Pomponius secundus, in two books, a person by whom. It is also currently the best served book of the natural history in english, in that mary beagon has produced a translation. 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. Naturalis historia is an early 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 all ancient knowledge. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Direct observation, informed speculation and common knowledge are combined to present a key snapshot of ancient thought and the romans. Philemon hollands english translation of 1605 has influenced literature ever since. The only translation of plinys natural history which has hitherto appeared in the. The way to read this book is the way in which you read that kind of fantastic literature that gives the illusion of fact.
Eichholz in their loeb edition, with the latin text on facing pages. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Naturalis historia naturalis historia, 1669 edition, title page. His nephew pliny the younger gives an indication how devoted his uncle was to reading and studying, which was like working to him. Plinys 37book naturalis historia is a stupor mundi, an encyclopedia of everything there was to knowwhether it was worth knowing or notin.
Pliny, the elder h rackham pliny, the elder, gaius plinius secundus ad 2379, a roman of equestrian rank of transpadane gaul n. 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. Book 7, the human race its biology, physiology and psychology. Nirankari rajmata discourses eei curriculum unit grade 8.
Plinys natural history was the goto encyclopedia for over 1,500 years, from its publication around the year 77 until well into the renaissance. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of t. There are two english translations of pliny online. Gaius plinius secundus 23 ad august 25, 79 ad, better known as pliny the elder, was a roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher. Ungar, 1957, also by loyd ed haberly page images at hathitrust pliny, the elder. Plinys historia naturalis natural history is a vast encyclopaedic work and the only book by him to have survived. As one of the largest and most comprehensive surviving works from the roman empire, pliny the elders natural history offers a rare glimpse into the scholarship of the ancient world. Pliny the elder, who died during the eruption of vesuvius in 79 a. Author pliny the elder country ancient rome subject natural history, ethnography, art, sculpture, mining, mineralogy genre encyclopaedia, popular science the natural history is a work by pliny the elder. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Pliny the elder pliny, the elder the online books page. Compacted from the many volumes of the historia naturalis by loyd haberly.
This is in the form of a covering letter from pliny, to accompany the gift of his treatise on natural history to his friend vespasian caesar i. Both factors made it eminently suitable for scholarly analysis. Mingling acute observation with often wild speculation, it offers a fascinating view of the world as it was understood in the first century ad, whether describing the danger of diving for sponges, the first waterclock, or the use of asses milk. The world, and this whatever other name men have chosen to designate the sky whose vaulted roof encircles the universe is fitly believed to be a deity, eternal, immeasurable, a being that never began to exist and never will perish. May 14, 2019 open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Of the 37 books of plinys monumental natural history, book 7 is pivotal. Links to translation of pliny the elder, natural history, by h. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, usually known as pliny the younger, was born at como in 62 a. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge. Pliny himself defines his scope as the natural world, or life. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such.
The project gutenberg ebook of the natural history of pliny, vol i. The natural history has been translated into english by h. Plinys uncle, pliny the elder, helped raise and educate him. Its frequent digressions into issues of morality and gossipy, occasionally rambling style would certainly not be at home in a modern encyclopedia, but its allencompassing scope covering botany, zoology, astronomy, geology, and medicine among other. It is therefore at once crucial to the understanding of plinys enterprise as a whole but also relatively selfcontained. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus. Click download or read online button to get the epistles of pliny as translated by william melmoth book now. On the ninth7 day before the calends of september, at about the seventh hour. This edition can be found on the internet archive, with the exception of books 3337, which are available on this website. It is very broad in scope and includes all sorts of facts, observations and myths. Natural history, volume ii, books 37 loeb classical library no.
In 37 books, pliny the eldernot to be confused with his nephew, pliny the youngercovers botany, zoology, astronomy, geology, geography, mineralogy, and how each of these interact with roman life. This extraordinary work was originally composed and written in classical latin around ad 70, and was divided into thirtyseven books. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Natural history, volume ii, books 3 7 loeb classical library no. Philemon hollands english translation of 1601 has influenced literature ever. The epistles of pliny as translated by william melmoth. The letters of pliny the younger gaius plinius caecilius secundus are presented here in the english translation by j. 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. Natural history pliny project gutenberg selfpublishing. Pliny wrote the encyclopedic naturalis historia natural history, which became an editorial model for encyclopedias.
Volume i of the natural history of gaius plinius secundus. The division of human knowledge into different fieldsbiology, history, mathematics, medicine, and so onis a relatively new invention. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget. 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. Although pliny did not distinguish between fact, opinion, and speculation in his 37volume treatise, he can be credited with.
The mere titles of the works which have been written on the subject would fill a volume. The works subject area is thus not limited to what is today understood by natural history. Details plinys natural history in thirtyseven books. Natural history, encyclopaedic scientific work of dubious accuracy by pliny the elder, completed in 77 ce as naturae historiae and conventionally known as naturalis historia. Plinys natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. Natural history encyclopedic scientific work by pliny.
Links to translation of pliny the elder, natural history. This is a fascinating book, yet is only a selection and a small one at that of plinys great work. The natural history book vii with book viii 4 latin texts by bloomsbury isbn. Feb 12, 2019 contents of plinys natural history divided into thirtyseven books preface.
It is entirely devoted to a survey of the human race, for whose sake, in plinys words, nature appears to have created everything else. The homepage for plinys natural history the historia naturalis of c. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born gaius caecilius or gaius caecilius cilo 61 c. Links to translation of pliny the elder, natural history pliny the elder, who died during the eruption of vesuvius in 79 a. Mingling acute observation with often wild speculation, it offers a fascinating view of the world as it was understood in the first century ad, whether describing the danger of diving for sponges, the first waterclock, or the use of asses milk to remove wrinkles.
In sum there are in this book of histories and observations four. Plinys natural history in thirtyseven books related titles. My ideal natural history would therefore be for penguin to publish all thirtyseven volumes, yet with copious footnotes so as to learn the accuracy of what pliny says and understand those things that he may have taken for granted. Contents of plinys natural history divided into thirtyseven books preface. 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. Page 431 the name which these stones bear, originates, it is said, in the peculiar tint of their brilliancy, which, after closely approaching the colour of wine, passes off into a violet without being fully pronounced. The natural history was one of the first ancient european texts to be printed, in venice in 1469. The world, and this whatever other name men have chosen to designate the sky whose vaulted roof encircles the universe is fitly believed to be a deity, eternal, immeasurable, a being that never began. This page was last edited on 7 february 2019, at 12. The only translation of plinys natural history which has hitherto appeared in. Borges and italo calvino come to mind the first one had plans for making an edition of pliny in spanish, with his prologue, but died before finishing the project you can check the notes of borges selected nonfictions. 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.
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