Plutarch's Lives have always attracted a large number of admirers, particularly because of his pragmatic concern with ethics and politics. But Plutarch intended his Lives to be read in pairs, an intention that is often ignored by those who treat these works as merely historical sources.

• Asserts a novel and controversial theory on the origins of rhetoric that differs radically from the standard view
• Argues that it was the theatre of Ancient Greece, first appearing around 500 BC, that prompted
• the development of formalized rhetoric, which evolved soon thereafter
• Provides a cogent reworking of existing evidence
• Reveals the bias and inconsistency of Aristotle