With an english translation by william melmoth, rev. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. View the new experience and read this book on fulcrum. 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. The second book is a typically varied yet taut suite of miniatures, including among its twenty letters the trial of marius priscus and plinys famous portrait of his laurentine villa. Book 1, letter 3 pliny is shocked that the people walk out in the middle of recitations. Book x of the letters contains his correspondence with trajan during this period, and includes letters about the early christians. This final book was, significantly, not intended for publication. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about. The origin of christianity in that region is not known, but it has not been associated with paul the apostles travels. I have spent these several days past among my papers with the most pleasing tranquillity imaginable. The historians request this post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. Pliny served as an imperial magistrate under trajan reigned 98117, and his letters to trajan provide one of the few surviving records of the relationship between the imperial office and provincial governors.
He is currently completing a biography of pliny man of high empire and a commentary on pliny, letters book 6. Pliny the younger wrote hundreds of letters, of which 247 survive and are of great historical value. A standby of latin instruction for many years letter 6. See key to translations for an explanation of the format. The second book is a typically varied yet taut suite of miniatures, including among its twenty letters the trial of marius priscus and pliny s famous portrait of his laurentine villa. He is coeditor with ruth morello of both reimagining pliny the younger arethusa special number 36. 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. Sullivan, pliny epistulae vi, 16 and 20 and modern vulcanology. 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. I know that immortal fame awaits him if his death is recorded by you. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j.
This post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. Loeb a welldone translation from which the penguin edition is taken, with helpful indices and notes. The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of letters to and from the emperor trajan. A comprehensive introduction to pliny the youngers epistulae, complete with extensive commentary. Now the day begins, with a still hesitant and almost lazy dawn. In a separate introduction to book x are discussed. Gibson and ruth morello frontmatter more information acknowledgements this book began as a conversation on a train on the way back from a conference in 1998.
The letters, on which today his fame mainly rests, were largely written with a view to publication, and were arranged by pliny himself. Some are addressed to reigning emperors or to notables such as the historian tacitus. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. 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. The first fourteen letters of this book are dated from the period preceding plinys appointment as governor his official title was that of legatus augusti pro praetore consulari potestate of bithynia and pontus, probably between 110 and 112 ce. You have constantly urged me to collect and publish the more highly finished of the letters that i may have written. The blog posts about the vesuvius eruption are on hold while i complete my book, pliny and the destruction of vesuvius routledge, 2021. Your information, my dear pliny, was extremely agreeable to me, as it does concern me to. Pliny the younger was governor of pontusbithynia from 1111 ad.
Keil with a commentary, and a life of pliny 1880 9781164919650. Roman literary life book 1, letter 1 pliny has accepited his friends advice and collected some of his letters for publication. The tenth book of pliny the youngers correspondence gathers only letters exchanged between pliny and the emperor trajan. It is true that he perished in a catastrophe which. Reading letters pliny younger introduction classical literature. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus. For the duration of the mandate, observe that plinys predecessor julius ferox is attested both in 101 and in 103 cil 6. Commentary by jacqueline carlon oxford greek and latin college commentaries by jacqueline carlon 1 may 2016 4. You will ask how that can possibly be in the midst of rome. We have a whole set of exchanges of his letters with the emperor trajan on a variety of administrative political matters. 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. Mynors 1963, in the bibliotheca augustana pliny was born in comum in 61 or 62 a. The epistulae are later copies of a series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed to his friends and associates.
He plans to work next on a commentary on pliny, letters book 6. Letters of pliny by pliny the younger full audio book great. A reconstruction of the transmission history of epp. In a separate introduction to book x are discussed bithynia, chronology, possible. This post begins a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6.
This volume brings together some of the best and most influential work to be published on the epistles of pliny the younger in recent decades. Ruth morello is lecturer in latin at the university of manchester, and coeditor with a. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including tacitus, martial and suetonius. The text of books i to ix of the letters rests on three manuscript traditions, the 9book, the 10book and the 8book, known as.
An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. Roy gibson is professor of latin at the university of manchester. These posts are part of a book project that intends to understand the scholarly and popular reception of those letters. Short biographies of the elder and younger pliny, setting the context for the vesuvian letters two letters. An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit. Chapter 1 traces pliny s autobiographical narrative throughout the letters. Pliny book 1, letter 6 latin text pliny book 1, letter 9 english translation pliny book 1, letter 9 latin text pliny book 1, letter 10 student commentary. Covering historical, autobiographical, and literary aspects of the epistles and their reception, the 19 classic articles included here offer a wide and representative range of approaches to pliny, from prosopography and social history to.
The last was written during his tour of administration of bithynia, during which he may well have died. Chapter 2 undertakes detailed study of book 6 as an artistic entity. Selected letters from pliny the youngers epistulae. 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. Letters of pliny by pliny the younger full audio book. The post is duly registered on the inscription ils 2927. Click on the l symbols to go the latin text of each letter. Pliny s letters are important as a social document of his times. An unsuspected shared enthusiasm for pliny led to a. Pliny likely wrote the letters from amisus before his term ended in january 1. 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. Gibson, 9780521842921, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Nonfiction harvard classics pliny the younger letters. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified.
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 style is very different from that in the panegyricus, and some commentators maintain that pliny initiated a new genre. 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 is the first general introduction to plinys letters published in any language, combining close readings with broader context and adopting a fresh and innovative approach to reading the letters as an artistically structured collection. The identification of the tribune nigrinus of 105 epp. A historical and social commentary oxford 1966 3637, with the summary of results at 41. As the only selection of the letters with extensive commentary, it provides. This comprehensive general commentary on the nine books of the younger plinys private letterswhich 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.
This was the disaster that buried pompeii, herculaneum, and other sites. Literature was taken much more seriously in the time of the emperor claudius. They describe its society and institutions, they reflect its values and its judgements on history both recently past and in the making. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century. For the duration of the mandate, observe that plinys predecessor julius ferox is. Reading the letters of pliny the younger book depository.
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