The letters of pliny the younger, selected and edited together with a companion to plinys letters. 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. First letter, latin original letters, book 6, letter 16, in wikisource. Nevertheless, plinys reputation for sunny optimism and concealed anxieties is not an entirely. The letters of the younger pliny penguin classics 9780140441277. I have some three thousand books in my house and now and then, looking at the serried shelves, i realise that i havent one i want to read. Books by pliny the younger author of the letters of the. Complete letters oxford worlds classics paperback 26 feb 2009. 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. Plinys letters and the dialogus, hscp 89 1985, 171 206, at 189201, has convincingly shown that the publication of book 9 was. My dear tacitus, you ask me to write you something about the death of my uncle so that the account you transmit. Pliny the younger was born in comum presentday como, beside the beautiful lakes of northern italy, in a.
Book 6 had awarded the emperor, newly returned from victory in. The third book i wish to speak about i came upon entirely by accident. Stylistic theory and practice in the younger pliny 1983, 15361. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was born at como in 62 a. 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. Ad 611 was also a prolific letterwriter, who numbered among his correspondents such eminent figures as tacitus. Pliny the younger has 146 books on goodreads with 6614 ratings. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius caecilius or gaius caecilius cilo 61 c.
Chapter 1 traces plinys autobiographical narrative throughout the letters. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified. Pliny to cornelius tacitus 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. Fresh doubts on authenticity of plinys letter about the. Book 10 of pliny the youngers letters consist of his correspondence with the emperor trajan when he was governor. A prominent lawyer and administrator, pliny was also a prolific letterwriter, who numbered among his correspondents such eminent figures as.
Pliny the youngers letter to trajan regarding the christians is a crucial subject for the studies on early christianity. 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. As the only selection of the letters with extensive commentary, it provides instructors. Gaius or caius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius or caius plinius caecilius 6163 in como ca. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. Pliny s letter is the earliest pagan account to refer to early christians and provides a key description of roman administrative process and problems.
Their ultimate source is a fragmentary inscription cil v 1 3442 found in a field in. 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. 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. Now the day begins, with a still hesitant and almost lazy dawn. Plinys detailed description of this cloud critical in determining the type of eruption that destroyed the city of pompeii.
Plinys first letter to tacitus describes how his uncle sailed across the bay to save some people plinys second letter to tacitus tells how pliny himself barely escaped. 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. Neither the younger nor the elder pliny mention the names. Definitely recommended to those who are interested in looking into our ancient past. 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. Pliny elaborates on the two parts of this apology in other letters. After serving as tribune in ad 91 and praetor in ad 93, emperor trajan appointed him governor of bithynia. An application of a profilebased method for authorship verification. The letters of pliny the younger, selected and edited together with a companion to pliny s letters. Complete letters by pliny the younger, oxford classics, 2009 pliny the younger, vesuvius, iron bear press, 2008. Buy a cheap copy of the letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger.
Gibson, reading the letters of sidonius by the book, in j. Book 9, letter 19 pliny justifies the boastful tombstone of his friend, verginius rufus. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of letters to and from the emperor trajan. Letters of pliny the younger to the historian tacitus. A serious quarrel among scholars concerning its genuineness arose between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. See all 6 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The letters of the younger pliny by pliny the younger. Be the first to ask a question about the letters of the younger pliny. It is often assumed that pliny the younger refers to his uncle and adoptive father, pliny. Pliny the younger inherited the estate of his uncle. I got pliny the youngers letter to trajan from the notes to eusebius ecclesiastical history, book iii, ch. Feb 24, 2009 read these ancient roman letters from the wife of pliny the younger new book reveals intriguing details about a longhidden society of ancient romans and their secret relationship with earliest. 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.
It would be a long story, and of no importance, were i to recount too particularly by what accident i who am not at all fond of society supped lately with a person, who in his own opinion lives in splendour combined with economy. Mar 22, 2012 chapter 1 traces plinys autobiographical narrative throughout the letters. The letters of the younger pliny by pliny the younger goodreads. 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.
Plinys uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him and they were both witnesses to the eruption of vesuvius on august 24th, 79 ad. Pliny the youngers most popular book is the letters of the younger pliny. It is true that he perished in a catastrophe which. For plinys usual rule of one letter, one theme, see sherwinwhite, op. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus.
This penguin classics edition is translated with an introduction by betty radice. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder pliny s sister. Page 378 they affirmed, however, that this had been the sunywhether of their crime or their delusion. So detailed and vital in the investigation, in fact, that in honor of pliny the younger they named the eruption after him a plinian eruption. The original source is pliny the younger, epistles 10. Pliny the youngers ghost story from ancient athens pliny the younger wrote more than 247 personal letters and he also possessed an active imagination and an inquiring mind. Pliny the elder died in 79 ce, while attempting the rescue, by ship, of a friend and his family, in stabiae, from the eruption of mount vesuvius, which already had destroyed the cities of pompeii and herculaneum. See key to translations for an explanation of the format. 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. While this book does contain a lot of first hand information about life in imperial rome especially the legal system and the elaborate network of favors, obligations, and patronage in the senatorial class its not especially readable, being a collection of letters written by pliny and, near the end, by the emperor trajan to pliny. Originally intended as letters for historian tacitus, to describe and perhaps glorify the. Pliny the younger wrote letters about his life in ancient. Pliny the younger books list of books by author pliny.
This anthology offers a comprehensive introduction to pliny the youngers epistulae for. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder plinys sister. Complete letters by pliny the younger, 9780199538942, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. 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. Letters of pliny by pliny the younger full audio book. A prominent lawyer and administrator, pliny was also a prolific letterwriter, who numbered among his correspondents such. It would be more arrogant to assume that people will remember you even if you do not record your deeds on your tomb. The letters of the younger pliny pliny the younger, f. 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. 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. Investigating the authenticity of pliny the youngers letter to trajan concerning the christians. Book 9, letter 6 pliny cannot understand why so many romans waste their time going to the chariotraces. Pliny the younger, the roman governor of bithynia and pontus now in modern turkey wrote a letter to emperor trajan around ad 112 and asked for counsel on dealing with the early christian community. It is admitted to be a work of great learning eruditum, 3.
Chapter 2 undertakes detailed study of book 6 as an artistic entity. Buy complete letters oxford worlds classics by pliny the younger, p. Pliny the younger simple english wikipedia, the free. Pliny the younger refers to tacituss reliance upon his uncles book, the history of the german wars. I know that immortal fame awaits him if his death is recorded by you. Selected letters from pliny the youngers epistulae. The letters of the younger pliny pliny the younger. 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 letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two famous letters when the elder pliny died. Letters by pliny book reading the letters of pliny the younger. The letters of pliny the younger on the eruption of vesuvius.
The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. 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. Mynors 1963, in the bibliotheca augustana pliny was born in comum in 61 or 62 a. Pliny the younger, latin in full gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born 6162 ce, comum italydied c. The letters of the younger pliny the younger, pliny. On one such occasion i caught sight of the letters of pliny the younger loeb library. He was educated at home and then in rome under quintilian.