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Product Description
Product Description
'Gaius Pliny sends greetings to his friend Septicius Clarus...' In these letters to his friends and relations, Pliny provides a fascinating insight into Roman life in the period 97 to 112 AD. Part autobiography, part social history, they document the career and interests of a senator and leading imperial official whose friends include the historians Tacitus and Suetonius. Pliny's letters cover a wide range of topics, from the contemporary political scene to domestic affairs, the educational system, the rituals and conduct of Roman religion, the treatment of slaves, and the phenomena of nature. He describes in vivid detail the eruption of Vesuvius which killed his uncle, and the daily routines of a well-to-do Roman in the courts, and at leisure, enjoying rural pursuits at his country estates. In the introduction to his lively and sympathetic new translation, P.G. Walsh examines the background to these often intimate and enthralling letters.
About the Author
Peter Walsh is best known for his work on Livy and has produced editions and critical books on the author. For OWC he has translated Apuleius, The Golden Ass, Petronius, Satyricon, and Cicero, Nature of the Gods and On Obligations.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
On numerous occasions you have urged me to assemble and to publish such letters as I had composed with some care. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
On numerous occasions you have urged me to assemble and to publish such letters as I had composed with some care. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Another excellent translation from Professor Walsh . Clear and faithful to the Latin . The layout of the text is also excellent - well-spaced and clear .
My only gripe is the system on annotation employed in this whole series of books . Each note is indicated by an asterisk , but this can be confusing when there are several in close proximity .
This translation compares very favourably with the , now ageing , Penguin . And it's cheaper , too .
My only gripe is the system on annotation employed in this whole series of books . Each note is indicated by an asterisk , but this can be confusing when there are several in close proximity .
This translation compares very favourably with the , now ageing , Penguin . And it's cheaper , too .
Format:Paperback
Beautifully written. he must of been a great man to chat with. It is definately in my "keep for ever" selection
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Pliny's letters give an eminent impression of the life of a wealthy barrister at the end of the 1st century and the beginning of the 2nd one in the Roman Empire. He was also an honest civil servant of his country.
Pliny was a tolerant (`anyone who hates faults, hates mankind'), honest and loyal man. He loved liberty (which was regained in Rome with Trajan after the harsh dictatorship of Domitian) and profited as much as he could of his wealth, because `nothing is so short and fleeting as the longest of human lives'.
Politically he was a staunch defender of the state religion (he condemned Christians) and an opponent of secret ballot, because it lead to `wanton irresponsibilities'.
His view on mankind was rather pessimistic: `very few people are as scrupulously honest in secret as in public, and many are influenced by public opinion, but scarcely anyone by conscience.'
Also, he saw his country as a state, `which has long offered the same (or even greater) rewards to dishonesty and wickedness as it does to honor and merit, and `the prevailing habits of the day and the laws judge a man's income to be of primary importance.'
He understood the all importance of education.
As a big lover of literature (`no book so bad that some good could not be got out of it') he saw the greatness of his friend Cornelius Tacitus: `I believe that your histories will be immortal.'
Most of the letters are rather unimportant exhortations, recommendations, discussions about wills and legacies, or about the Roman bar, with barristers speeches of 5 hours, `sold counsel', fake lawsuits, `compulsion' pleading, `dinner-clappers' and `bravo-callers'.
This book is only for historians and lovers of classical literature.
Pliny was a tolerant (`anyone who hates faults, hates mankind'), honest and loyal man. He loved liberty (which was regained in Rome with Trajan after the harsh dictatorship of Domitian) and profited as much as he could of his wealth, because `nothing is so short and fleeting as the longest of human lives'.
Politically he was a staunch defender of the state religion (he condemned Christians) and an opponent of secret ballot, because it lead to `wanton irresponsibilities'.
His view on mankind was rather pessimistic: `very few people are as scrupulously honest in secret as in public, and many are influenced by public opinion, but scarcely anyone by conscience.'
Also, he saw his country as a state, `which has long offered the same (or even greater) rewards to dishonesty and wickedness as it does to honor and merit, and `the prevailing habits of the day and the laws judge a man's income to be of primary importance.'
He understood the all importance of education.
As a big lover of literature (`no book so bad that some good could not be got out of it') he saw the greatness of his friend Cornelius Tacitus: `I believe that your histories will be immortal.'
Most of the letters are rather unimportant exhortations, recommendations, discussions about wills and legacies, or about the Roman bar, with barristers speeches of 5 hours, `sold counsel', fake lawsuits, `compulsion' pleading, `dinner-clappers' and `bravo-callers'.
This book is only for historians and lovers of classical literature.
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