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Plutarch · c. AD 46-after 119

Life of Agis

Ἄγις
Ancient Sources / Plutarch / Life of Agis

Plutarch's Life of Agis tells of Agis, the young Eurypontid king of Sparta who tried to cancel debts, redistribute land and restore the laws of Lycurgus. It follows his reforms, his quarrel with the rival king Leonidas and the ephors, and his execution in prison. It is paired with the Life of Cleomenes, and the two Spartan Lives together are set beside the Lives of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus.

Read from the start
Text
Greek original with English translation, 8 passages, about 6900 words in English.
Translator
Bernadotte Perrin (1921)
Edition
Bernadotte Perrin (ed. and trans.), Plutarch's Lives, vol. 10, Loeb Classical Library, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, 1921 (Greek text as digitised by Perseus)
Cite as
Plutarch, Life of Agis 1.1 (by chapter, section)

Contents · 8 passages

  1. 1.1–2.6Prologue: the love of glory, Ixion and the Gracchi826 words
  2. 3.1–5.4Sparta's decline, the kings Agis and Leonidas, and Epitadeus' law878 words
  3. 6.1–7.5Agis gathers allies, and Sparta's women are divided745 words
  4. 8.1–10.4Agis' land and debt bill, the oracles of Pasiphae, and Leonidas' objection860 words
  5. 11.1–12.4Lysander indicts Leonidas; the ephors are removed644 words
  6. 13.1–16.3The burning of the debt records, Agis' campaign with Aratus, and Leonidas' return1027 words
  7. 17.1–18.4Chilonis pleads for Cleombrotus; Leonidas plots against Agis739 words
  8. 19.1–21.3Agis is seized and put to death; Archidamia and Agesistrata are executed1142 words

More by Plutarch

English translation by Bernadotte Perrin (1921). Original text: Bernadotte Perrin (ed. and trans.), Plutarch's Lives, vol. 10, Loeb Classical Library, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, 1921 (Greek text as digitised by Perseus).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.