Many of his vast circle of associates are visible elsewhere among the rich literary and epigraphic sources surviving for the flavian and trajanic periods, and in. 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. Of five appendixes, three give respectively the text of the inscriptions relating to pliny, the consular fasti. Again i doubt that pliny is as much influenced by martial as sherwinwhite says pp. The latin portion of this book is a scant 20 pages, but the commentary over 200 pages.
Pliny the younger has 145 books on goodreads with 6500 ratings. Chapter 2 undertakes detailed study of book 6 as an artistic entity. 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. The historians request this post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. The epistulae are later copies of a series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed to his friends and associates. Read in english by andrew coleman the largest surviving body of pliny s work is his epistulae letters, a series of personal missives directed to his friends, associates and the emperor trajan. As you are an exemplary instance of tender regard to your family in general, and to your late excellent brother in particular, whose warm attachment you returned with an equal fondness.
This post begins a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. Keil with a commentary, and a life of pliny 1880 at. The numbering of the letters in this book has been changed slightly to bring it into line with the most recent editions. A total of 107 letters exchanged between them while he was abroad constitute the tenth book of his epistulae, prefaced by fourteen more addressed to trajan earlier in pliny s career. Sherwinwhite dates the letter to 106107 and thinks that the book mentioned here sent by tacitus to pliny is different from the book mentioned in pliny epistula 8. Definitely recommended to those who are interested in looking into our ancient past. Pliny the younger was governor of pontusbithynia from 1111 ad. 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. 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. I know that immortal fame awaits him if his death is recorded by you. Note on the text the text of books i to ix of the letters rests on three manuscript traditions, the 9book, the 10book and the 8book, known as.
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. Mynors 1963, in the bibliotheca augustana pliny was born in comum in 61 or 62 a. Plinys letter to trajan christian history institute. In this letter, pliny tries to firmly tie his star to tacitus. Another fawning letter to his literary friend tacitus reporting that he will send comments on tacitus book perhaps a different book from the book of tacitus mentioned similarly in pliny epistula 7. Tis no matter which i begin with, so take them as follows. Nonfiction harvard classics pliny the younger letters. Literature was taken much more seriously in the time of the emperor claudius. Pliny younger epistles book ii classical literature cambridge. These posts are part of a book project that intends to understand the scholarly and popular reception of those letters.
It is true that he perished in a catastrophe which. The blog posts about the vesuvius eruption are on hold while i complete my book, pliny and the destruction of vesuvius routledge, 2021. Pliny s investment schedule for otium aims toward the procurement of further negotium with a singlemindedness that many persons would not consider to resemble leisure at all. Xvii plinys laurentian villa xx regulus the legacy hunter.
Pliny likely wrote the letters from amisus before his term ended in january 1. 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. This post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. Tacitus is not to laugh at pliny s habit of taking note books on a hunting expedition. The oxford greek and latin college commentaries is designed for students in. The letters, on which today his fame mainly rests, were largely written with a view to publication, and were arranged by pliny himself. Book 1, letter 3 pliny is shocked that the people walk out in the middle of recitations.
The following references to the letters of pliny, which are addressed to tacitus, may be interesting. Loeb a welldone translation from which the penguin edition is taken, with helpful indices and notes. Pliny book 2, letter 1 student commentary pliny book 2, letter 6 english translation pliny book 2, letter 6 latin text pliny book 2, letter 20 english. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus. Epistulae vi letters 6 is the sixth of ten books of letters by the roman lawyer and author pliny the younger, mainly written around 106 to 107 ce. Pliny book 2, letter 20 english translation pliny book 2, letter 20 latin text pliny book 3. These posts are part of a book project that intends to understand the. Pliny s letters are important as a social document of his times. Book 10, letter 111 such grants are technically illegal, but the official cannot be expected to return a 20 year old grant now. Especially noteworthy among the letters are two in which he describes the eruption of mount vesuvius in 79 during which his uncle pliny the elder died epistulae vi. A comprehensive introduction to pliny the youngers epistulae, complete with extensive commentary. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of.
