Moreover, pliny often focuses on those poisonous substances found in lands where rome had carried out major. 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. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. Pliny the elder, the natural history john bostock, m. Publication date 184749 topics natural history publisher london printed for the club by g. Neither the younger nor the elder pliny mention the names. The latin library the classics page the classics page. The science and aesthetics of names in the naturalis historia aude doody 8.
Links to translation of pliny the elder, natural history. Although pliny did not distinguish between fact, opinion, and speculation in. Bostock, john, 17731846, translator riley, henry t. It is an encyclopedic work, designed to illustrate a philosophical belief in a benign providence, and to assimilate greek knowledge for the roman world. The historia naturalis is the first encyclopedia, a compilation covering every aspect of the world as known to an intelligent roman of the first century.
The wonderfully imaginative miniatures which accompany the copy of the text in the victoria and albert museum are attributed to giuliano amedei, and although describing early roman practice. Plinys natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. Naturalis historia by pliny the elder, was dedicated to the emperor titus in 77 ce, and published posthumously, following pliny s death while observing the eruption of vesuvius in 79 ce. Spending most of his spare time studying, writing or investigating natural and geographic phenomena in the field, he wrote an encyclopedic work, natural history naturalis historia, which became a model for many subsequent encyclopedic texts. The natural history of pliny, volume 6 bohns classical library the natural history of pliny, henry thomas riley. The natural history of pliny, volume 1 of 6 by the elder pliny free. Table of contents of the others and of authorities. Translated into english by philemon holland doctor of physicke. The natural history of pliny digital collections national library of.
Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge the contents of the books are as follows. Pliny s natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. The natural history of pliny volume 6 uniform titles. The natural history has been translated into english by h. Publication date 1938 topics natural history publisher. Hide browse bar your current position in the text is marked in blue. This image might not be in the public domain outside of the united states. Their ultimate source is a fragmentary inscription cil v 1 3442 found in a. It is an encyclopedic work, designed to illustrate a philosophical belief in a benign providence, and to assimilate greek. 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.
The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such subjects as botany, zoology, and astronomy. 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. Volume i of the natural history of gaius plinius secundus. Pliny the elder, naturalis historia, book preface, chapter 1. The elder pliny s chapters on the history of art 1982, ares publishers in multiple languages revised reprint i.
Home 773 4930420 office 773 7029580 fax 773 7020730 email. Gaius plinius secundus ad 232479, called pliny the elder. Pdf pliny the elder is a unique phenomenon in the history of the literary transmission of antique texts. 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. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. He wrote the encyclopedic naturalis historia natural history, which became an editorial model for encyclopedias. Pliny the elder 44 followers 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. 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. 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. Natural history encyclopedic scientific work by pliny. A sciapod, described by pliny in his natural history.
Author of naturalis historia, pliny, historia naturalis, c. Evidence reported by ian frederickrothwell for item plinysnaturalhis00plinrich on february 22, 2007. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to the. Home collectionstexts perseus catalog research grants open source about help. 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. Cheers to the scholar, historian, officer, writer, and roman naturalist pliny the elder. Anecdotic history of art in pliny the elder s naturalis historia. Pliny the elder biography facts, childhood, family life. The natural history of pliny digital collections national. In this thesis i identifiy pliny the elders naturalis historia as a form of roman historiography. 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. 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. Pliny the elder simple english wikipedia, the free. Naturalis historia naturalis historia, 1669 edition, title page.
Pliny the elder project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Although pliny did not distinguish between fact, opinion, and speculation in his 37volume treatise, he can be credited with. A multifaceted personality, he was also an author, naturalist, and a naval and army commander of the early roman empire. Plinys historia naturalis natural history is a vast encyclopaedic work and the only book by him to have survived. Natural history encyclopedic scientific work by pliny the elder. Pliny the elder to distinguish him from his nephew and ward. Pliny the elder, who died during the eruption of vesuvius in 79 a. May 14, 2019 the elder pliny s chapters on the history of art 1982, ares publishers in multiple languages revised reprint i. Plinys historia naturalis natural history is a vast encyclopaedic work and. Gaius plinius secundus, or pliny plihnee the elder, was in his fiftysixth year when he died during the famous eruption of mount vesuvius in august. Plini secundi naturalis historiae libri xxxvii, the historie of the vvorld.
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 pliny, the elder the online books page. Doodys recent study has argued that the texts reception has falsely. Naturalis historia or pliny s natural history was pliny s last work, as well the most important work of his life. The encyclopedia, who is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to this day, covers numerous subjects such as astronomy, mathematics, geography, zoology, botany, physiology, sculpture and painting. Pliny wrote the encyclopedic naturalis historia natural history, which became an editorial model for encyclopedias. 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, natural history loeb classical library. In pliny the elder s naturalis historia poisonous plants and animals are intimately associated with their countries of origin. Pliny s 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. The natural history of pliny, volume 2 bohns classical library the natural history of pliny, henry thomas riley. 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. Pliny the elder was a roman natural philosopher who lived during the 1st century.
Pliny the elder pliny, the elder a wikipedia article about this author is available pliny, the elder. Pdf the present piece of work faces the issue of how to encourage nowadays the reading of the naturalis historia by pliny the elder in its original. Pliny studied at rome before serving in the roman military in germany, eventually commanding a cavalry squadron. Encylcopaedic exemplarity in pliny the elder clemence schultze 11. He is best known for his work pliny s natural history which was in latin and explored the natural world. Of all the works written by pliny, one only, tlic itistoria. Gaius plinius secundus ad 23 august 25, ad 79, better kent as pliny the elder, wis a roman author, naituralist, an naitural filosopher, as well as naval an army commander o the early roman empire, an personal friend o the emperor vespasian. His nephew pliny the younger gives an indication how devoted his uncle was to reading and studying, which was like working to him. Pliny, the beer has now become one of our flagship brews. Ungar, 1957, also by loyd ed haberly page images at hathitrust.
Compacted from the many volumes of the historia naturalis by loyd haberly. Links to translation of pliny the elder, natural history pliny the elder, who died during the eruption of vesuvius in 79 a. Naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. Pliny the elder 2379 ce, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled. 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 the elder simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 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. Pliny and the encyclopaedic addressee ruth morello 10. 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. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge. The homepage for plinys natural history the historia naturalis of c.
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