The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder pliny s sister. He was educated at home and then in rome under quintilian. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two famous letters when the elder pliny. In his introduction, walsh considers the political background of the letters, the span of plinys career, the range of topics covered in the letters, and plinys literary style. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Pliny, persuaded that the freedman was penitent, gave the refugee a stern lecture and then wrote to sabinianus on his behalf. 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.
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. 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 second one describes his own observations in a town across the bay. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caec. The overflowing humanity of plinys temper breaks out upon all occasions, but he discovers it in nothing more strongly than by the impression which this little story appears to have made upon him. Circenses erant, quo genere spectaculi ne levissime quidem teneor. William melmoth in harvard classics series introductory note. 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 am pleased to find by your letter that you are engaged in. This is an english translation of the two letters written by pliny the younger to the roman historian tacitus.
Pliny the younger, latin in full gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born 6162 ce, comum italydied c. The epistulae are later copies of a series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed to his friends and associates. 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. The style is very different from that in the panegyricus, and some commentators maintain that pliny initiated a new genre. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. The final chapter focuses on the grand design which unifies and structures the collection. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century. 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. You have constantly urged me to collect and publish the more highly finished of the letters that i may have written. Letter 96 is the most famous of the collection, and it contains the earliest external account of christian worship, and details what was to. Jan 16, 2006 8 thus by a kind of gradation the baths were for him a place first of dishonor, afterwards of death. Pliny s letters provide a fascinating insight into roman life in the period 97 to 112 ad.
Plinys letters provide a fascinating insight into roman life in. These letters concern an episode which marks the first time the roman. 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. 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. It may be wondered that pliny should keep his own temper, and. This final book was, significantly, not intended for publication. The way pliny reasoned with his friend reveals the social rules of the day. Pliny s letters are important as a social document of his times.
Mynors 1963, in the bibliotheca augustana pliny was born in comum in 61 or 62 a. I know that immortal fame awaits him if his death is recorded by you. Letters of pliny the younger and the emperor trajan. The first letter describes the journey of his uncle pliny the elder during which he perished. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. The panegyricus is an expanded, published version of pliny s oration of thanks to the emperor trajan in 100 ce. Mynors 1963, in the bibliotheca augustana pliny was born in comum in. Pliny s letter is the earliest pagan account to refer to early christians and provides a key description of roman administrative process and problems. Choose from 500 different sets of pliny letter translation flashcards on quizlet. 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. Pliny the younger, letters and panegyricus, with an english translation by betty radice, 1969 cambridge mass.
In his introduction, walsh considers the political background of the letters, the span of pliny s career, the range of topics covered in the letters, and pliny s literary style. Then follows a translation of the two letters that pliny the younger, an eyewitness to the eruption, wrote to his friend tacitus 25 years later. See key to translations for an explanation of the format. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus. Pliny book 1, letter 1 english translation pliny book 1, letter 1. Learn pliny letter translation with free interactive flashcards. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified. Most opportunely has your letter reached me, in which you. Having never been present at any trials of the christians, i am unacquainted with the method and limits to be observed either in.
Mar 14, 2014 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. Read complete letters by pliny the younger available from rakuten kobo. Complete letters ebook by pliny the younger rakuten kobo. In the letter he discusses bad manners at roman dinner parties. Book x of the letters contains his correspondence with trajan during this period, and includes letters about the early christians. 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. Pliny is in a power position, sabinianus in the middle, and. 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. 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. Pliny book 8, letter 24 student commentary pliny book 8, letter 24 english. Cornelius paifus is plinys meaning here is uncertain, ference to book ii. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was born at como in 62 a.
Primary sources letters of pliny the younger and the. Pliny the younger was governor of pontusbithynia from 1111 ad. 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. Questions of grammar and style, in eight books, written in the latter part of. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of letters to and from the emperor trajan. Chapters 4 to 7 study thematic letter cycles within the collection, including those on pliny s famous country villas and his relationships with pliny the elder and tacitus.
Nihil novum nihil varium, nihil quod non semel spectasse sufficiat. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including tacitus, martial, and suetonius. It is a rule, sir, which i inviolably observe, to refer myself to you in all my doubts. 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. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two famous letters when the elder pliny died. These posts are part of a book project that intends to understand the scholarly and popular reception of those letters. Pliny has a gift for description and a versatile prose style, and more than any of his contemporaries he gives an unprejudiced picture of rome as he knew it. 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. The digital loeb classical library extends the founding mission of james loeb with an interconnected, fully searchable, perpetually growing virtual library of all that is important in greek and latin literature. Chapters 4 to 7 study thematic letter cycles within the collection, including those on plinys famous country villas and his relationships with pliny the elder and tacitus. 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. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. The project gutenberg ebook of letters of pliny, by pliny this ebook is for the use of.
This begins a series of posts that will translate and comment upon pliny the youngers two letters 6. The loeb classical library edition of pliny the younger is in two volumes. This is a lively new translation by eminent scholar peter walsh, based on the oxford classical text and drawing on the latest scholarship. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. We have a whole set of exchanges of his letters with the emperor trajan on a variety of administrative political matters. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder plinys sister. True benevolence, indeed, extends itself through the whole compass of existence, and. Satrius rutus spoke next, and, meaning to steer a middle course, expressed himself with considerable ambiguity. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and. Correspondence with trajan from bithynia, 1990 warminster.
The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. Nothing, in my opinion, gives a more amiable and becoming grace to our studies, as well as our manners, than to temper gravity with gaiety, lest the former should degenerate into austereness, and the latter run up into levity. Vesuvius in ad 79the disaster that buried pompeii, herculaneum, and other sites. The letters of book 10 are addressed to or from the emperor trajan in their. 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.
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