons, and the Betsy Rosses of the town get out their uniform and flag patterns. Vocabulary bucklers -- shields Read from: "Aratus, indeed, was the first" to "try them with an enemy, and fight in earnest." Narration and Discussion Why did the Achaeans need less foreign support after Philopoemen came to command? How did Philopoemen "divert the passion" of the officers into more useful channels? Is there any way you could apply this strategy to a similar problem you might face? (If you're having trouble thinking of anything in your own life as a student, pretend you're a parent, a teacher, or an employer.) "Magnificence of this kind strengthens and heightens the courage." Think of Bilbo Baggins' courage as he held his dagger, or the importance of weapons in the Narnia stories. Think of Excalibur! Why does putting on a new uniform and picking up a decent weapon strengthen one's courage (or does it?)? (You might find the Armour of God/Sword of the Spirit passage useful as you think about this.) Lesson 6 Introduction Philopoemen's career is at a high point. The country's patriotic spirit is running fervently (or feverishly), and everyone is confident that they can win whatever is placed in front of them. Note on the "Statue of Philopoemen at Delphi" -- I looked for pictures of this online, but it appears that only the base of it still exists. Most of the pictures of the "statue of Philopoemen" are the sculpture of him pulling the javelin out of his leg, not the one referred to here. Vocabulary Machanidas of Lacedaemon
-- the ruler of Sparta. According to this link
http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/1992.html , he "respected
neither the ephors nor the laws, and ruled by the swords of his
mercenaries alone." Read from: "The Achaeans at that time" to "the height of their ancient spirit." Narration and Discussion "The whole theater at once turned to look at Philopoemen and clapped
with delight . . . " Lesson 7 Introduction There are two main points here: first, Plutarch gives examples of how Philopoemen was respected and feared--his name alone was enough to give his enemies nightmares. Even when he was officially out of command for awhile, he was still The Commander. But at the same time, it's acknowledged (for the first time) that Philopoemen had "ill-wishers"--and at one point he is even threatened with banishment. This passage moves around in time a bit; several separate incidents are described. If anyone has trouble following the first paragraph, try reading to "lost his character through Greece", stopping (and maybe narrating); reading from "The Boeotians besieging Megara" to "at the wall behind them"; and reading from "Nabis (who was tyrant of Lacedaemon)" to the end of the paragraph. Vocabulary and Notes restive -- restless Read from: "It was with the Achaeans" to "But these things happened a while after." Narration and Discussion Why would Philopoemen have gone to command the Gortynians, when his own country needed him? Discuss the idea that well-trained horses may still only be managed by their usual trainers or riders. Does that make them too dependent? What would happen then if their leader was injured or killed? (Consider Philopoemen's earlier statement that soldiers should be trained for flexibility, unlike athletes who can perform only under certain conditions.) Comment on Philopoemen's opinion of Ptolemy--"always preparing and never performing." Explain how Philopoemen found himself out of favour, and how he reacted. Do you feel his attempts at retribution were justified? Lesson 8 Introduction This lesson opens with Philopoemen still in Crete, which adds his reputation as a general. From here on the story is a good-thing, bad-thing one. A bad thing: Philopoemen returns home to Megalopolis and finds things in chaos. Bad thing: he takes his men to sea to fight Nabis of Sparta, and nearly sinks the ship. Good thing: it doesn't sink, and he ends up winning a battle on land. Bad thing: Nabis surprises them. Good thing: Philopoemen chases Nabis's army away, and catches many of them as they sneak back later on. Something to watch for in this lesson: look for any signs that Philopoemen's character is slipping. Vocabulary/Notes Philip -- the king of
Macedon (the territory north of Greece) Read from: "While he stayed in Crete" to "ere they could enter into the town." Discussion and narration: "Altering his order according to the nature of the place." Was it effective for Philopoemen to fight the enemy by making use of their own strategies, rather than insisting on fighting like a Peloponnesian? Discuss why this strategy was necessary. Comment on "how great a part of valour experience is." Why was Philopoemen's great experience in land fighting not enough to prepare him for a sea battle? What other problems did he have? Lesson 9 Introduction In this passage we hear of more secret ill-will, and jealousy of Philopoemen by the Roman consul Titus Flamininus (because Philopoemen was just a common Arcadian). However, he does gain almost everyone's respect at this time by persuading the Spartans to join the Achaean league (198 B.C.). Vocabulary Titus Flamininus -- the Roman
consul who took credit for having liberated Greece from the Macedonians Read From: "These actions obtained him distinguished marks" to "Philopoemen was above bribery." Narration and Discussion How did Philopoemen manage to bring Sparta into the Achaean League? And why did he do this? What was the difficulty in giving Philopoemen a thank-you gift (or a gesture-of-good-will gift) from the Spartans? What was Philopoemen's advice about gifts/bribes?
