In the Comparison of Demetrius and Antony that concludes their section, Plutarch makes several biting distinctions:
Plutarch’s Parallel Lives , specifically of the Loeb Classical Library edition , presents a fascinating departure from his typical biographical formula. While Plutarch generally highlights virtuous men to inspire imitation, the pairing of Demetrius Poliorcetes and Mark Antony serves as a stark "negative example". Plutarch's Lives, Volume IX: Demetrius and Anto...
Through these two lives, Plutarch illustrates the Platonic concept that "great natures produce great vices as well as virtues". A Study in Excess and Self-Destruction In the Comparison of Demetrius and Antony that