The Letters of the Younger Pliny, First Series — Volume 1
This etext was prepared by Rebecca Trump <r_trump@yahoo.com>
and Sue Asscher <asschers@dingoblue.net.au>
NOTE.—In the following translation the Teubner text, edited by Keil, has been followed.
Some slight memoir and critical estimate of the author of this collection of Letters may perhaps be acceptable to those who are unfamiliar with the circumstances of the times in which he lived. Moreover, few have studied the Letters themselves without feeling a warm affection for the writer of them. He discloses his character therein so completely, and, in spite of his glaring fault of vanity and his endless love of adulation, that character is in the main so charming, that one can easily understand the high esteem in which Pliny was held by the wide circle of his friends, by the Emperor Trajan, and by the public at large. The correspondence of Pliny the Younger depicts for us the everyday life of a Roman gentleman in the best sense of the term. We see him practising at the Bar; we see him engaged in the civil magistracies at Rome, and in the governorship of the important province of Bithynia; we see him consulted by the Emperor on affairs of state, and occupying a definite place among the Amici Caesaris. Best of all, perhaps, we see him in his daily life, a devoted scholar, never so happy as when he is in his study, laboriously seeking to perfect his style, whether in verse or prose, by the models of the great writers of the past and the criticisms of the friends whom he has summoned, in a friendly way, to hear his compositions read or recited. Or again we find him at one of his country villas, enjoying a well-earned leisure after the courts have risen at Rome and all the best society has betaken itself into the country to escape the heats and fevers of the capital. We see him managing his estates, listening to the complaints of his tenants, making abatements of rent, and grumbling at the agricultural depression and the havoc that the bad seasons have made with his crops. Or he spends a day in the open air hunting, yet never omits to take with him a book to read or tablets on which to write, in case the scent is cold and game is not plentiful. In short, the Letters of Pliny the Younger give us a picture of social life as it was in the closing years of the first, and the opening years of the second century of the Christian era, which is as fascinating as it is absolutely unique.
the Younger Pliny
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THE LETTERS OF THE YOUNGER PLINY. WITH AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY BY JOHN B. FIRTH.
INTRODUCTION.
THE LETTERS OF THE YOUNGER PLINY.
1.II.—TO ARRIANUS.
1.III.—TO CANINIUS RUFUS.
1.IV.—TO POMPEIA CELERINA.
1.V.—TO VOCONIUS ROMANUS.
1.VI.—TO CORNELIUS TACITUS.
1.VII.—TO OCTAVIUS RUFUS.
1.VIII.—TO POMPEIUS SATURNINUS.
1.IX.—TO MINUTIUS FUNDANUS.
1.X.—TO ATTIUS CLEMENS.
1.XI.—TO FABIUS JUSTUS.
1.XII.—TO CALESTRIUS TIRO.
1.XIII.—TO SOSIUS SENECIO.
1.XIV.—TO JUNIUS MAURICUS.
1.XV.—TO SEPTICIUS CLARUS.
1.XVI.—TO ERUCIUS.
1.XVII.—TO CORNELIUS TITIANUS.
1.XVIII.—TO SUETONIUS TRANQUILLUS.
1.XIX.—TO ROMANUS FIRMUS.
1.XX.—TO CORNELIUS TACITUS.
1.XXI.—TO PLINIUS PATERNUS.
1.XXII.—TO CATILIUS SEVERUS.
1.XXIII.—TO POMPEIUS FALCO.
1.XXIV.—TO BAEBIUS HISPANUS.
BOOK II.
2.I.—TO ROMANUS.
2.II.—TO PAULINUS.
2.III.—TO NEPOS.
2.IV.—TO CALVINA.
2.V.—TO LUPERCUS.
2.VI.—TO AVITUS.
2.VII.—TO MACRINUS.
2.VIII.—TO CANINIUS.
2.IX.—TO APOLLINARIS.
2.X.—TO OCTAVIUS.
2.XI.—TO ARRIANUS.
2.XII.—TO ARRIANUS.
2.XIII.—TO PRISCUS.
2.XIV.—TO MAXIMUS.
