With an english translation by william melmoth, rev. Internet archive bookreader plinys natural history. The letters of the younger pliny the younger, pliny. This comprehensive general commentary on the nine books of the younger plinys private letterswhich cover nearly aspect of roman life except warfareoffers a selfcontained discussion of each letter or group of associated letters and their rich array of information about the authors social, political, and legal life and times. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. Nonfiction harvard classics pliny the younger letters. We served in the army together, and were colleagues in the quaestorship under caesar. Between 100 and 109 he published nine books of selected private letters, beginning with those covering events from the death of emperor domitian september 97 to the early part of 100.
A prominent lawyer and administrator, pliny was also a prolific letterwriter, who numbered among his correspondents such eminent figures as. An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit. Born in como, italy, pliny the younger was the nephew of pliny the elder, who is considered by many to be the greatest naturalist of antiquity pliny was orphaned at an early age had virginius rufus an important man and general in the roman army as his. At this time, pliny already had reached the peak of his political career. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was born at como in 62 a. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder pliny s sister. Providing a series of fascinating views of imperial rome, the letters of the younger pliny also offer one of the fullest selfportraits to survive from classical times. He was educated at home and then in rome under quintilian. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, known as pliny the younger, was the son of a landowner from comum in northern italy. Pliny the elder pliny, the elder the online books page. This penguin classics edition is translated with an introduction by betty radice. These letters concern an episode which marks the first time the roman government recognized christianity as a.
She has left a will that does her great credit, having disposed of two thirds of her estate to her grandson, and the rest to her granddaughter. The twentieth letter of the second book of the younger plinys collection of letters a text that purports to have been sent to one calvisius rufus leaves little doubt. Pliny the younger was born in novum comum como, northern italy around 61 ad, the son of lucius caecilius cilo, born there, and his wife plinia marcella, a sister of pliny the elder. The story of this dolphin is also told by pliny the elder, hn. Consider that you are sent to the province of achaia, that real, genuine greece where politeness. This final book was, significantly, not intended for publication. Page 477 it was not at that distance discernible from what mountain this cloud issued, but it was found afterwards to ascend from mount vesuvius. Note on the text the text of books i to ix of the letters rests on three manuscript traditions, the 9book, the 10book and the 8 book, known as.
Contents size vellum binding t he morgan fragment of pliny the younger contains the end of book ii and the beginning of book iii of the letters ii, xx. The loeb classical library edition of pliny the younger is in two volumes. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius caecilius or gaius caecilius cilo 61 c. Pliny has a gift for description and a versatile prose style, and more than any of his contemporaries he gives an unprejudiced picture of rome as he knew it. Some are addressed to reigning emperors or to notables such as the historian tacitus. Primary sources letters of pliny the younger and the.
Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. The love i bear you obliges me to give you, not indeed a precept for you are far from needing a preceptor, but a reminder that you should resolutely act up to the knowledge you already have, or else improve it. He was only eight years old when his father caecilius died, and he was adopted by his uncle, the elder pliny, author of the natural history. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. Pliny the elder pliny, the elder a wikipedia article about this author is available pliny, the elder.
Pliny the elder ad 23479 had the more interesting life. She has left a will that does her great credit, having disposed of two thirds of her estate. Pliny, martial and regulus, or the problem of lacking approval in lifetime scholars usually date book 19 of the letters to the period of 96108 ad5. The letters of the younger pliny by pliny the younger, 9780140441277, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. See more ideas about pliny the elder, medieval art and illuminated manuscript. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. Selections from the history of the world, commonly called the natural history of c. Pliny the younger wrote hundreds of letters, of which 247 survive and are of great historical value. Speeches i can read fairly well, but my reading of poetry is much inferior. Chapter 2 undertakes detailed study of book 6 as an artistic entity.
Pliny himself defines his scope as the natural world, or life. Pliny also usefully admits the normality of tremors in campania, which may explain the relatively nonchalant attitude of pliny and his mother. Skull of pompeii hero pliny the elder may have been found. Aug 23, 2019 pliny the younger, trajan emperor of rome 53117, domitian emperor of rome 5196, nerva emperor of rome ca. Choose from 500 different sets of latin pliny 6 1 flashcards on quizlet. Choose from 500 different sets of pliny letter translation flashcards on quizlet. Often mined as a historical and pedagogical sourcebook, this collection of private letters is now finding recognition as a rich and rewarding work in its own right. Barclay, 184749, also by philemon holland and wernerian club page images at hathitrust pliny, the elder.
