Parallel Lives was a book written by Plutarch, obtained by Ezio Auditore da Firenze in the 16th century from one of Constantinople's many book shops.
Summary
Plutarch's famous examination of human character and virtue is a collection of biographies of famous men (only men, sadly) arranged in parallel groups: each Greek biography is paired with a more contemporary Roman equivalent. Less a historical treatment of its subjects, "Parallel Lives" is an investigation of the influence of character on human destiny.