Pliny the elder 23 79, translated by henry thomas riley 1816 1878 naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. For my research i need especially books 31 and 33, with small parts of books 2, 9 and 19. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to the modern day and purports to cover the entire field of ancient knowledge. The natural history there is no book so bad that some good cannot be got out of it, pliny the elder used to say, and he read everything that he could obtain. Libica appellantur duo eius ora modica, ex his alterum hispaniense, alterum. In plinys time, and for more than a millennium subsequently, all copies of books had to be copied laboriously by hand, because the printing press had not been invented. Naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to the modern day and purports to cover the entire. Pliny the elder born gaius plinius secundus, ad 2379 was a roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, a naval and army commander of the early roman empire, and friend of emperor vespasian. His greatest and only surviving work, the natural history, has been called one of the most influential books ever written in latin. Plinys natural history in thirtyseven books hardcover august 8.
Librivox recording of the natural history, volume 3, by pliny the elder. Pliny studied at rome before serving in the roman military in germany, eventually commanding a. Pliny the elder born gaius plinius secundus, ad 2379 was a roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, a naval and army commander of the early roman empire, and friend of emperor vespasian spending most of his spare time studying, writing, and investigating natural and geographic phenomena in the field, pliny wrote the encyclopedic naturalis historia natural history, which. Because all ancient greek paintings have been destroyed by time, natural disaster or vandalism, plinys remarks on the expertise of the painters are particularly valuable to anyone interested in greek art. Lacuscurtius pliny the elders natural history book 33. Book vii of the natural history provides a detailed examination of the human animal and is. Links to translation of pliny the elder, natural history.
The natural history has been translated into english by h. He pursued a career partly military in germany, partly administrative in gaul and spain under the emperor vespasian, and became prefect of. Plinius arrangierte darin traditionelles naturwissenschaftliches wissen griechischer autoren wie. Topics included are the mathematics and metrology of the.
Pliny the elder, natural history loeb classical library. Museums oldest natural history book now accessible online. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of t. Gaius plinius secundus ad 23 august 25, ad 79, better known as pliny the elder, was a roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early roman empire, and personal friend of the emperor vespasian. Pliny the elder 2379 ce, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge. If we are generally careful to have our faces taken by the best artists, ought we not to desire that our actions may be celebrated by an author like. Historia naturalis was one of the first manuscripts ever printed and, perhaps more importantly, the first published natural history book. We are now about to speak of metals, of actual wealth, the standard of. Gaius plinius secundus 23 ad 25 august 79 ad, better known as pliny the elder, was a roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early roman empire, and personal friend of the emperor vespasian spending most of his spare time studying, writing or investigating natural and geographic phenomena in the field, he wrote an encyclopedic work. Plinys preoccupation with his public status is evident in the digression on the history of the equestrian order in book 33 secs. Pliny the elder died in 79 ce, while attempting the rescue, by ship, of a friend and his family, in stabiae, from the eruption of mount vesuvius, which already had destroyed the cities of pompeii and herculaneum. Pliny the elder s natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. If one attempts to research the historical uses of the elder plant, one will see that most texts point to the historical book natural history by pliny the elder, a roman author and naval commander who lived until 79 a.
It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to the modern day and purports to cover the entire field of ancient knowledge, based on the best authorities available to pliny. I ran a first proofreading pass immediately after entering each book. Pliny was present when the emperor claudius organized a very special spectacle. 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. Pliny whose full name was gaius plinius secundus, was born at comum in the region north of the po river and was educated in rome. Eichholz in their loeb edition, with the latin text on facing pages.
This book is a gem for many reasons, as it is the single largest written text to have survived the roman empire. An account of pliny the elders death, written by plinys nephew pliny the younger, was sent to roman senator and historian tacitus at the time. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to the modern day and purports to cover the entire field of ancient knowledge, based on the best. I strongly presage and i am persuaded not falsely that your histories will be immortal. It included chapters on astronomy, geography, medicine, minerals, human beings, animals, and.
His natural history contained over a million words in 37 volumes pliny attempted to document all known facts about the natural world. Plinys dates are pinned to the eruption of mount vesuvius in 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. Pliny the elders natural history is published in many volumes covering a number of topics, which he differentiates by books. This is very bad publicity and false advertising read more.
