Pliny the younger author of the letters of the younger pliny. The letters by gaius plinius caecilius secundus librarything. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified. Letters of pliny by pliny the younger full audio book great. Primary sources letters of pliny the younger and the. 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 younger, latin in full gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born 6162 ce, comum italydied c. He was only eight years old when his father caecilius died, and he was adopted by his uncle, the. Librivox recording of the natural history, volume 3, by pliny the elder. Thank you for asking me to send you a description of my uncles death so that you can leave an accurate account of it for posterity1. Buy fifty letters of pliny 2 by pliny the younger, sherwinwhite, a.
Chambers, pliny the youngers character as revealed through his letters 1998 stanley e. Pliny the younger ancient rome classical literature. Read complete letters by pliny the younger available from rakuten kobo. Complete letters ebook by pliny the younger rakuten kobo. 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.
Pliny the younger wrote hundreds of letters, many of which still survive and are of great historical value. Book i the letters of pliny book i i to septicius clarus 1. Letters of pliny the younger and the emperor trajan. For the duration of the mandate, observe that plinys predecessor julius ferox is. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius caecilius or gaius caecilius cilo 61 ad ca. Roman literary life book 1, letter 1 pliny has accepited his friends advice and collected some of his letters for publication. 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. Plinys 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. An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit.
Plinys uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him. Naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. Pliny the youngers letter on the early christians in the. Pliny emerges not only but perhaps above all as a sophisticated editor and architect of his collection. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Chapter 1 traces plinys autobiographical narrative throughout the letters. He wrote part of a history of rome, which was continued by the elder pliny. Buy a cheap copy of the letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger. 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. Sep 16, 2012 trajans reply to the letter by pliny from 2 days ago. Pliny s uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him.
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. 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. The silver latin of pliny is mercifully easy to read. Gaius plinius secundus ad 232479, called pliny the elder. Originally intended as letters for historian tacitus, to describe and perhaps glorify the.
Neither the younger nor the elder pliny mention the names. Letters of pliny by pliny the younger full audio book. Chapter 2 undertakes detailed study of book 6 as an artistic entity. Their ultimate source is a fragmentary inscription cil v 1 3442 found in a field in. Now the day begins, with a still hesitant and almost lazy dawn. Roman senator and writer, gaius plinius caecilius secundus otherwise known as pliny the younger, who was seventeen years old at the time of the eruption, had witnessed the vesuvius eruption of 79 ad from the home of his uncle in misenum and managed to write a very accurate account some 25 years later. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was born at como in 62 a. The thought of pliny the elder, clarendon press 1992, s. The table below is a summary based on modern names for topics. The numbering of the letters in this book has been changed slightly to bring it into line with the most recent editions. The letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger.
The letters of the younger pliny penguin classics pdf. Natural history pliny project gutenberg selfpublishing. Illustrated delphi ancient classics book 28 by pliny the younger, gaius plinius caecilius secundus. A short book that consists of a few pages of history of the eruption of vesuvius in ad 79, minibiographies of pliny the elder, pliny the younger, and the historian tacitus. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to the modern day and purports to cover the entire. See key to translations for an explanation of the format. Pliny devised a summarium, or list of contents, at the beginning of the work that was later interpreted by modern printers as a table of contents. The horrid barbarity which the slaves of larcius macedo, a person of praetorian rank, lately exercised upon their master, is so extremely tragical, that it deserves to be the subject of something more considerable than a private letter.
This was a delightful read, with much that is quotable. 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. 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. Betty radice, letters of the younger pliny viking press 1976 betty radice, pliny letters and panegyricus harvard univ pr 1969 p. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such. Pliny the younger was a successful lawyer, administrator and author of ancient rome. One wonders if he would have included pliny the youngers information. 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. Plinys letters provide a fascinating insight into roman life in the period 97 to 112 ad. The letter g is for gazing at a giant globe of geography. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such subjects as botany, zoology, and astronomy. I know that immortal fame awaits him if his death is recorded by you. Pliny s uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him and they were both witnesses to the eruption of vesuvius on 24 august 79 ad.
The letters of the younger pliny penguin classics by pliny the younger and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus known as pliny the younger in the englishspeaking world, to distinguish him from his. Letters of pliny by pliny the younger free at loyal books. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder plinys sister. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. There is no book so bad that some good can not be got out of it. The letters of pliny the younger by pliny the younger. Jun 27, 2017 a recording of pliny the youngers account of pliny the elders death during the eruption of mount vesuvius. G is for globe is one of a series of designs of an illustrated alphabet in a collection called alphabet soup. Through his many detailed letters epistulae to friends and associates, he has become one of the bestknown of all roman writers. Scholars have acknowledged the broad range of topics and personalities pliny engaged. 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.
Another keynote of the book is the letter collections ability to absorb a very wide variety of critical approaches and reading strategies. Then follows a translation of the two letters that pliny the younger, an eyewitness to the eruption, wrote to his friend tacitus 25 years later. Pliny was a successful administrator who attained the highest administrative posts of praetor and consul. Trajans reply to the letter by pliny from 2 days ago. More information about this seller contact this seller 25. The text of books i to ix of the letters rests on three manuscript traditions, the 9book, the 10book and the 8book, known as. We also learn about plinys life when not in town, and as a governor of bythinia. The works subject area is thus not limited to what is today understood by natural history.
Both pliny the elder and the younger were witnesses to the eruption of vesuvius in 79 ad, in which the former died. Digital illustration based on several concept sketches. Hoffer, the anxieties of pliny the younger american philological association. Pliny the younger wrote a letter to the emperor in order to find out how to handle the superstition held by christians. Throughout, you can see that pliny derives great pleasure from reading.
This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. Pliny s letters provide a fascinating insight into roman life in the period 97 to 112 ad. Delphi complete works of pliny the younger illustrated delphi ancient classics book 28 by pliny the younger, gaius plinius caecilius secundus 4. Ad 611 was also a prolific letterwriter, who numbered among his correspondents such eminent figures as tacitus. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus. Chapter 1 traces pliny s autobiographical narrative throughout the letters. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. His carefully groomed letters reveal a fascinating picture of the mature empire. You have often urged me to collect and publish any letters of mine which were composed with some care. 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. An index to the letters on this site arranged by book and letter number. Pliny himself defines his scope as the natural world, or life.
What emerges from this book is a panoramic picture of a world that is not even very different from our own. Book 1, letter 3 pliny is shocked that the people walk out in the middle of recitations. Pliny book 1 pliny book 1, letter 1 english translation pliny book 1, letter 1 latin text. Literature was taken much more seriously in the time of the emperor claudius. Download pdf the letters of pliny the younger free.
The post is duly registered on the inscription ils 2927. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of letters to and from the emperor trajan. Pliny saw himself as a writer and you can see that in his carefully thoughtout pleasing phrases and sentences. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two. You have constantly urged me to collect and publish the more highly finished of the letters that i may have written. These letters concern an episode which marks the first time the roman government recognized christianity as a. Some contemporary texts polycarp to the philippians 110140 a. Pliny the younger born 6162 ce in novum comum modernday como in northern italy. A collection of 50 letters by pliny selected and edited with introd. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius caecilius or gaius caecilius cilo 61 c. The letters of pliny the younger, translated by william melmoth and revised by f. Click on the l symbols to go the latin text of each letter. Especially noteworthy among the letters are two in which he describes the eruption of mount vesuvius in august 79, during which his uncle pliny the elder died 65 and 66 in this edition, and one in which he asks the emperor for instructions regarding official policy concerning christians trajan letter 97.
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