Introduction This passage is long and difficult--but if you've come this far, you should be able to handle it! Philopomen's character in this passage becomes much more complex than the way Plutarch has written about him previously. We know that Philopoemen is admired for his integrity (see Lesson 9) and for his military leadership. But in this passage, first he shows good judgment and restraint, and manages to handle Sparta during a dispute--even flouting Titus Flamininus. Second (later), he treats the Spartans brutally, takes many of them to Achaea, ruins their laws and government, and generally tries to break them into submission. They submit, but turn to Rome as soon as they can. Third, during Philopoemen's next period out of office, he keeps saying what he would do if he was in charge (sounding more than a little like sour grapes). Fourth, he goes against a motion to send the Spartans home, but doesn't carry it out until he is general again--so that he gets the credit for a good action. Note especially the last line of the passage, about subjection and power struggles. Vocabulary dissembling -- disguising one's
true feelings Read From: "Diophanes being afterward general" to "to contest everything with men in power." Narration and Discussion Are there limits even on what a good man can do without being tempted? Consider the saying "power corrupts." Up until this time, it seems that was exactly what Philopoemen couldn't be--corrupted. He wouldn't take a bribe and never thought much of personal pleasures. But to the Spartans he now shows cruelty and intolerance; when he is out of office, he shows a "bad attitude." He also delays doing a good action until it works to his own advantage. Is all this inconsistent with what we know of Philopoemen? (Go back to Lesson 7; do his attempts then at retribution now seem like more of an ongoing pattern?) Did Philopoemen really put his country first?
Introduction General Philopoemen, at seventy years old, wants to end his years quietly, but can't seem to retire. When he hears of a chance to defeat an old enemy, he charges ahead--not suspecting that this will be his last battle. Vocabulary (quarrelling) humour --
(quarrelsome) temperament Read From: "Being now three score and ten" to "drew their army together for his rescue." Narration and Discussion Discuss Philopoemen's comment in the first paragraph. How as it prophetic? Was Philopoemen's attempt to defend Colonis justified? Show how Philopoemen remained a good general to the end. Explain the Messenians' reaction when Philopoemen was brought in. How does that line up (or not) with the treatment he then received?
Introduction The death of Philopoemen comes quickly and is just as quickly avenged. His loss seems to the Achaeans "the loss of their own greatness," in more ways than one. Vocabulary to be beforehand -- something
like being pro-active; to be one jump ahead of them Note: Who was Lycortas? You can read more about him at Wikipedia.com or on other history websites. Besides being a friend of Philopoemen, he was also the father of the famous historian Polybius. Read From: "While these things passed in Achaea" to the end. Narration and Discussion Discuss Philopoemen's last words. How is his attitude at the end consistent with the rest of his life? How did the Achaeans react to his death? How did Philopoemen's death symbolize the end of an era? Take the part of a newspaper or T.V. reporter, and describe Philopoemen's funeral. You may want to talk to one of the spectators as well. Possible exam question or written assignment: You are the historian Polybius answering the Romans: why should Philopoemen's monuments remain? For further study: The writings of Polybius about this time are very interesting and add a different perspective to what Plutarch has to say (he explains more about the Roman presence in Greece, for one thing.) You can read some of them here; search on the page for Philopoemen. |
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