They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about. Pliny s 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. Librivox recording of letters of pliny by pliny the younger. Book 10, letter 96 pliny is unsure how he should deal with the. At times this felt like cheating, but it also enhanced my appreciation of pliny s occasionally pithy sententiae. Finds evidence in pliny s letters of conscious and unconscious tension in the writers upperclass roman life. Pliny was a civil servant who served as governor of bithynia, in the north of asia minor modern turkey, from 1111 ad. It is a rule, sir, which i inviolably observe, to refer myself to you in all my doubts. Books by pliny the younger author of the letters of the. 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. As a scripted collection this commentary will argue, epistles 19 constitutes an open, public.
Book x of the letters contains his correspondence with trajan during this period, and includes letters about the early christians. This comprehensive general commentary on the nine books of the younger pliny s private letters which cover nearly aspect of roman life except warfareoffers a selfcontained discussion of each letter or group of associated letters and their rich array of information about the authors social, political, and legal life and times. Now the day begins, with a still hesitant and almost lazy dawn. Book 10, letter 110 the city of amisus is trying to reclaim a large grant it gave 20 years ago to a city official, who spent the money on city business. See key to translations for an explanation of the format. The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. Short biographies of the elder and younger pliny, setting the context for the vesuvian letters two letters. Tacitus in plinys letters dickinson college commentaries. 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. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position.
Especially noteworthy among the letters are two in which he describes the eruption of mount vesuvius in october 79, during which his uncle pliny the elder died epistulae vi. Chapter 1 traces plinys autobiographical narrative throughout the letters. Reading letters pliny younger introduction classical literature. Pliny book 1, letter 10 student commentary pliny book 1, letter 10 english translation pliny book 1, letter 10 latin text pliny book 1, letter english translation. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of letters to and from the emperor trajan. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including tacitus, martial and suetonius. I travelled here comfortably enough except for the fact that certain of my. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. Sequence and dates of publication chronology of the extortion trials chronology of the private letters in book x selection and distribution of correspondents the family.
A reconstruction of the transmission history of epp. This anthology offers a comprehensive introduction to pliny the youngers epistulae for intermediate. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified. Selected letters from pliny the youngers epistulae. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. So he wrote the following letter to emperor trajan reporting what he had done so far and asking for guidance. The present recess from business affords you leisure to give, and me to receive, instruction. Click on the l symbols to go the latin text of each letter. The last was written during his tour of administration of bithynia, during which he may well have died.
Of these, letters 16 and 20 are the most famous and longest ones, written to the historian tacitus and describing the eruption of mount vesuvius when he was a boy in august of 79 ce, as well as the death of his uncle, pliny the elder. As the only selection of the letters with extensive commentary, it provides. Verania, thc wife of that piso who was adopted by galba, lay extremely ill. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. Sullivan, pliny epistulae vi, 16 and 20 and modern vulcanology. Letters of pliny by pliny the younger full audio book great. 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.
Pliny the youngers most popular book is the letters of the younger pliny. This was the disaster that buried pompeii, herculaneum, and other sites. Chapter 1 traces pliny s autobiographical narrative throughout the letters. The style is very different from that in the panegyricus, and some commentators maintain that pliny initiated a new genre. Commentary by jacqueline carlon oxford greek and latin college commentaries jacqueline carlon on. Keil with a commentary, and a life of pliny 1880 9781164919650. The origin of christianity in that region is not known, but it has not been associated with paul the apostles travels. Roman literary life book 1, letter 1 pliny has accepited his friends advice and collected some of his letters for publication.
A historical and social commentary oxford 1966 3637, with the summary of results at 41. Having never been present at any trials of the christians, i am unacquainted with the method and limits to be observed either in. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. At times this felt like cheating, but it also enhanced my appreciation of plinys occasionally pithy sententiae. Here he met christians for the first time and was not sure how they should be dealt with. Selected letters from pliny the youngers oxford university press. Finds evidence in plinys letters of conscious and unconscious tension in the writers upperclass roman life.
We have a whole set of exchanges of his letters with the emperor trajan on a variety of administrative political matters. A standby of latin instruction for many years letter 6. Pliny asks whether brevity is advisable in oratory. Commentary by jacqueline carlon oxford greek and latin college commentaries by jacqueline carlon 1 may 2016 4.
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