Student Colloquium: Lessons in Citizenship from Plutarch

{ "name": "Student Colloquium: Lessons in Citizenship from Plutarch", "description": "We invite you to apply for the upcoming *Learning Liberty Colloquium on \nPlutarch*, hosted by the Center for Ethics in Society and facilitated by \nPhilosophy Professor Tom Larson. Learn about Plutarch, whose writings, \nespecially his biographies of Greeks and Romans, have been read and beloved \nby so many, including Thomas More, Shakespeare, Machiavelli, Montagne, \nRousseau, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Ralph Waldo \nEmerson, and Friedrich Nietzsche. (Even Frankenstein\u2019s creature!)\n\nCome and discuss Plutarch\u2019s lives of:\n\n * Lycurgus, lawgiver of Sparta\n * Solon, lawgiver of Athens\u00a0\n * Numa, the second king of Rome, and\n * Caius Marcius, subject of Shakespeare\u2019s \"Coriolanus\"\n\nThis event promises a weekend of thoughtful study, reflection, and \nconversations about the writings of Plutarch, which cover many topics \nincluding: history, ethics, psychology, political theory, biography, drama, \nand lessons in civic leadership.\n\nStudents will read 75-100 pages in preparation for this colloquium and will \nreceive a $150 stipend for their participation. Food will be provided.\n\n*Dates:*\n\n * Friday, March 27, 6:00 - 9:00 PM\n * Saturday, March 28, 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM\n \u00a0\n\n.... APPLY TODAY \u2192 [1]\n \u00a0\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\u201cThe excellence of Plutarch consists in these very details which we are no \nlonger permitted to describe. With inimitable grace he paints the great man \nin little things; and he is so happy in the choice of his instances that a \nword, a smile, a gesture, will often suffice to indicate the nature of his \nhero. With a jest Hannibal cheers his frightened soldiers, and leads them \nlaughing to the battle which will lay Italy at his feet; Agesilaus riding on \na stick makes me love the conqueror of the great king; Caesar passing through \na poor village and chatting with his friends unconsciously betrays the \ntraitor who professed that he only wished to be Pompey\u2019s equal. Alexander \nswallows a draught without a word\u2014it is the finest moment in his life; \nAristides writes his own name on the shell and so justifies his title; \nPhilopoemen, his mantle laid aside, chops firewood in the kitchen of his \nhost. This is the true art of portraiture. Our disposition does not show \nitself in our features, nor our character in our great deeds; it is trifles \nthat show what we really are. What is done in public is either too \ncommonplace or too artificial, and our modern authors are almost too grand to \ntell us anything else.\u201d (Rousseau, \"Emile\")\n\n\n[1] https:\/\/forms.gle\/1MtwwZ46fHEXKi379\n", "startDate": "2026-03-27", "startTime": "18:00", "endDate": "2026-03-27", "endTime": "21:00", "label": "Add to Calendar", "options": [ "Apple", "Google", "iCal", "Microsoft365", "MicrosoftTeams", "Outlook.com", "Yahoo" ], "timeZone": "America\/New_York", "trigger": "click", "listStyle": "modal", "iCalFileName": "anselm-event-28196", "location": "Gregory J. Grappone Humanities Institute" }

Student Colloquium: Lessons in Citizenship from Plutarch

In Person

March 27, 2026

6:00 pm EDT - 9:00 pm EDT

Location: Gregory J. Grappone Humanities Institute

We invite you to apply for the upcoming Learning Liberty Colloquium on Plutarch, hosted by the Center for Ethics in Society and facilitated by Philosophy Professor Tom Larson. Learn about Plutarch, whose writings, especially his biographies of Greeks and Romans, have been read and beloved by so many, including Thomas More, Shakespeare, Machiavelli, Montagne, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Friedrich Nietzsche. (Even Frankenstein’s creature!)

Come and discuss Plutarch’s lives of:

Lycurgus, lawgiver of Sparta
Solon, lawgiver of Athens
Numa, the second king of Rome, and
Caius Marcius, subject of Shakespeare’s "Coriolanus"

This event promises a weekend of thoughtful study, reflection, and conversations about the writings of Plutarch, which cover many topics including: history, ethics, psychology, political theory, biography, drama, and lessons in civic leadership.

Students will read 75-100 pages in preparation for this colloquium and will receive a $150 stipend for their participation. Food will be provided.

Dates:

Friday, March 27, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Saturday, March 28, 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM

APPLY TODAY →

“The excellence of Plutarch consists in these very details which we are no longer permitted to describe. With inimitable grace he paints the great man in little things; and he is so happy in the choice of his instances that a word, a smile, a gesture, will often suffice to indicate the nature of his hero. With a jest Hannibal cheers his frightened soldiers, and leads them laughing to the battle which will lay Italy at his feet; Agesilaus riding on a stick makes me love the conqueror of the great king; Caesar passing through a poor village and chatting with his friends unconsciously betrays the traitor who professed that he only wished to be Pompey’s equal. Alexander swallows a draught without a word—it is the finest moment in his life; Aristides writes his own name on the shell and so justifies his title; Philopoemen, his mantle laid aside, chops firewood in the kitchen of his host. This is the true art of portraiture. Our disposition does not show itself in our features, nor our character in our great deeds; it is trifles that show what we really are. What is done in public is either too commonplace or too artificial, and our modern authors are almost too grand to tell us anything else.” (Rousseau, "Emile")