Ummidia quadratilla is dead, having lived almost to her eightieth year. Edited with introduction, notes and vocabulary by e. Learn latin pliny 6 1 with free interactive flashcards. This is the first general introduction to plinys letters published in any language, combining close readings with broader context and adopting a fresh and innovative approach to reading the letters as an artistically structured collection. Pliny served as an imperial magistrate under trajan reigned 98117, and his letters to trajan provide one of the few surviving records of the relationship between the imperial office and provincial governors. The works subject area is thus not limited to what is today understood by natural history. Plinys natural history in thirtyseven books london. The 10th book contains addresses to emperor trajan on sundry official problems and the emperors replies. Pliny the youngers nine book epistles is a masterpiece of roman prose. Plinys statement about precursory earthquakes is corroborated by the otherwise more fanciful account of cassius dio 66. Sep 16, 2012 trajans reply to the letter by pliny from 2 days ago. This comprehensive general commentary on the nine books of the younger pliny s private letterswhich cover nearly aspect of roman life except warfareoffers a selfcontained discussion of each letter or group of associated letters and their rich array of information about the authors social, political, and legal life and times. This volume brings together some of the best and most influential work to be published on the epistles of pliny the younger in recent decades. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge.
We see pliny describe his consideration for his modest wife 6. This selection includes 450 lines of martial and 580 of pliny the younger. The style is very different from that in the panegyricus, and some commentators maintain that pliny initiated a new genre. Consider that you are sent to the province of achaia, that real, genuine greece where politeness, learning, and even agriculture itself, are supposed to have first arisen. The text of books i to ix of the letters rests on three manuscript traditions, the 9book, the 10book and the 8 book, known as. What happens in each of the 24 books of the iliad by homer. Marcus aquilius regulus was a monster, a legacy hunter in addition to his wellknown role as a professional denouncer in court under nero and domitian, in short, an. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder plinys sister. She enjoyed till her last sickness an uninterrupted state of health, with a strength and firmness of body unusual even to matrons in their prime. I cannot give you a more exact description of its figure than by resembling it to that of a pinetree, for it shot up a great height in the form of a trunk, which extended itself at the top into a sort of branches. Corellia 15 saturninus 16 fabatus 17 celer 18 caninius 19 priscus 20 tacitus 21 cornutus 22 falco 23 fabatus 24 geminus 25 rufus 26 maximus 27 sura 28 septicius 29 montanus 30 genitor 31 cornutus 32 fabatus 33 tacitus. An equestrian, from the second rank in society, he fought as an officer in germany, where he was a tentcompanion of the future. Kennedy, the introduction deals with scansion and gives an outline of martials life and this relations with pliny. A skull on display at the museum of the history of the art of medicine in rome may have belonged to pliny the elder, who died while leading rescue.
Sep 04, 2017 a skull on display at the museum of the history of the art of medicine in rome may have belonged to pliny the elder, who died while leading rescue efforts during the mount vesuvius eruption of ad 79. Covering historical, autobiographical, and literary aspects of the epistles and their reception, the 19 classic articles included here offer a wide and representative range of approaches to pliny, from prosopography and social history to. Writing in the second century ce ad, pliny s correspondence includes letters to tacitus, suetonius and the emperor trajan. Pliny the younger, latin in full gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born 6162 ce, comum italydied c. Chapter 1 traces plinys autobiographical narrative throughout the letters. I have a very intimate regard for calestrius tiro, who is bound to me by close personal and official ties. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century. Thirtythree epigrams follow, arranged by their traditional numbering, with copious notes on each extract. Selections from plinys letters by pliny the younger. Learn pliny letter translation with free interactive flashcards.
Volume 9, books 3335, natural history loeb classical. Mar 22, 2012 this is the first general introduction to pliny s letters published in any language, combining close readings with broader context and adopting a fresh and innovative approach to reading the letters as an artistically structured collection. Pliny the youngers ninebook epistles is a masterpiece of roman prose. Pliny the younger, trajan emperor of rome 53117, domitian emperor of rome 5196, nerva emperor of rome ca. Born in como, italy, pliny the younger was the nephew of pliny the elder, who is considered by many to be the greatest naturalist of antiquity. Plinys uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him and they were both witnesses to the eruption of vesuvius on 24 august 79 ad. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two famous letters when the elder pliny died. Letters of pliny the younger and the emperor trajan. After his fathers death pliny was brought up by his uncle, pliny the elder. Trajans reply to the letter by pliny from 2 days ago. Pliny s lively and very personal letters address an astonishing range of topics, from a deeply moving account of his uncles death in the eruption that engulfed pompeii, to observations on the early christiansa desperate.
Both lively and personal, perhaps selfconsciously modelled on ciceros letters, these give us an intimate glimpse into rome at this period. The first reference to plinys own activities as a poet is to be found in book 4, which sherwinwhite dates to 1045 ad6. He was the grandson of senator and landowner gaius caecilius, revered his uncle, pliny the elder who at this time was extremely famous around the roman empire. Internet archive bookreader pliny s natural history. Mar 14, 2014 the twentieth letter of the second book of the younger plinys collection of letters a text that purports to have been sent to one calvisius rufus leaves little doubt. You would have heard the wails of women, the shrieks of infants, shouts gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius caecilius or gaius caecilius cilo 61 ad ca. By practising this you acquire fitness and beauty of expression, a good stock of metaphors, and the power of saying what you mean, whilst, by imitating the best models, you fall into the way of finding thoughts similar to theirs. Pliny s uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to the modern day and purports to cover all ancient knowledge.
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