Plutarco medico dell’anima . Alcune osservazioni su metafore e similitudini mediche nel corpus dei Moralia

This article investigates the relationship between Plutarch and medicine within the Moralia, focusing on his use of medical metaphors and similes. Plutarch’s deliberate engagement with technical medical terminology establishes a dual framework in which philosophy and medicine function in parallel to heal the soul and the body, respectively. This approach underscores the equal importance of both disciplines, revealing a profound connection between physical and spiritual well-being. Through a close reading of De adulatore et amico, the study highlights how Plutarch employs medical imagery to structure his argument on the theme of deceit in friendship, drawing on concepts of diagnosis and treatment. The article argues that Plutarch’s recourse to medical language is not merely rhetorical but reflects a broader philosophical project in which medicine serves as a potent metaphor for moral healing.