In this post, rather than extrabiblical attestation of christ we will explore some historical evidence for the early practices of christian worshipers. See key to translations for an explanation of the format. The nature of the governors problems and the obligation he was under of referring very petty matters to the emperor appears clearly in the following letters. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about. The present study includes a substantial introduction examining the background to plinys life, thought, and writing, together with a modern english translation, and a detailed commentary which emphasizes the importance of book seven as possibly the most fascinating cultural record surviving from early imperial rome. 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. The letters of pliny the younger to the roman emperor trajan serve as an important witness to the practices of early christianity.
As a detailed study of the human animal, described by its author as the raison detre of nature, book seven of the elder pliny s natural history is crucial to the understanding of. So he wrote the following letter to emperor trajan reporting what he had done so far and asking for guidance. 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 elder s most popular book is natural history. We have a whole set of exchanges of his letters with the emperor trajan on a variety of administrative political matters.
This is the first general introduction to plinys letters published in any language. 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. Other considerations aside, this is unlikely chronology. The letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger. Pliny the elder has 277 books on goodreads with 3818 ratings. 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. Pliny likely wrote the letters from amisus before his term ended in january 1. Pliny the younger was governor of pontusbithynia from 1111 ad. 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.
The present recess from business affords you leisure to give, and me to receive, instruction. Ad 611 was also a prolific letterwriter, who numbered among his correspondents such eminent figures as tacitus. Commentary by jacqueline carlon oxford greek and latin college commentaries by jacqueline carlon 1 may 2016 4. 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.
Chapter 1 traces pliny s autobiographical narrative throughout the letters. He plans to work next on a commentary on pliny, letters book 6. In the first letter of the first book pliny states that he has collected certain of his letters without regard to chronological order non servato temporis ordine. A reconstruction of the transmission history of epp.
Mynors 1963, in the bibliotheca augustana pliny was born in comum in 61 or 62 a. Grammatical and syntactical glosses are meticulously researched and appropriately referenced. The tenth book of pliny the youngers correspondence gathers only letters exchanged between pliny and the emperor trajan. The epistulae are later copies of a series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed to his friends and associates. Buy a cheap copy of the letters of the younger pliny book by pliny the younger. In a separate introduction to book x are discussed.
They are personal missives directed to his friends and associates including literary figures like the poet martial, the. Women book 4, letter 19 pliny is flattered that calpurnia, his young wife, follows his literary career with enthusiasm. The origin of christianity in that region is not known, but it has not been associated with apostle pauls travels. 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. You have constantly urged me to collect and publish the more highly finished of the letters that i may have written.
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. The comments at the bottom of the letters have been added from various sources. 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. Here he met christians for the first time and was not sure how they should be dealt with. 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. We see pliny describe his consideration for his modest wife 6. Now the day begins, with a still hesitant and almost lazy dawn.
In a separate introduction to book x are discussed bithynia. Loeb a welldone translation from which the penguin edition is taken, with helpful indices and notes. Click on the l symbols to go the latin text of each letter. Book 7 of the natural history is a weird, fun read.
Pliny the younger was the governor of bithynia et pontus on the black sea coast of anatolia turkey. View the new experience and read this book on fulcrum. Biographical sources include two letters of pliny the younger, iii 1. Jones the letters of the younger pliny are the chief contemporary source for the illdocumented reign of trajan. The hero embarks this post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. 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.
Librivox recording of letters of pliny by pliny the younger. Chapter 2 undertakes detailed study of book 6 as an artistic entity. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. 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. Viii, and suggested as explanation a sequence of unhealthy seasons cf. Read in english by andrew coleman the largest surviving body of plinys work is his epistulae letters, a series of personal missives directed to his friends, associates and the emperor trajan. He is coeditor with ruth morello of both reimagining pliny the younger arethusa special number 36. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified.
After riding seven miles he walks another mile, then he again. Book x of the letters contains his correspondence with trajan during this period, and includes letters about the early christians. I am extremely desirous therefore to know whether you believe in the existence of ghosts, and that they have a real form, and are a sort of divinities, or only the visionary impressions of a terrified imagination. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus.
Short biographies of the elder and younger pliny, setting the context for the vesuvian letters. 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. 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 s letters are important as a social document of his times. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Pliny book 1, letter 10 student commentary pliny book 1, letter. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. 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 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. Gibson, reading the letters of sidonius by the book, in j. The letters of pliny the younger are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century ce, and some commentators even consider that pliny was the initiator of a whole new genre of literature. Letters of pliny by pliny the younger full audio book great.
It is also currently the best served book of the natural history in english, in that mary beagon has produced a translation and a scholarly commentary on the translated text that complements travillians edition of the latin text for students. This post belongs to a serialized translation and commentary of pliny the youngers letters 6. 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. The letters, on which today his fame mainly rests, were largely written with a view to publication, and were arranged by pliny himself. Chapters 47 study thematic letter cycles within the collection, including those on plinys. A comprehensive introduction to pliny the youngers epistulae, complete with extensive commentary.
Plinys letter to trajan christian history institute. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. Books by pliny the elder author of natural history. 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. In the first article on this topic, we saw how the writings of tacitus corroborate the details of christs death. Some are addressed to reigning emperors or to notables such as the historian tacitus. Selected letters from pliny the youngers epistulae. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including tacitus, martial and suetonius.
Trajan appointed pliny the younger, a distinguished senator and literary man, as governor of bithynia a province suffering from previous maladministration. As a detailed study of the human animal, described by its author as the raison detre of nature, book seven of the elder plinys natural history is crucial to the understanding of. Natural history book 7 clarendon ancient history oxford university press, usa mary beagon translated with introduction and historical commentary by. Book 7, letter 27 pliny tells two stroies about ghosts who prophesied the future, and one about a house that was haunted by the ghost of a murder victim who had been buried in the house.
They describe its society and institutions, they reflect its values and its judgements on history both recently past and in the making. Jacqui carlons selected letters from pliny the youngers epistulae is a welcome addition to the ongoing resurgence in studies on roman epistolary literature, pliny especially. The manuscripts of plinys letters by dora johnson in the course of collecting notes for a monograph on the classi fication of the eightbook mss of plinys letters i have been able to make a fairly complete list of these mss, which, supplemented by those of the betterknown groups, may be of interest to other. Pliny was a civil servant who served as governor of bithynia, in the north of asia minor modern turkey, from 1111 ad. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century. Women book 4, letter 19 pliny is flattered that calpurnia, his young wife. As the only selection of the letters with extensive commentary, it provides instructors. The style is very different from that in the panegyricus, and some commentators maintain that pliny initiated a new genre. Keil with a commentary, and a life of pliny 1880 9781164919650.
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