Le De sera, dialogue pythique: hasard et providence, philosophie et religion dans la pensée de Plutarque

Abstract

This reconsideration of the structure of the De sera focuses first on the major opposition of Tyche and Pronoia: anti-Epicurean trend, Academic eulabeia and intensive use of eikos characterize a methodical and consistent reflexion, very far from being «a jumble of disordered remarks» — a tentative analysis of the composition is given in appendix. It proceeds to a second couple of terms, not opposed as are Tyche and Pronoia, but complementary, Philosophy and Religion, that allow to read the De sera as a Pythian Dialogue: already in the logos, — especially through what I would call the «Delphic proof» of the immortality of the soul —, but foremost in the celestial description of the mythos, Plutarch shows how much he is concerned with saving both (philosophical) transcendence and (religious) relations between men and God.