At the beginning of Plutarch’s Life of Pericles, Plutarch says that Pericles is, above all, a model
of affability and justice (μάλιστα δὲ πρᾳότητα καὶ δικαιοσύνην: 2.5.5). Nevertheless, in his later
exposition, the author comments on some aspects of his character that invite us to question his
impartiality, at least in judicial matters. For this reason, we aim to explore the meaning of the
term δικαιοσύνη in the context of the Life of Pericles in order to understand why the statesman
is a prototype of this virtue for our author.