Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus. Pliny saw himself as a writer and you can see that in his carefully thoughtout pleasing phrases and sentences. This custom, however, of anointing themselves, is inveighed against by the satirists as in the number of their luxurious indulgences. Book 7, letter 24 ummidia quadratilla has just died. Pliny was an energetic man, hugely desirous of literary immortality, who wrote his books in the interstices of a full career as a soldier and an administrator.
While this book does contain a lot of first hand information about life in imperial rome especially the legal system and the elaborate network of favors, obligations, and patronage in the senatorial class its not especially readable, being a collection of letters written by pliny and, near the end, by the emperor trajan to pliny. Gibson and ruth morello frontmatter more information acknowledgements this book began as a conversation on a train on the way back from a conference in 1998. Arrianus cornelius tacitus 14 paternus 15 fundanus 16 valerius paulinus 17 asinius gallus 18 arrius antoninus 19. Pliny in this letter internet history sourcebooks fordham university. Pliny the youngers most popular book is the letters of the younger pliny. The letters of pliny the younger is a deserved classic an intimate glimpse of the daily life of an upperclass roman citizen in the late first century a. Non medius fidius ipsas athenas tam atticas dixerim. Pliny the younger the eruption of vesuvius letter 6. Pliny the elders most popular book is natural history.
This was a delightful read, with much that is quotable. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder pliny s sister. Pliny responded with a narrative extending from the early afternoon. Pliny s letters provide a fascinating insight into roman life in the period 97 to 112 ad. Pliny the younger, the roman governor of bithynia et pontus now in modern turkey wrote a letter to emperor trajan around 112 ad and asked for counsel on dealing with christians.
This work includes two references to jesus and christians in book 18, chapter 3 and book 20, chapter 9, and also a reference to john the baptist in book 18, chapter 5. Pliny s dates are pinned to the eruption of mount vesuvius in ad 79 and a statement of his nephew that he died in his 56th year, which would put his birth in ad 23 or 24 pliny was the son of an equestrian gaius plinius celer and his wife marcella. The letters of the younger pliny are a good source to look into during this period of roman history to see the dangers and excitement in which these people lived there certainly was a lot of it. The letters of the younger pliny classics pliny the younger. When pliny the younger was 17 or 18, his uncle pliny the elder died attempting to rescue victims of the vesuvius eruption, and the terms of the elder pliny s will passed his estate to his nephew. Pliny s letters are important as a social document of his times. Women book 4, letter 19 pliny is flattered that calpurnia, his young wife, follows his literary career with enthusiasm. Pliny requested clarification as to the punishment of christians for the name itself or for crimes supposedly associated with being a christian. The project gutenberg ebook of letters of pliny, by pliny this ebook is for the use. However, only the first half of this book is without significant typos. This aim for balance within each book became for sherwinwhite a guiding rule. With how much worry is she afficted when i am about to deliver a speech, with how much joy when i.
The letters of pliny the younger penguin classics paperback 4 dec 2003. As i know how mildly you treat your own servants i the more frankly confess to you the indulgence i shew to mine. Pliny scorns the more scientific grrek medicine, because many doctors would be quacks, and extols old roman treatments which worked on faith alone, though there was a lot of credulity going round, so some probably worked. Pliny the elder, roman savant and author of the celebrated natural history, an encyclopedic work of uneven accuracy that was an authority on scientific matters up to the middle ages. Pliny the younger has 144 books on goodreads with 6474 ratings. Definitely recommended to those who are interested in looking into our ancient past. Mar 03, 2011 to calpurnia hispulla, his wifes aunt cum sis, pietatis exemplum, filiam fratris tui ut tuam diligis, since youre dutifulness example d. I got pliny the youngers letter to trajan from the notes to eusebius ecclesiastical history, book iii, ch. The letters, on which today his fame mainly rests, were largely written with a view to publication, and were arranged by pliny himself. Neither the younger nor the elder pliny mention the names. Their ultimate source is a fragmentary inscription cil v 1 3442 found in a field in. The publication of plinys letters 19 speech it accompanies, a guide also to. Trajan with pliny the younger, governor of bithynia c.
Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of th. The text of books i to ix of the letters rests on three manuscript traditions, the 9book, the 10book and the 8book, known as. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. You have constantly urged me to collect and publish the more highly finished of the letters that i may have written. Lefkowitz fannia was granddaughter of the famous arria the elder, a stoic, who committed suicide when her husband, caecina paetus, was condemned to death in a. 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. Lets hope that our talking about him will immortalize him.
The next known reference to christianity was written by pliny the younger, who was the roman governor of bithynia and pontus during the reign of emperor trajan. The book is rambling and discursive, full of vignettes, asides, and diatribes. 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. If the construction of a new bath will not cripple the finances of prusa, we can indulge their wishes, only it must be understood that no new imposts are to be raised to meet the cost, and that their contributions for necessary expenses shall not show any falling off. Arria was by no means a political innocent and would certainly have shared the blame for her husbands role in the conspiracy. An unsuspected shared enthusiasm for pliny led to a. Read complete letters by pliny the younger available from rakuten kobo. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of letters to and from the emperor trajan. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restric. Aug 28, 2014 rhiannon ash fellow and tutor in classics, merton college, oxford university discusses pliny and the genre of letter writing in the ancient world, with particular reference to letter 6.
