The natural history of pliny, volume 6 bohns classical library the natural history of pliny, henry thomas riley. Like any great work in human history from plato to galileo, from dante to stephen hawkings pliny s natural history is, first of all, a work of imagination. 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. He wrote the encyclopedic naturalis historia natural history, which became an editorial model for encyclopedias. Direct observation, informed speculation and common knowledge are combined to present a key snapshot of ancient thought and the romans perspective on the. His nephew pliny the younger gives an indication how devoted his uncle was to reading and studying, which was like working to him the only time he took from his work was for his bath, and by bath i mean his actual immersion, for while. This extraordinary work was originally composed and. Pliny the elder naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. Pliny the elder has 277 books on goodreads with 3818 ratings. The table below is a summary based on modern names for topics. 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.
Links to translation of pliny the elder, natural history, by h. Naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. Pliny the elder wrote about dragons forbidden history. Unusually, the entire remarkable work it contains over a million words has survived intact it is one of the most substantial ancient works available to modern readers. Book ii continues with natural meteorological events lower in the sky, including the winds, weather, whirlwinds, lightning, and rainbows. Pliny wrote in latin, using mostly greek sources and his own observations and vivid imagination. Book vii of the natural history provides a detailed examination of the human animal and is. Book 11, insects, their physiology and habits especially bees, silkworms, spiders. The natural history was one of the first ancient european texts to be printed, in venice in 1469. The division of human knowledge into different fieldsbiology, history, mathematics, medicine, and so onis a relatively new invention. His greatest and only surviving work was his naturalis historia of natural history. 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.
He is most known for his only extant work, a 37volume natural history that served as the basis for scientific knowledge for centuries. Concentrating on plinys accounts of foreign lands and peoples, monsters, and barbarians, trevor murphy demonstrates the political significance of this. 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. 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.
Susan whitfield, life along the silk road berkeley. Pliny the elder, natural history loeb classical library. Pliny, the beer has now become one of our flagship brews. In his natural history, pliny the elder observes and then explains the planets, among many other topics. Wheeler alwyne cooper, the life and work of peter artedi, in wheeler alwyne cooper ed. Pliny the elder, the natural history exploring celtic. 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. He manages to do this without saying things like saturn is the best planet right. Jun 21, 2018 gaius plinius secundus, better known in history as pliny the elder, was an influential administrator, officer, and author during his life. Natural history, volume iii, books 811 loeb classical library. Librivox recording of the natural history, volume 3, by pliny the elder. Pliny the elder, the natural history, book i 79 hacker news. Dec 09, 2015 but over the centuries these mistakes have revealed more about plinys world than the accuracies.
Natural history pliny project gutenberg selfpublishing. Pliny s is an organic work, as shakespeares crowded plays or montaignes essays are organic. Read more about the sites features pliny the elder 2379 ce, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled. 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. Gaius plinius secundus ad 232479, called pliny the elder. The zoology chapters books 8 to 11 are frequently quoted, though pliny is not always acknowledged as the. This book is available with additional data at biodiversity heritage library. Gaius plinius secundus, better known in history as pliny the elder, was an influential administrator, officer, and author during his life. The works subject area is thus not limited to what is today understood by natural history. Pompeii hero pliny the elder may have been found 2,000 years later. Of course, pliny referred to the first book and others in writing his natural history, but it ended up as a sort of dummys guide to natural history, trying to compose a really wide subject matter into a few books over 2 years, and obviously getting a lot wrong in the process. The eruption had just destroyed the cities of pompeii and herculaneum. Nov 09, 2017 of course, pliny referred to the first book and others in writing his natural history, but it ended up as a sort of dummys guide to natural history, trying to compose a really wide subject matter into a few books over 2 years, and obviously getting a lot wrong in the process.
His natural history contained over a million words in 37 volumes. The naturalis historia is one of the largest works to have survived from the roman empire to the modern day. John wallis ernest walton james watson james watt alfred wegener john archibald wheeler maurice wilkins thomas willis e. Plinys wideranging natural history, written in the 70s ce. University of california press, 1999, quoting pliny the elder in his natural history. The natural history by pliny the elder free at loyal books. His natural history contained over a million words in 37 volumes pliny attempted to document all known facts about the natural world. 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.
Gaius plinius secundus, better known as pliny the elder, was an author, naturalist, and natural philosopher as well as a naval and army commander of the early roman empire. Pliny the elder wrote the worlds first encyclopedia. Philemon hollands english translation of 1605 has influenced literature ever since. He spent most of his time studying, writing or investigating natural and geographic phenomena in the field. The elder plinys chapters on the history of art by the. The homepage for plinys natural history the historia naturalis of c.
Pliny the elder s natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. Although he was only fiftysix years old at the time of his death, he left behind a great legacy of political respect and appreciation, as well as a reputation for being one of the strongest ancient roman historians whose work survives. The guinness is a compilation of isolated and insipid facts. Pliny the elders natural history, from firstcentury rome, is the most important surviving encyclopedia of the ancient world. Pliny the elders most popular book is natural history. Apparently pliny the elder isnt good anymore vinepair. 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. 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. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the natural history of pliny. 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 ad 2379 was a roman natural philosopher who was educated in rome and came into contact with celts during his military service in germany and gaul.
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. Topics included are the mathematics and metrology of the universe. She is mentioned in pliny the elders natural history as an example of. Pliny was a compiler, a gatherer and recorder of information. Plinys natural history and the flavian templum pacis jstor. 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, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge.
Plinys natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. Pliny the elder biography birthday, trivia italian. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. Pliny the elder on the silk road the silk road research. Although he was only fiftysix years old at the time of his death, he left behind a great legacy of political respect and appreciation, as well as a reputation for being one of the strongest ancient roman.
Natural history is an account that can only be given by a roman in the year ad 77, and because. 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. Pliny the elder 23 79 ce produced in his natural history a vast compendium of roman knowledge. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such subjects as botany, zoology, and astronomy. Gaius plinius secundas pliny the elder was a roman official and military officer who also wrote as a naturalist, biographer and historian. The illustrious life of pliny the elder, ancient historian.
The digital loeb classical library extends the founding mission of james loeb with an interconnected, fully searchable, perpetually growing virtual library of all that is important in greek and latin literature. Pliny the elder sailed into danger when vesuvius erupted, and never returned, but a body found a century ago covered in jewelry like a cabaret ballerina may really have been his. But over the centuries these mistakes have revealed more about plinys world than the accuracies. As a guide to the cultural meanings of everyday things in ancient rome it is unparalleled. 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. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read plinys natural history. Buy the elder plinys chapters on the history of art by the elder pliny creator online at alibris. Pliny s natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology.
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. Pliny himself defines his scope as the natural world, or life. Natural history, volume ii, books 37 loeb classical library. Cheers to the scholar, historian, officer, writer, and roman naturalist pliny the elder. He claimed to have recorded 20,000 pieces of information, although modern scholars say he underestimated his own output. The direct links to the latin text of this section of pliny are possible due to the advice of bill thayer at the university of kansas. Jul 25, 2017 in his natural history, pliny the elder observes and then explains the planets, among many other topics. In ad 77, pliny published his famous 37volume work naturalis historia or natural history. 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. The following is an adaptation of pliny the elder, the natural history, trans. Links to translation of pliny the elder, natural history.
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