This post begins a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. See key to translations for an explanation of the format. 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. I have spent these several days past among my papers with the most pleasing tranquillity imaginable. The law allowed the accuser six hours and the defendant nine, and. William melmoth in harvard classics series introductory note. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of letters to and. You have constantly urged me to collect and publish the more highly finished of the letters that i may have written. It is a very advantageous practice and what many recommend to translate either from greek into latin, or from latin into greek. With an english translation by william melmoth, rev. I rise just when i find myself in the humour, though generally with the sun.
These posts are part of a book project that intends to understand the. 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. 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. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including tacitus, martial, and suetonius. Read complete letters by pliny the younger available from rakuten kobo. The origin of christianity in that region is not known, but it has not been associated with paul the apostles travels. This was the disaster that buried pompeii, herculaneum, and other sites. Pdf the publication of plinys letters 2015 john bodel. Some are addressed to reigning emperors or to notables such as the historian tacitus. The second one describes his own observations in a town across the bay. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified.
The letters, on which today his fame mainly rests, were largely written with a view to publication, and were arranged by pliny himself. Mynors 1963, in the bibliotheca augustana pliny was born in comum in 61 or 62 a. Shuddering to remember this post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit. 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. 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. The first letter describes the journey of his uncle pliny the elder during which he perished. The style is very different from that in the panegyricus, and some commentators maintain that pliny initiated a new genre. 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.
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. 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. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century. Circenses erant, quo genere spectaculi ne levissime quidem teneor. Learn pliny letter translation with free interactive flashcards. Pliny the younger, letters and panegyricus, with an english translation by betty radice, 1969 cambridge mass. 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. 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. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two famous letters when the elder pliny died. This penguin classics edition is translated with an introduction by betty radice. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was born at como in 62 a. Pliny likely wrote the letters from amisus before his term ended in january 1. The letters of the younger pliny the younger, pliny.
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. The project gutenberg ebook of letters of pliny, by pliny this ebook is for the use. You desire to know in what manner i dispose of my day in summer time at my tuscan villa. Correspondence with trajan from bithynia, 1990 warminster. This is an english translation of the two letters written by pliny the younger to the roman historian tacitus. Definitely recommended to those who are interested in looking into our ancient past. Marcus aquilius regulus was a monster, a legacy hunter in addition to his wellknown role as a professional denouncer in court under nero and domitian, in short, an. 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. I have spent these several days past, in reading and writing, with the most.
These posts are part of a book project that intends to understand the scholarly and popular reception of those letters. 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. 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. You desire my sentiments concerning the method of study you should pursue, in that retirement which you have long enjoyed. Pliny the younger wrote hundreds of letters, of which 247 survive and are of great historical value. 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. 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. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including tacitus, martial and suetonius. The epistulae are later copies of a series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed to his friends and associates. Plinys natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. 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. 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. 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.
The last was written during his tour of administration of bithynia, during which he may well have died. I know that immortal fame awaits him if his death is recorded by you. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Nihil novum nihil varium, nihil quod non semel spectasse sufficiat.
This final book was, significantly, not intended for publication. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder plinys sister. We have a whole set of exchanges of his letters with the emperor trajan on a variety of administrative political matters. 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. I grant they have lost in the translation, and this is due in the first. It may be wondered that pliny should keep his own temper, and check the. Choose from 500 different sets of pliny letter translation flashcards on quizlet. Click on the l symbols to go the latin text of each letter. Complete letters ebook by pliny the younger rakuten kobo. You will ask how that can possibly be in the midst of rome. In chapter one 9 35, gibson 1 examines book one for plinys strategies of shaping biographical material to fit the larger thematic emphases of this opening book. 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 only eight years old when his father, caecilius, died, and he was adopted by his.
Book x of the letters contains his correspondence with trajan during this period, and includes letters about the early christians. The letters of the younger pliny 9780140441277 by pliny the younger. Selected letters internet history sourcebooks project. When i am up, i continue to keep the shutters of my chamber windows closed. Pliny s letters provide a fascinating insight into roman life in the period 97 to 112 ad.
Writing in the second century ce ad, pliny s correspondence includes letters to tacitus, suetonius and the emperor trajan. He was educated at home and then in rome under quintilian. Plinys letters provide a fascinating insight into roman life in the period 97 to 112 ad. 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. 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. Loeb a welldone translation from which the penguin edition is taken, with helpful indices and notes. 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. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus. 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. Plinys letters are important as a social document of his times. 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. 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. Pliny the younger was governor of pontusbithynia from 1111 ad.
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