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. 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. He was educated at home and then in rome under quintilian. Permultum interest mea te ostentare, tecum circumire. With an english translation by william melmoth, rev. See key to translations for an explanation of the format. Book x of the letters contains his correspondence with trajan during this period, and includes letters about the early christians. The text of books i to ix of the letters rests on three manuscript traditions, the 9book, the 10book and the 8book, known as. Pliny the younger, latin in full gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born 6162 ce, comum italydied c. The smell of sulfur this post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. I am waiting for mauricus7 return for he had not yet come back out of exile, so. In short, the letters of pliny the younger give us a picture of social life as it was in the closing years of the first, and the opening years of the second century of the christian era, which is as fascinating as it is absolutely unique.
This is a lively new translation by eminent scholar peter walsh, based on the oxford classical text and drawing on the latest scholarship. Below is the story by pliny the younger, as translated by william melmoth. He was only eight years old when his father, caecilius, died, and he was adopted by his uncle, the elder pliny. 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. 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. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius caecilius or gaius caecilius cilo 61 c. Plinys letter to licinius sura on the subject of ghosts.
Oct 30, 2016 the ghost story of pliny book 7, letter 27. The letters of pliny the younger audiobook by john b. This penguin classics edition is translated with an introduction by betty radice. 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. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. Et mihi discendi et tibi docendi facultatem otium praebet. 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. Ea est auctoritas tua, ut putem me efficacius tecum etiam meos amicos rogaturum. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus.
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. Theres even a ghost breaker or exorcist for later writers or film makers to build upon. Pdf plinys epistolary dreams and the ghost of domitian. The present recess from business affords you leisure to give, and me to receive, instruction. See all books authored by pliny the elder, including naturalis historia, and ashen sky. 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. 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.
The letters of pliny the younger on the eruption of vesuvius, and more on. The style is very different from that in the panegyricus, and some commentators maintain that pliny initiated a new genre. The present recess from business we are now enjoying affords you leisure to give, and me to receive, instruction. I have included an english translation for the remaining parts of the letter which recount several other supernatural occurrences. Pliny the elder books list of books by author pliny the. 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.
Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. 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. Chapters 4 to 7 study thematic letter cycles within the collection, including those on pliny s famous country villas and his relationships with pliny the elder and tacitus. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two famous letters when the elder pliny died. The project gutenberg ebook of letters of pliny, by pliny this ebook is for the use of.
We have a whole set of exchanges of his letters with the emperor trajan on a variety of administrative political matters. No, the purpose of these ghost stories plinys letter actually contains three, aside from entertainment, is to remind us that ghosts are a permanent feature of human experience, and that educated, civilized people throughout history have often found the human testimony for their actual existence quite credible. How does pliny use the term diaeta elsewhere in his letters. 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. There are two english translations of pliny online. The description of pompeii erupting 70 ad is a classic, but there are so many other parts of life at the time that pliny writes about. Complete letters ebook by pliny the younger rakuten kobo. Choose from 500 different sets of pliny letter translation flashcards on quizlet. Cambridge core classical literature reading the letters of pliny the younger by roy k. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
A prominent lawyer and administrator, pliny was also a prolific letter writer, who numbered among his correspondents such. Its fascinating to have such a full set of letters from the period. The epistulae are later copies of a series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed to his friends and associates. Pliny s letters provide a fascinating insight into roman life in the period 97 to 112 ad. Click on a word to bring up parses, dictionary entries, and frequency statistics. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of. Direct observation, informed speculation and common knowledge are combined to present a key snapshot of ancient thought and the romans. You have constantly urged me to collect and publish the more highly finished of the letters that i may have written. Sherwinwhite, in his commentary, takes diaeta as a kind of apartment, perhaps what we might now call a suite, something more than just a. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. The final chapter focuses on the grand design which unifies and structures the collection.
Click on the l symbols to go the latin text of each letter. An ancient ghost story by pliny the younger, page 1. Handbound at the 7 r the letters op the younger pliny. The loeb classical library edition of pliny the younger is in two volumes. 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. I bought this to reread in translation my set book from latin o level years ago. May 15, 2012 theres even a ghost breaker or exorcist for later writers or film makers to build upon. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified.
This post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. The translation is that of william melmoth 1746, as slightly revised, with proper deference to the latin original, by r. Please note, due to essential maintenance online purchasing will not be possible between 03. I know that immortal fame awaits him if his death is recorded by you. There were races, spectacles of the kind by which i am not interested even in the slightest. 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. The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. Circenses erant, quo genere spectaculi ne levissime. It was at this time that pliny became closer to his uncle pliny the elder. Natural history pliny project gutenberg selfpublishing.
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. Read complete letters by pliny the younger available from rakuten kobo. The historians request this post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. 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 a terrified imagination. In his introduction, walsh considers the political background of the letters, the span of pliny s career, the range of topics covered in the letters, and pliny s literary style. Pliny the younger wrote hundreds of letters, of which 247 survive and are of great historical value. He is known to have been there two years, and is presumed to have died there before the end of 1.
This final book was, significantly, not intended for publication. The letters of the younger pliny the letters of pliny the. Definitely recommended to those who are interested in looking into our ancient past. Pliny s uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him. Pliny s epistolary dreams and the ghost of domitian. The problems with christians is an interesting one. Igitur perquam velim scire, esse phantasmata et habere propriam figuram numenque aliquod putes an inania et vana ex metu nostro imaginem accipere.
No, the purpose of these ghost stories pliny s letter actually contains three, aside from entertainment, is to remind us that ghosts are a permanent feature of human experience, and that educated, civilized people throughout history have often found the human testimony for their actual existence quite credible. I am extremely desirous therefore to know your sentiments concerning spectres, whether you believe they actually exist and have their own proper shapes and a measure of divinity, or are only the false impressions of a terrified imagination. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century. The letters of the younger pliny by pliny the younger. Pliny s letters are important as a social document of his times. Pliny the younger was governor of pontusbithynia from 1111 ad. William melmoth in harvard classics series introductory note. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. Full search options are on the right side and top of the page.