Another look at the crossreferences in Plutarch’s Parallel lives

The cross references in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives have often been examined, since they provide precious information about the chronology of the different pairs of biographies. As a result of this specific focus on their chronological value, however, they have never been studied for their own sake, although they throw an interesting light on Plutarch’s authorial intentions. This article seeks to set the balance right by closely examining the content of the cross references and their purpose. This results in two complementary typologies that illustrate in various ways the overall moral project of the Parallel Lives.