Defending the Divine: Plutarch on the Gods of Herodotus

Abstract

Plutarch’s attack on Herodotus’ characterisation and portrayal of the gods in the de Herodoti malignitate and Plutarch’s own portrayal of the divine in his Persian-War Lives show a similar approach and orientation, arising from Plutarch’s belief that Herodotus had either not treated the divine in an appropriate way (e.g., Solon’s remark on the jealousy of the divinity, which was a serious affront to Plutarch’s Platonist beliefs) or that Herodotus had not included enough of the divine in his narrative of the Persian Wars, omitting the clear signs and indications of divine involvement that could so easily be found in other authors. Published in Anthony Ellis, ed., God in History (HISTOS Supplement 4), p. 41-83.