The Children's Plutarch, Tales of the Greeks

The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Greeks is a 1910 adaptation by Frederick James Gould of selections from Plutarch’s Parallel Lives, retold in clear, engaging prose for children roughly ages 9–14. Illustrated with a few black-and-white drawings by Walter Crane and featuring a topical index for teachers, it presents twenty-one concise biographies focused on notable ancient Greek figures. The book draws directly from Plutarch’s emphasis on character, virtue, and moral lessons, making complex historical lives accessible while highlighting themes of courage, justice, self-sacrifice, and civic duty.

It opens with stories of Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus and the hardy, disciplined society he shaped—emphasizing communal meals, laconic speech, physical toughness, and devotion to the state—before moving through famous Athenians like Solon, Aristides “the Just,” Themistocles, Pericles, and Alcibiades, as well as later figures such as Agesilaus, Pelopidas, Timoleon, Demosthenes, Alexander the Great, and Philopoemen. Gould’s versions preserve Plutarch’s spirit of inspirational storytelling while gently noting moral complexities (such as slavery), aiming to foster sympathy for historic movements and ethical reflection as a foundation for lessons in justice and government. An introduction by W. D. Howells praises its simple wisdom and enduring appeal as a gateway to the original classics. This volume (paired with a companion on Romans) remains a popular living-books resource in classical homeschooling for its vivid portraits of Greek heroes and virtues.