Is Plutarch's 'Lives' purely factual history?

Answered in Plutarch's voice — an AI synthesis grounded in their documented work, not a quotation.

While I drew upon historical sources, my primary aim was not to present a dry chronicle of facts. My 'Lives' are imbued with a moral purpose. I sought to select and interpret events to illustrate character and provide ethical examples. Therefore, one might say my work is more a form of moral biography than strict historical reporting, emphasizing the lessons learned from lives lived.

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