Plutarch distinguishes their collapses: Demetrius was deserted by his soldiers, but Antony deserted his soldiers by fleeing during battle.
Plutarch credits Demetrius for winning his own victories, whereas he notes that many of Antony's greatest triumphs were actually won by his generals in his absence.
In the Comparison of Demetrius and Antony that concludes their section, Plutarch makes several biting distinctions: Plutarch's Lives, Volume IX: Demetrius and Anto...
Volume IX remains a pivotal text for understanding the transition from the Hellenistic world to the Roman Empire, offering the sole continuous account of Demetrius’ career and a nuanced (if moralizing) look at the man who nearly ruled Rome alongside Cleopatra. Plutarch • Comparison of Demetrius and Antony
Neither death is praised. Demetrius is criticized for allowing himself to be captured and "tamed like a wild beast" in prison. Antony ’s suicide, while deemed "pitiful and ignoble," is slightly preferred only because it prevented him from falling into enemy hands. Why Plutarch Wrote Them Plutarch • Comparison of Demetrius and Antony Neither
The Tragedy of Great Natures: Exploring Plutarch’s Volume IX
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 Why Plutarch Wrote Them The Tragedy of Great
The inclusion of these "blameworthy" lives is a deliberate educational tool. Plutarch argues that just as young flute players are shown both good and bad performers to learn distinction, readers are more eager to imitate the good when they see the disastrous consequences of the bad.