Epistulae x letters 10, also known as the correspondence with trajan is a book of letters by the roman lawyer and author pliny the. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caec. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder pliny s sister. We have a whole set of exchanges of his letters with the emperor trajan on a variety of administrative political matters. Pliny the elder had been a cavalry officer in the rhine army and had some literary pretensions. The text of books i to ix of the letters rests on three manuscript traditions, the 9book, the 10book and the 8book, known as. Pliny the younger wrote many important letters that are helpful for modern historians trying to understand the life of roman aristocracy, and a gripping, first hand witness account about mt vesuvius erupting, but ultimately, his most important work is chapters 96 and 97 of the epistulae, in which he gives the first nonchristian historical account of the christians. His letters are arranged in ten books, of which the tenth consists entirely of letters to and from the emperor trajan. The numbering of the letters in this book has been changed slightly to bring it into line with the most recent editions. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century. 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 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 letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger. Plinius, plinia, plinium plinius plinius plinius plinius plinio. Apr 22, 2014 the sentence first appears in a letter from pliny the younger to his friend bebio macro. Pliny the younger was governor of pontusbithynia from 1111 ad.
We personally assess every books quality and offer rare. Pliny epistulae 10 120 in latin, with adjustable running. The sentence first appears in a letter from pliny the younger to his friend bebio macro. Pliny the elder had started a career as a scholar, and was preparing a book on problems in grammar. The letters, 1748 consists of 248 letters in ten books. 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 christians. It is a rule, sir, which i inviolably observe, to refer myself to you in all my doubts. No book is so bad as to not have something of use in some. 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. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus. He had published two books on military matters and had written one of the first latin biographies. Pliny and his mother were living with him at misenum when vesuvius erupted in 79 ce. 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. 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.
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. Pliny the younger books list of books by author pliny the. Having never been present at any trials of the christians, i am unacquainted with the method and limits to be observed either in. Pliny the younger was governor of pontus and bithynia from 1111 ce. Letter 96 is the most famous of the collection, and it contains the earliest external account of christian worship, and details what was to. In this letter he applies it to his uncle, the famous naturalist pliny the elder, who died in the eruption of vesuvius in the interests of science. A series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed to his friends and associates. The greatest contribution of this volume may be the authors insistence that rereading plinys letters both linearly and selectively will proffer the greatest appreciation for plinys conscientious attention to the organization and thematic development of his epistolary collection. The letters of book 10 are addressed to or from the emperor trajan in their. 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.
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. Book 10, perhaps published posthumously by friends, consists of business. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified. Collegi non servato temporis ordine neque enim historiam. The original source is pliny the younger, epistles 10. Pliny the younger s nine book epistles is a masterpiece of roman prose.
Reading the letters of pliny the younger an introduction. Plinius traiano imperatori 1 exprimere, domine, verbis non possum, quanto me gaudio affecerint epistulae tuae, ex quibus cognovi te arpocrati, iatraliptae meo, et alexandrinam civitatem tribuisse, quamvis secundum institutionem principum non temere eam dare proposuisses. This final book was, significantly, not intended for publication. 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. The second book is a typically varied yet taut suite of miniatures, including among its twenty letters the. 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.
During the younger plinys youth, the political situation was deteriorating. 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. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. The last was written during his tour of administration of bithynia, during which he may well have died. Dicere etiam solebat nullum esse librum tam malum ut non aliqua parte prodesset. Mynors 1963, in the bibliotheca augustana pliny was born in comum in. The style is very different from that in the panegyricus, and some commentators maintain that pliny initiated a new genre. 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. Buy a cheap copy of the letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger. 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.
I got pliny the younger s letter to trajan from the notes to eusebius ecclesiastical history, book iii, ch. He revered his uncle, pliny the elder, and provides sketches of how his uncle worked on the naturalis historia. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. 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. Pliny the younger was born in novum comum como, northern italy, the son of lucius caecilius cilo, born there, and wife plinia marcella, a sister of pliny the elder. The method you have pursued, my dear pliny, in sifting the cases of those denounced to you as cbristians is extremely proper. They were both witnesses to the eruption of vesuvius on 24 august 79 ad. The loeb classical library edition of pliny the younger is in two volumes. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 book 10. 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.
Providing a series of fascinating views of imperial rome, the letters of. The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. In this letter he applies it to his uncle, the famous naturalist pliny the elder, who died in the eruption of vesuvius in the interests of science pliny episuolae,3,5,10 dicere etiam solebat nullum esse librum tam malum ut non aliqua parte prodesset. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two famous letters when the elder pliny died. One night, as he and his younger brother were lying together, he fancied he saw somebody upon his bed. Often mined as a historical and pedagogical sourcebook, this collection of private letters is now finding recognition as a rich and rewarding work in its own right. These two letters are the most famous, in which pliny the younger encounters christianity for the first time. 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. See all books authored by pliny the younger, including the letters of the younger pliny, and the historians of ancient rome, and more on. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was born at como in 62 a. Pliny the younger, latin in full gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born 6162 ce, comum italydied c. Oct 31, 2016 pliny the younger wrote many important letters that are helpful for modern historians trying to understand the life of roman aristocracy, and a gripping, first hand witness account about mt vesuvius erupting, but ultimately, his most important work is chapters 96 and 97 of the epistulae, in which he gives the first nonchristian historical account of the christians. The younger pliny was brought up in the houses of his uncle, in como and rome. The epistulae are later copies of a series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed to his friends and associates.
Pliny the youngers ninebook epistles is a masterpiece of roman prose. Ad 611 was also a prolific letterwriter, who numbered among his correspondents such eminent figures as tacitus. It is not possible to lay down any general rule which can be applied as the fixed standard in all cases of this nature. Pliny the younger books list of books by author pliny.
I got pliny the youngers letter to trajan from the notes to eusebius ecclesiastical history, book iii, ch. Plinys uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him. Main text users without a subscription are not able to see the full content. Pliny the younger wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. He was educated at home and then in rome under quintilian. Pliny the youngerto be distinguished from pliny the elder, his maternal uncle and the author of the encyclopedic natural historywas born in comum modern como in transpadane italy c. 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.
1018 18 1406 1312 1477 198 261 948 1557 179 785 1142 1600 1343 674 423 105 1571 46 1274 616 409 927 682 1401 700 78 642 515 453 1139 908 603 1173