Pliny the elder, roman savant and author of the celebrated natural history, an encyclopedic work of uneven accuracy that was an authority on scientific matters up to the middle ages. The circus maximus, as extended by nero, held 250,000 spectators, according to pliny the elder, hn. Pliny the elder simple english wikipedia, the free. Jan 06, 2014 historia naturalis, compiled by pliny the elder a. Volume 9, books 3335, natural history loeb classical. Mathematical and metrological survey of the universe. Pliny the elder project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
He pursued a career partly military in germany, partly administrative in gaul and spain under the emperor vespasian, and became prefect of the fleet at misenum. The homepage for plinys natural history the historia naturalis of c. Pliny the elder s natural history is published in many volumes covering a number of topics, which he differentiates by books. Pliny the elder books list of books by author pliny the elder. Naturalis historia is a book about the whole of the natural world in latin by pliny the elder, a roman author and naval commander who died in 79 ad. Pliny the elder russian river brewing company beeradvocate.
One of the many queries sent to trajan by pliny concerning the administration of his province. Thus it is that i have been only too glad to pass my leisure time among my books during the racemeeting, while others have been wasting their days in the most idle occupations. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge. The complete latin text of book xxxiii of the historia naturalis of c. After much research in beer books, brainstorming, and deliberation, we came up with pliny the elder. He claimed to have recorded 20,000 pieces of information, although modern scholars say he underestimated his own output. Pliny the elder books list of books by author pliny the. The letters of pliny the younger on the eruption of vesuvius, and more on.
I ingenuously own therefore, i so much the more covet a place in them. Direct observation, informed speculation and common knowledge are combined to present a key snapshot of ancient thought and the romans perspective on the world around them. Books 33 through 35 deal with ancient greece painting and sculpture and the artists who created those works. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to the modern day and purports to cover all ancient knowledge. His campaigns in germany bear fruit at the beginning of book 16 in his vivid description of north sea fisherfolk living precariously on their artificial. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to the modern day and purports to. Cheers to the scholar, historian, officer, writer, and roman naturalist pliny the elder. Table of contents of the others and of authorities. I got pliny the youngers letter to trajan from the notes to eusebius ecclesiastical history, book iii, ch. Pliny, the elder, gaius plinius secundus ad 2379, a roman of equestrian rank of transpadane gaul n.
Pliny the elders natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. Pliny the elder was immortalized by his nephew, pliny the younger, who wrote about his uncle succumbing to ash and smoke during the eruption of mt. Pliny the elder wrote the worlds first encyclopedia. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such subjects as botany, zoology, and astronomy. This edition can be found on the internet archive, with the exception of books 33. Pliny, the man, lived in the first century 23 to 79 a. Pliny the elder 2379 ce produced in his natural history a vast compendium of roman knowledge. Gaius plinius secundus 23 ad august 25, 79 ad, better known as pliny the elder, was a roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early roman empire, and personal friend of the emperor vespasian. Pliny the elder gaius plinius secondus, called pliny the elder to distinguish him from his nephew, known as pliny the younger, was born in 23 ce in como northern italy. According to our brewing references, he and his contemporaries either created the botanical name or at least wrote about lupus salictarius, or hops, currently known as humulus lupulus. Pliny the elder, who died during the eruption of vesuvius in 79 a.
The original source is pliny the younger, epistles 10. Neither the younger nor the elder pliny mention the names. Pliny wrote the encyclopedic naturalis historia natural history, which became an editorial model for encyclopedias. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such.
Skull of pompeii hero pliny the elder may have been found. Dec 20, 2016 its author is roman philosopher and scholar gaius plinius secundus, commonly known as pliny the elder ad 2379. Ancient uses of the elder plant in natural history by pliny. Sep 24, 2018 if one attempts to research the historical uses of the elder plant, one will see that most texts point to the historical book natural history by pliny the elder, a roman author and naval commander who lived until 79 a. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled. Their ultimate source is a fragmentary inscription cil v 1 3442 found in a field in. Sep 14, 2012 one of the many queries sent to trajan by pliny concerning the administration of his province.
It included chapters on astronomy, geography, medicine, minerals, human beings, animals, and related historical events. The natural history book vii with book viii 4 pliny the elders natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. Pliny the elder pliny did not write his book for financial gain. Ancient uses of the elder plant in natural history by. Pliny the elder is a american imperial ipa style beer brewed by russian river brewing company in santa rosa, ca. His nephew pliny the younger gives an indication how devoted his uncle was to reading and studying, which was like working to him.
I have seen agrippina, the wife of the emperor claudius, at a show where he was presenting a naval battle, seated by him, wearing a military cloak made entirely of gold cloth. Pliny, the beer has now become one of our flagship brews. See all books authored by pliny the elder, including naturalis historia, and ashen sky. Pliny the younger refers to tacituss reliance upon his uncles book, the history of the german wars. Proxime dicantur aeris metalla, cui et in usu proximum est pretium, immo vero ante argentum ac paene etiam ante aurum corinthio, stipis quoque auctoritas, ut diximus. Book 33 194 book 33 95164 gold, silver and mercury.
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