I had an easy journey, apart from the fact that some of my people were taken ill in the intense heat. The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. Oct 07, 2020 the letters of the younger pliny by pliny the younger, 1969, penguin books edition, in english. Author pliny the elder country ancient rome subject natural history, ethnography, art, sculpture, mining, mineralogy genre encyclopaedia, popular science the natural history is a work by pliny the elder. The letters of the younger pliny 1969 edition open library. The digital loeb classical library extends the founding mission of james loeb with an interconnected, fully searchable, perpetually growing virtual library of all that is important in greek and latin literature. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius caecilius or gaius caecilius cilo 61 ad ca. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about. This edition, the first to address a complete book of epistles in over a century, presents a latin text together with an introduction and commentary intended for. Mar 22, 2012 he is coeditor with ruth morello of both reimagining pliny the younger arethusa special number 36. Some are addressed to reigning emperors or to notables such as the historian tacitus. Collegi non servato temporis ordine neque enim historiam componebam, sed ut quaeque in manus 2 venerat.
Cambridge core classical literature the art of pliny s letters. Pliny the younger author of the letters of the younger pliny. This volume contains the latin text of books seven through ten of pliny the youngers letters, translated by william melmoth. You have constantly urged me to collect and publish the more highly finished of the letters that i may have written. And perhaps pliny, who had been in office continuously for nine years, simply wanted to live a bit more quietly. Naturalis historia naturalis historia, 1669 edition, title page. The letters of the younger pliny by pliny the younger, 2000, oxford university press edition, in latin 2nd ed. Modern editions either give epistles 19 complete usually together with book 10, sometimes also the panegyricus or present excerpts from across the collection, regardless of book. I have now made a collection, not keeping to the original order as i was not writing history, but taking them as they came to my hand. I cant remember ever passing the time so pleasantly as i did on my recent visit to spurinna. Indeed, my reader encolpius the one who is our joy for work or play found the dust so irritating to his throat that he spat blood, and it will be a sad blow to him and a great loss to me if this makes him unfit for his services. 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.
Taken as a whole, pliny s ten books of letters contain three texts of especial interest. Combining detailed prosopography with close literary analysis, jacqueline carlon examines the identities of the women whom pliny includes and how they and the men with whom they are associated contribute both to this presentation of exemplary romans and particularly to his own. I was looking forward to reading the letters, which are often said to give an insight into ordinary roman life, at least the life of an ordinary roman aristocrat. The selection of letters covers many old favorites of pliny. In 103, he published three books, containing a part of his correspondence. Christopher whittons commentary on pliny s epistles 2 reinforces the growing scholarly tendency to read the epistles in sequence and to appreciate individual books as distinct literary units e. If you are interested in the title for your course we can consider offering an examination copy. Epistulae x letters 10, also known as the correspondence with trajan is a book of letters by the roman lawyer and author pliny the younger to the emperor trajan between 109 and 111 ce. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. Pliny the younger pliny, the younger online books page.
At the same time, of course, epistles 2 is constantly engaged in the act of reframing, with many topics and themes anticipating parallel letters in subsequent books e. We know that pliny s motherinlaw pompeia celerina was a wealthy woman in her own right, most likely. Pliny book 1 pliny book 1, letter 1 english translation pliny book 1, letter 1 latin text. Mynors 1963, in the bibliotheca augustana pliny was born in comum in 61 or 62 a. The epistulae are a series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed.
His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of letters to and from the emperor trajan. 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. Books by pliny the younger author of the letters of the. 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. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. The letters of the younger pliny have come down to us in 10 books, 9 of his personal letters, and book 10 containing his official correspondence with the emperor trajan. Book i the letters of pliny book i i to septicius clarus 1. Books viviii contain all information about animals, and seven more about plants, including separate books on grapevines, olives and trees. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius caecilius or gaius caecilius cilo 61 c. Book viii the letters of pliny book viii i to septicius clarus.
Plinys elegiac experimentation in the calpurnia letters i examine the six letters that pliny the younger writes to and about his wife calpurnia 4. Createspace independent publishing platform, united states, 2018. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including tacitus, martial, and suetonius. Pliny the younger pliny, the younger an online book about this author is available, as is a wikipedia article pliny, the younger.
Plinys elegiac experimentation in the calpurnia letters. The fragment consists of six vellum leaves, or twelve pages, which apparently formed part of a gathering or quire of the original volume. Letter 96 is the most famous of the collection, and it contains the earliest external account of christian worship, and details what was to. Pliny the younger has 169 books on goodreads with 12750 ratings. To a certain extent, the letters are comparable to the building erected by rich romans. Pliny served as an imperial magistrate under trajan reigned 98117, 2 and his letters to trajan provide one of the few surviving records of the. Chapters 4 to 7 study thematic letter cycles within the collection, including those on. You have often urged me to collect and publish any letters of mine which were composed with some care. 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.