2.XV.—TO VALERIANUS.
2.XVI.—TO ANNIANUS.
2.XVII.—TO GALLUS.
2.XVIII.—TO MAURICUS.
2.XIX.—TO CERIALIS.
2.XX.—TO CALVISIUS.
BOOK III.
3.I.—TO CALVISIUS.
3.II.—TO MAXIMUS.
3.III.—TO CORELLIA HISPULLA.
3.IV.—TO MACRINUS.
3.V.—TO BAEBIUS MACER.
3.VI.—TO ANNIUS SEVERUS.
3.VII.—TO CANINIUS RUFUS.
3.VIII.—TO SUETONIUS TRANQUILLUS.
3.IX.—TO CORNELIUS MINICIANUS.
3.X.—TO VESTRICIUS SPURINNA AND HIS WIFE COTTIA.
3.XI.—TO JULIUS GENITOR.
3.XII.—TO CATILIUS SEVERUS.
3.XII.—TO VOCONIUS ROMANUS.
3.XIV.—TO ACILIUS.
3.XV.—TO SILIUS PROCULUS.
3.XVI.—TO NEPOS.
3.XVII.—TO JULIUS SERVIANUS.
3.XVIII.—TO CURIUS SEVERUS.
3.XIX.—TO CALVISIUS RUFUS.
3.XX.—TO MESSIUS MAXIMUS.
3.XXI.—TO CORNELIUS PRISCUS.
BOOK IV.
4.I.—TO FABATUS.
4.II.—TO ATTIUS CLEMENS.
4.III.—TO ANTONIUS.
4.IV.—TO SOSIUS SENECIO.
4.V.—TO SPARSUS.
4.VI.—TO JULIUS NASO.
4.VII.—TO CATIUS LEPIDUS.
4.VIII.—TO MATURUS ARRIANUS.
4.IX.—TO CORNELIUS URSUS.
4.X.—TO STATIUS SABINUS.
4.XI.—TO CORNELIUS MINICIANUS.
4.XII.—TO MATURUS ARRIANUS.
4.XIII.—TO TACITUS.
4.XIV.—TO PATERNUS.
4.XV.—TO FUNDANUS.
4.XVI.—TO VALERIUS PAULINUS.
4.XVII.—TO ASINIUS GALLUS.
4.XVIII.—TO ARRIUS ANTONINUS.
4.XIX.—TO CALPURNIA HISPULLA.
4.XX.—TO MAXIMUS.
4.XXI.—TO VELIUS CEREALIS.
4.XXII.—TO SEMPRONIUS RUFUS.
4.XXIII.—TO POMPONIUS BASSUS.
4.XXIV.—TO FABIUS VALENS.
4.XXV.—TO MESSIUS MAXIMUS.
4.XXVI.—TO NEPOS.
4.XXVII.—TO POMPEIUS FALCO.
4.XXVIII.—TO VIBIUS SEVERUS.
4.XXIX.—TO ROMATIUS FIRMUS.
4.XXX.—TO LICINIUS SURA.
BOOK V.
5.I.—TO ANNIUS SEVERUS.
5.II.—TO CALPURNIUS FLACCUS.
5.III.—TO TITIUS ARISTO.
5.IV.—TO JULIUS VALERIANUS.
5.V.—TO NONIUS MAXIMUS.
5.VI.—TO DOMITIUS APOLLINARIS.
5.VII.—TO CALVISIUS.
5.VIII.—TO TITINIUS CAPITO.
5.IX.—TO RUFUS.
5.X.—TO SUETONIUS TRANQUILLUS.
5.XI.—TO CALPURNIUS FABATUS.
5.XII.—TO TERENTIUS SCAURUS.
5.XIII.—TO VALERIANUS.
5.XIV.—TO PONTIUS.
5.XV.—TO ARRIUS ANTONINUS.
5.XVI.—TO MARCELLINUS.
5.XVII.—TO SPURINNA.
5.XVIII.—TO CALPURNIUS MACER.
5.XIX.—TO PAULINUS.
5.XX.—TO URSUS.
5.XXI.—TO SATURNINUS.
END OF VOL. 1.