This post begins a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. Pliny the younger wrote hundreds of letters, of which 247 survive and are of great historical value. These posts are part of a book project that intends to understand the. 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 pompeii, to observations on the early christiansa desperate. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of letters to and. 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. Nonfiction harvard classics pliny the younger letters. Pliny likely wrote the letters from amisus before his term ended in january 1. See key to translations for an explanation of the format. Complete letters ebook by pliny the younger rakuten kobo. Mingling acute observation with often wild speculation, it offers a fascinating view of the world as it was understood in the first century ad, whether describing the danger of diving for sponges, the first waterclock, or the use of asses milk to remove wrinkles. Jan 15, 2019 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 romans used to lie or walk naked in the sun, after anointing their bodies with oil, which was esteemed as greatly contributing to health, and therefore daily practised by them. This is an english translation of the two letters written by pliny the younger to the roman historian tacitus. Note on the text 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. This modern translation of the ten books of pliny s letters provides a wealth of information on the social and political history of rome at the turn of the first century, including pliny s famous account of the destruction of pompeii and his celebrated correspondence with the emperor trajan about the early christians. Pdf the publication of plinys letters 2015 john bodel.
An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit. Read complete letters by pliny the younger available from rakuten kobo. The letters, on which today his fame mainly rests, were largely written with a view to publication, and were arranged by pliny himself. The letters of the younger pliny the younger, pliny. The style is very different from that in the panegyricus, and some commentators maintain that pliny initiated a new genre. Circenses erant, quo genere spectaculi ne levissime quidem teneor. 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. He was educated at home and then in rome under quintilian. The epistulae are later copies of a series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed to his friends and associates. I have spent these several days past, in reading and writing, with the most. Click on the l symbols to go the latin text of each letter. The origin of christianity in that region is not known, but it has not been associated with paul the apostles travels.
These posts are part of a book project that intends to understand the scholarly and popular reception of those letters. I have spent these several days past among my papers with the most pleasing tranquillity imaginable. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including tacitus, martial, and suetonius. Choose from 500 different sets of pliny letter translation flashcards on quizlet. 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. The last was written during his tour of administration of bithynia, during which he may well have died. 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. Plinys letters are important as a social document of his times. The twentieth letter of the second book of the younger plinys collection of letters a text that purports to have been sent to one calvisius rufus leaves little doubt. Some are addressed to reigning emperors or to notables such as the historian tacitus. This modern translation of the ten books of plinys letters provides a wealth of information on the social and political history of rome at the turn of the first century, including plinys famous account of the destruction of pompeii and his celebrated correspondence with the emperor trajan about the early christians. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was born at como in 62 a. The letters of the younger pliny 9780140441277 by pliny the younger.
Correspondence with trajan from bithynia, 1990 warminster. A prominent lawyer and administrator, pliny was also a prolific letterwriter, who numbered among his correspondents such eminent figures as. This final book was, significantly, not intended for publication. You will ask how that can possibly be in the midst of rome. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including tacitus, martial and suetonius. You desire my sentiments concerning the method of study you should pursue, in that retirement which you have long enjoyed. 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. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. 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. You have constantly urged me to collect and publish the more highly finished of the letters that i may have written. 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.
The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. Selected letters internet history sourcebooks project. When i am up, i continue to keep the shutters of my chamber windows closed. Plinys natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus. With an english translation by william melmoth, rev. 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. It may be wondered that pliny should keep his own temper, and check the. 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 letters are promoted as hospitable to narrative reading but crying out for attentive rereading. I grant they have lost in the translation, and this is due in the first. Book x of the letters contains his correspondence with trajan during this period, and includes letters about the early christians.
Mynors 1963, in the bibliotheca augustana pliny was born in comum in 61 or 62 a. Plinys letters provide a fascinating insight into roman life in the period 97 to 112 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. This penguin classics edition is translated with an introduction by betty radice. Pliny s letters provide a fascinating insight into roman life in the period 97 to 112 ad. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. This custom, however, of anointing themselves, is inveighed against by the satirists as in the number of their luxurious indulgences. I rise just when i find myself in the humour, though generally with the sun. He was only eight years old when his father, caecilius, died, and he was adopted by his. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century. Learn pliny letter translation with free interactive flashcards.
Nihil novum nihil varium, nihil quod non semel spectasse sufficiat. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The law allowed the accuser six hours and the defendant nine, and. The second one describes his own observations in a town across the bay. 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. The project gutenberg ebook of letters of pliny, by pliny this ebook is for the use. Loeb a welldone translation from which the penguin edition is taken, with helpful indices and notes.
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. Pliny the younger was governor of pontusbithynia from 1111 ad. 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 first letter describes the journey of his uncle pliny the elder during which he perished. Both lively and personal, perhaps selfconsciously modelled on ciceros letters, these give us an intimate glimpse into rome at this period. 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.
Pliny the younger was born in novum comum como, northern italy around 61 ad, the son of lucius caecilius cilo, born there, and his wife plinia marcella, a sister of pliny the elder. You desire to know in what manner i dispose of my day in summer time at my tuscan villa. Pliny the younger, letters and panegyricus, with an english translation by betty radice, 1969 cambridge mass. This was the disaster that buried pompeii, herculaneum, and other sites. We have a whole set of exchanges of his letters with the emperor trajan on a variety of administrative political matters. I know that immortal fame awaits him if his death is recorded by you. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder plinys sister. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified. 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. He was the grandson of senator and landowner gaius caecilius, revered his uncle, pliny the elder who at this time was extremely famous around the roman empire, and provided sketches of how his uncle worked on.
Writing in the second century ce ad, pliny s correspondence includes letters to tacitus, suetonius and the emperor trajan. Shuddering to remember this post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. 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. William melmoth in harvard classics series introductory note. 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. 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.
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