The appendix note puts the whole thing into perspective. She was later banished, by domitian, but returned after his death and became a friend of pliny. I peter, chapter 4, verse 15, appears to reflect this situation. He was with the fleet he was commanding at misenum bay of naples. Gaius plinius secundus ad 232479, called pliny the elder. He was educated at home and then in rome under quintilian. 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. The first incomplete edition of pliny s epistles was published in italy in 1471. She has my little books, she is reading them, even learning them by heart. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. Books by pliny the younger author of the letters of the.
As you are an exemplary instance of tender regard to your family in general, and to your late excellent brother in particular, whose warm attachment you returned with an equal fondness. The letters of pliny the younger kindle edition by pliny. This post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. With an english translation by william melmoth, rev.
Book x of the letters contains his correspondence with trajan during this period, and includes letters about the early christians. Licinius nepos, praetor in 105, comes twice into action 4. Pliny book 1 pliny book 1, letter 1 english translation pliny book 1, letter 1 latin text pliny book 1, letter 6 english translation. And perhaps pliny, who had been in office continuously for nine years, simply wanted to live a bit more quietly. Google scholar, discusses plinys two letters about suetonius in book 1 1. Sep 16, 2012 trajans reply to the letter by pliny from 2 days ago. This may indicate that previous trials had taken place and that pliny was unaware of any existing edicts under trajan for prosecuting christians. Pliny opens the letter sections 14 with questions to trajan concerning trials of christians brought before him, since he says he has never been present at any trials of christians. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such. Pliny was expert in finance and an alert contriver everywhere.
Fuscus 10 macrinus 11 fabatus 12 minicius ferox 14 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. Complete letters ebook by pliny the younger rakuten kobo. Pliny read and dictated in a sedan chair as he moved about urban areas. Book 7, letter 27 pliny tells two stroies about ghosts who prophesied the future, and one about a house that was haunted by the ghost of a murder victim who had been buried in the house. To a certain extent, the letters are comparable to the building erected by rich. Cum sis pietatis exemplum fratremque optimum et amantissimum tui pari caritate dilexeris filiamque eius ut tuam diligas nec tantum amitae ei, verum etiam patris amissi adfectum repraesentes, non dubito maximo tibi gaudio fore, cum cognoveris dignam patre, dignam te, dignam avo evadere. For my research i need especially books 31 and 33, with small parts of books 2, 9 and 19. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was born at como in 62 a. My uncle, pliny the elder, died in a terrible incident which also left our region in ruins. The original source is pliny the younger, epistles 10.
The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such subjects as botany, zoology, and astronomy. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of. In this letter, pliny is writing about events that happened more than a half century earlier. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two famous letters when the elder pliny died. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. Pliny the elder has 280 books on goodreads with 3761 ratings. Dear acilius, 1 a terrible thing, worthy of more than just a letter, has been suffered at the hands of his slaves by larcius macedo, a man of praetorian rank, a haughty and savage master who remembered too little or rather too well that his own father had been a slave. Sometime between 1495 and 1500 giovanni giocondo discovered a manuscript in paris of pliny s tenth book of letters, containing his correspondence with trajan, and published it in paris, dedicating the work to louis xii. It was at this time that pliny became closer to his uncle pliny the elder. Jan 16, 2006 dear acilius, 1 a terrible thing, worthy of more than just a letter, has been suffered at the hands of his slaves by larcius macedo, a man of praetorian rank, a haughty and savage master who remembered too little or rather too well that his own father had been a slave. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder plinys sister. A sixthcentury fragment of the letters of pliny the younger a study of six leaves of an uncial manuscript preserved in the pierpont morgan library new york.
Like to a fathers was his gentle sway, and that expression in our own language, father of a household. You have to wait until the end of the book to see the breezy roman way he makes the decision to execute a couple of christian women. Pliny the younger, latin in full gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born 6162 ce, comum italydied c. So symes suggestion, which fits better the dates of other letters in the book, can stand. This final book was, significantly, not intended for publication. Pliny may have referred to mimiambi a form of verse written by herodas rather than to iambics. Church andbrod liberty of borrowing the above ren ribbs pliny for euglish readers. Pdf the publication of plinys letters 2015 john bodel. His nephew pliny the younger gives an indication how devoted his uncle was to reading and studying, which was like working to him. In 103, he published three books, containing a part of his correspondence.
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. 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. 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. The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. The letters of the younger pliny by pliny the younger. As you are an exemplary instance of tender regard to your family in general, and to your late excellent. The loeb classical library edition of pliny the younger is in two volumes. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about. Persons of that quality may succumb to inadvertence, although not very often. I would recommend this book for anyone looking to study roman history. The natural history there is no book so bad that some good cannot be got out of it, pliny the elder used to say, and he read everything that he could obtain.
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