Pliny s uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him. Pliny book 1 pliny book 1, letter 1 english translation. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder plinys sister. This anthology offers a comprehensive introduction to pliny the youngers epistulae for. Gibson, reading the letters of sidonius by the book, in j. Letters of pliny by pliny the younger full audio book. Thc bones were collected, and buried at the public expense. Pliny s letters provide valuable information about his contemporaries. Buy a cheap copy of the letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger. Ad 611 was also a prolific letter writer, who numbered among his correspondents such eminent figures as tacitus. In this letter, pliny tries to firmly tie his star to tacitus. Letters of the younger pliny, first series volume 1. I am extremely desirous therefore to know whether you believe in the existence of ghosts, and that they have a real form, and are a sort of divinities, or only the visionary impressions of.
I have read it two or three times and always notice something new of interest in the letters. The letters the thing in pliny, book 7 request pdf researchgate. Tacitus was maxime imitabilis, maxime imitandus by pliny when a youth. Suetonius and the uiri illustres of pliny the younger, in and eds. Commentary by jacqueline carlon oxford greek and latin college commentaries only 4 left in stock more on the way. The first detailed commentary on book 7 annotates the usual historical. Tacitus in plinys letters dickinson college commentaries. Pliny the younger wrote hundreds of letters, of which 247 survive and are of great historical value. Pliny the younger, or gaius plinius caecilius secundus, was the nephew and adopted son of pliny the elder, the author of the famous and importantly influential natural history in thirtyseven. Viii, and suggested as explanation a sequence of unhealthy seasons cf. View the new experience and read this book on fulcrum. Chapter 2 undertakes detailed study of book 6 as an artistic entity.
This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. The present recess from business we are now enjoying affords you leisure to give, and me to receive, instruction. It is not known which book this refers to perhaps a book from the histories of tacitus. I got pliny the youngers letter to trajan from the notes to eusebius ecclesiastical history, book iii, ch. In addition, however, it provides valuable insight into the extraordinary complex of ideas and beliefs current in pliny s era, many of which have resonances for other eras.
The oxford greek and latin college commentaries is designed for students in intermediate or advanced greek or latin. Chapter 1 traces pliny s autobiographical narrative throughout the letters. Direct observation, informed speculation and common knowledge are combined to present a key snapshot of ancient thought and the romans perspective on the world around them. The way pliny reasoned with his friend reveals the social rules of the day. This story i believe upon the affirmation of others. As a detailed study of the human animal, described by its author as the raison detre of nature, book seven of the elder pliny s natural history is crucial to the understanding of. This comprehensive general commentary on the nine books of the younger pliny s private letters which 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. In a separate introduction to book x are discussed. An introduction 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. A comprehensive introduction to pliny the youngers epistulae, complete with extensive commentary.
Tacitus is asked to insert an episode in which pliny showed to advantage in connexion with the prosecution of baebius cf. The letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Book 7 of the natural history is a weird, fun read. Many of his vast circle of associates are visible elsewhere among the rich literary and epigraphic sources surviving for the flavian and trajanic periods, and in. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. Short biographies of the elder and younger pliny, setting the context for the vesuvian letters. As a detailed study of the human animal, described by its author as the raison detre of nature, book seven of the elder pliny s natural history is crucial to the understanding of the work as a whole.
I have a freedman named marcus, who has some tincture of letters. The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. The second book is a typically varied yet taut suite of. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make.
The historians request this post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. Selected letters from pliny the youngers epistulae. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius caecilius or gaius caecilius cilo 61 c. This chapter examines plinys letter found in book 7, with particular reference to its status and some of the ways in which the letter was seen as the thing itself.
The first fourteen letters of this book are dated from the period preceding pliny s appointment as. Pliny, persuaded that the freedman was penitent, gave the refugee a stern lecture and then wrote to sabinianus on his behalf. Pliny likely wrote the letters from amisus before his term ended in january 1. A historical and social commentary oxford 1966 3637, with the summary of results at 41. Commentary by jacques bailly university of vermont. Pliny the younger wrote missives on anything from gossip about a recent dinner party to front page politics in first century ad, but perhaps the most fascinating letter included in this. On the contrary, when i consider the meaning of the term iselastic.
Pliny the elders natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. Pliny the youngers ninebook epistles is a masterpiece of roman prose. Another fawning letter to his literary friend tacitus reporting that he will send comments on tacitus book perhaps a different book from the book of tacitus mentioned similarly in pliny epistula 7. Chronology of the extortion trials chronology of the private letters in book x selection and distribution of correspondents the family of pliny the official career of pliny.
The blog posts about the vesuvius eruption are on hold while i complete my book, pliny and the destruction of vesuvius routledge, 2021. You have constantly urged me to collect and publish the more highly finished of the letters that i may have written. This final book was, significantly, not intended for publication. Sherwinwhite dates the letter to 106107 and thinks that the book mentioned here sent by tacitus to pliny is different from the book mentioned in pliny epistula 8. They thus lack the spontaneity of ciceros impulsive utterances, but to most modern readers who are not special students of roman history they are even more interesting. A total of 107 letters exchanged between them while he was abroad constitute the tenth book of his epistulae, prefaced by fourteen more addressed to trajan earlier in pliny s career. Bruttius praesens this mans career, and plinys letter to him epp. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified.
The original source is pliny the younger, epistles 10. The natural history book vii with book viii 4 pliny the elders natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. 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. The text of books i to ix of the letters rests on three manuscript traditions, the 9 book, the 10 book and the 8 book, known as. Selected letters from pliny the youngers oxford university press. Sherwinwhite cautions in the letters of pliny 219 and r.
I am obedient to your commands, my dear colleague, and i really am taking care of my eyes according to your instructions. Pliny book 1, letter 10 student commentary pliny book 1, letter. He was educated at home and then in rome under quintilian. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two famous letters when the elder pliny died. Pliny is in a power position, sabinianus in the middle, and. Pliny book 1, letter 6 latin text pliny book 1, letter 9 english translation pliny book 1, letter 9 latin text pliny book 1, letter 10 student commentary pliny book 1, letter 10 english translation. Pliny the youngers nine book epistles is a masterpiece of roman prose. This anthology offers a comprehensive introduction to pliny the youngers epistulae for intermediate and. As an orator and a writer, pliny sought to emulate cicero, and the result was a series of highly literary letters that now offer insightful discussions of imperial life and political issuesincluding the persecution of early christians, which pliny had a direct role in. It is also currently the best served book of the natural history in english, in that mary beagon has produced a translation and a scholarly commentary on the translated text that complements travillians edition of the latin text for students. The letters, on which today his fame mainly rests, were largely written with a view to publication, and were arranged by pliny himself. In a separate introduction to book x are discussed bithynia. Pliny the younger was the governor of bithynia and pontus on the black sea coast of anatolia, having arrived there around september 111 as the representative of emperor trajan.
853 108 380 729 268 776 792 413 416 115 1583 434 1368 1096 309 334 607 1010 1576 165 101 1038 73 1026 84 880 438 1426 1064 428 569 65 215 1357 979 1065 1290