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. You have often urged me to collect and publish any letters of mine which were composed with some care. 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. He was with the fleet he was commanding at misenum bay of naples. 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.
My uncle, pliny the elder, died in a terrible incident which also left our region in ruins. A historical and social commentary oxford 1966 3637, with the summary of results at 41. Handbound at the 7 r the letters op the younger pliny. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented. Plinys second letter to tacitus tells how pliny himself barely escaped.
A prominent lawyer and administrator, pliny was also a prolific letterwriter, who numbered among his correspondents such. He was educated at home and then in rome under quintilian. 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. After serving as tribune in ad 91 and praetor in ad 93, emperor trajan appointed him governor of bithynia. The letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger. 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. This free kindle book is a fantastic buy for people interested in history and in the ideas of rather intelligent individuals such as pliny the younger.
Plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was. Apr 16, 2020 but as a source for early christianity in the roman empire, plinys letter and trajans response are invaluable sources of information on what it was like to be a follower of christ at the time. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder plinys sister. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. Nonfiction harvard classics pliny the younger letters. Of this one misfortune he is not deserving, but i do not know whether he considers it a misfortune. Pliny was a successful administrator who attained the highest administrative posts of praetor and consul. 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. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. After a spell as an advocate pliny became a successful politician. See key to translations for an explanation of the format.
The sixth book of letters is perhaps best known for plinys detailed account of the eruption of mount vesuvius in august of 79 ce, during which his. You have constantly urged me to collect and publish the more highly finished of the letters that i may have written. Pliny then goes on to describe his uncles failed attempt to study further the eruption and to save the lives of refugees, using the fleet under his command. 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. The project gutenberg ebook of letters of pliny, by pliny this ebook is for the use. Buy a cheap copy of the letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified. First letter, latin original letters, book 6, letter 16, in wikisource.
Second letter, latin original letters, book 6, letter 20, in wikisource. Neither the younger nor the elder pliny mention the names. With his own books and yours, my uncle will be counted among the latter. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century. Mynors 1963, in the bibliotheca augustana pliny was born in comum in 61 or 62 a. This penguin classics edition is translated with an introduction by betty radice.
This custom, however, of anointing themselves, is inveighed against by the satirists as in the number of their luxurious indulgences. The boy had an alert character but an unreliable one, which however he could have followed what is right, if he had not taken after his father. Letters of the younger pliny penguin classics younger, pliny the. 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. Pliny the younger inherited the estate of his uncle. My dear tacitus, you ask me to write you something about the death of my uncle so that the account you transmit to posterity is as reliable as possible.
An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit. 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. 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. 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 of pliny the younger, selected and edited together with a companion to plinys letters. But as a source for early christianity in the roman empire, pliny s letter and trajans response are invaluable sources of information on what it was like to be a follower of christ at the time. 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. This was the disaster that buried pompeii, herculaneum, and other sites. Their ultimate source is a fragmentary inscription cil v 1 3442 found in a field in. These posts are part of a book project that intends to understand the scholarly and popular reception of those letters. Pliny the youngers letter on the early christians in the. January 16, 2006 by michael hendry 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. It is therefore with great pleasure that i take up, or rather take upon myself the task you. I know that immortal fame awaits him if his death is recorded by you. 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. 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. This post begins a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 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.
Pliny was a great letter writer and corresponded with historians such as tacitus and suetonius. The style is very different from that in the panegyricus, and some commentators maintain that pliny initiated a new genre. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. As already mentioned above, highlights of these books include plinys description of the eruption of. 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. The last was written during his tour of administration of bithynia, during which he may well have died. Pliny the elder died in ad 79 in stabiae while attempting the rescue of a friend and his family by ship from the eruption of mount vesuvius, which had already destroyed the cities of pompeii and herculaneum. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius caecilius or gaius caecilius cilo 61 ad ca. Book i the letters of pliny book i i to septicius clarus 1.
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. My dear tacitus, you ask me to write you something about the death of my uncle so that the account you transmit to. 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. Lets hope that our talking about him will immortalize him. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of letters to and from the emperor trajan. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century ce. The letters of pliny the younger kindle edition by pliny. In which we portray a completely true interpretation of the events transcribed by pliny the younger. The letters of the younger pliny by pliny the younger. Letters of pliny by pliny the younger free at loyal books. Pliny the younger born 6162 ce in novum comum modernday como in northern italy.
The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. Pliny the younger simple english wikipedia, the free. Among the many of pliny the younger s letters that describe rome in the first century ce are two letters that describe the destruction of pompey because of the eruption of mount vesuvius which. Plinys two letters regarding the eruption were written to the historian tacitus, a close friend, who had requested from pliny a detailed account of his uncles. 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. The letters of pliny the younger is a deserved classic an intimate glimpse of the daily life of an upperclass roman citizen in the late first century a. Pliny the younger refers to tacituss reliance upon his uncles book, the history of the german wars. Trajans reply to the letter by pliny from 2 days ago.
You will pick out of this narrative whatever is most important. Plinys uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him and they were both witnesses to. Plinys first letter to tacitus describes how his uncle sailed across the bay to save some people. 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. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder pliny s sister. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. Printed from the harvard studies in classical philology, vol. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. It is true that he perished in a catastrophe which. Ad 611 was also a prolific letterwriter, who numbered among his correspondents such eminent figures as tacitus. The epistulae are later copies of a series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed to his friends and associates. However, only the first half of this book is without significant typos.
One night, as he and his younger brother were lying together, he fancied he saw somebody upon his bed. 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. Scholars have acknowledged the broad range of topics and personalities pliny engaged. 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. Pliny the younger the eruption of vesuvius letter 6. 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. Sullivan, pliny epistulae vi, 16 and 20 and modern vulcanology. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was born at como in 62 a.
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