Plinia, pompeia celerina and calupurnia hispulla 3. The second book is a typically varied yet taut suite of miniatures, including among its twenty letters the trial of marius priscus and pliny s famous portrait of his laurentine villa. 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. He left a collection of letters which offers intimate glimpses into public and private life during the roman empire born of the wealthy caecilius family at comum in northern italy, pliny the younger, as he was later known, was probably given his early education by tutors at home and then sent to rome. It is difficult to ascertain a sense of patronage from pliny the youngers letter 1. The letters of pliny the younger, translated by william melmoth and revised by f. Pliny the younger wrote hundreds of letters, of which 247 survive, and which are of great historical value. See key to translations for an explanation of the format. The thought of pliny the elder, clarendon press 1992, s. Plinii caecilii secundi epistularum liber primus i c. Click on the l symbols to go the latin text of each letter. Pliny s uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him. He plans to work next on a commentary on pliny, letters book 6. Plinys 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.
The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder pliny s sister. Clas 1p92 the grandeur of rome education, communication. I also wonder if nearcontemporary claims of poetic speed e. 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. The content of this section of the letters evolves over time. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified. Whittons volume rejects previous anthologizing approaches, instead focusing on the twenty letters of epistles 2, the shortest book of the collection. Pliny s letters provide a fascinating insight into roman life in the period 97 to 112 ad. Plinys letters offer a significant source of information about the lives of roman women predominantly. Younger by pliny the younger the letters of the younger pliny the letters of pliny the younger by pliny the younger this etext was prepared by rebecca trump the letters of the younger pliny. Three simple but elegant maps, an appendix of inscriptions, two genealogy charts, a glossary of proper names found in the text of the letters, and two indexesone on grammar and syntax, and the other subjectbasedround out the ancillary materials that contribute to the overall usd1. The last was written during his tour of administration of bithynia, during which he may well have died.
An index to the letters on this site arranged by book and letter number. 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. This suggests a quiet start in which pliny gained some first impressions, then a brief period in which he tried to make up his mind and asked as much information as possible, followed by a year in which he ordered the. Volume i of the natural history of gaius plinius secundus. An index to the letters on this site arranged by book and letter number pliny book 1 pliny book 2 pliny book 3 pliny book 4 pliny book 5 pliny book 7 pliny. Pliny book 3, letter 14 latin text pliny book 4 pliny book 4, letter 19 english translation pliny book 4, letter 19 latin text pliny book 5. Chapter 2 undertakes a detailed study of book 6 as an artistic entity. Superest ut nec te consilii nec me paeniteat obsequii. Talbert found it exasperating as an historical source, frustrated that as he thought pliny does not report the final verdict in the debate. This is the third longest of pliny s letters, in a strong position near the centre of its book. Chronologically, it is suggested that books 1 to 3 were written between 97. The women of plinys letters 1st edition joann shelton routled. The last book contains correspondence between pliny and the emperor trajan.
They document politics, social life, religion, the educational system, the treatment of slaves and include a vivid description of the eruption of vesuvius. The historians request this post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. Book x of the letters contains his correspondence with trajan during this period, and includes letters about the early christians. On pliny s selfpraise more generally, see gibson 2003. Letters of gaius plinius caecilius secundus letters of pliny the younger. In the second book, pliny included all his knowledge of astronomy and meteorology. Pliny the younger married three times, firstly, when he was very young about 18, to a stepdaughter of veccius proculus. The two letters of the sixth book, describe in some detail the. Chapter 1 traces pliny s autobiographical narrative throughout the letters. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two famous letters when the elder pliny died. About pliny the younger gauius plinius caecilius secundus ad 61ca. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was born at como in 62 a.
Complete letters ebook by pliny the younger 9780191604898. I have made such a collection, but without preserving the order in which they were. Pliny s letters are important as a social document of his times. Pliny s women provides a comprehensive consideration of the many women who appear in the letters of pliny the younger. Letter 96 is the most famous of the collection, and it contains the earliest external account of christian worship, and details what was to become the standard roman policy toward christians. Modern editions either give epistles 19 complete usually together with book 10, sometimes also the panegyricus or present excerpts from across the collection, regardless of book divisions. This entry was posted in latin literature and tagged pliny the younger. Pliny the youngers most popular book is the letters of the younger pliny.
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