Pliny the elder, natural history loeb classical library. The natural history, volume 2 by pliny the elder free at. The natural history volume 4 pliny the elder audiobook. Though he wrote many books on history and biography, the elder pliny is most noted for his work natural history which is an encyclopedic compendium of the knowledge of his day. He claimed to have recorded 20,000 pieces of information, although modern scholars say he underestimated his own output. The natural history of pliny, volume 3 bohns classical library the natural history of pliny, henry thomas riley. Pliny the elder s natural history, from firstcentury rome, is the most important surviving encyclopedia of the ancient world. The description of metals and minerals is particularly detailed, and valuable for the history of science as being the most extensive compilation still available from the ancient world. The natural history which is actually a sort of encyclopedia of roman wisdom and prejudices has probably fallen out of favour because the first two books are surprisingly tedious. Natural history is an account that can only be given by a roman in the year ad 77, and because of that we can truly know ad 77. Pliny the elder simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
His natural history contained over a million words in 37 volumes. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. Plinys natural history, either directly or indirectly through quotes by later authors, greatly influenced the development of the bestiary and other medieval beast literature. Book vii of the natural history provides a detailed examination of the human animal and is. The eruption had just destroyed the cities of pompeii and herculaneum. As a guide to the cultural meanings of everyday things in ancient rome it is unparalleled. Pliny attempted to document all known facts about the natural world. Pliny the elder was born in the city of novum comum in the roman region of transpadane cisalpine gaul around 23 ce.
Pliny s natural history, either directly or indirectly through quotes by later authors, greatly influenced the development of the bestiary and other medieval beast literature. It was probably the first attempt in western civilization to compile an encyclopedia. In writing natural history, pliny or his assistants extracted roughly 20,000 facts from 2,000 volumes by 100 authors. The zoology chapters books 8 to 11 are frequently quoted, though pliny is not always acknowledged as the source.
It is therefore at once crucial to the understanding of plinys enterprise as. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such subjects as botany, zoology, and astronomy. 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. It is entirely devoted to a survey of the human race, for whose sake, in plinys words, nature appears to have created everything else. 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 elders natural history trevor murphy oxford. An interesting innovation was his listing of the sources of his information. Summary from wikipedia this fourth volume includes books sixteen to twenty, covering the following subjects. Pliny the elders natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. History and genealogy of the cobb family in new england aka the cobb genealogy by isaac cobb of maine 1825 1890. 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.
As a detailed study of the human animal, described by its author as the raison detre of nature, book seven of the elder plinys natural history is crucial to the understanding of the work as a whole. Natural history books 1025 keokuk street iowa city, ia 52240 voice. The natural history volume 3 pliny the elder audiobook. 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.
Barclay, 184749, also by philemon holland and wernerian club page images at hathitrust pliny, the elder. He was attempting the rescue by ship of a friend and his family from the eruption of mount vesuvius. 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. 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. 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, latin in full gaius plinius secundus, born 23 ce, novum comum, transpadane gaul now in italydied august 24, 79, stabiae, near mount vesuvius, roman savant and author of the celebrated natural history, an encyclopaedic work of uneven accuracy that was an authority on scientific matters up to the middle ages.
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 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. In addition, however, it provides valuable insight into the extraordinary complex of ideas and beliefs current in pliny s era, many of which have resonances for other eras and cultures. Pliny the elder s natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. 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. Concentrating on plinys accounts of foreign lands and peoples, monsters, and barbarians, trevor murphy demonstrates the political significance of this reference book as a. In addition, however, it provides valuable insight into the extraordinary complex of ideas and beliefs current in plinys era, many of which have resonances for other eras and cultures. Pliny the elder has 277 books on goodreads with 3804 ratings. Pliny the elder pliny, the elder the online books page. Plinys natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. Cobbs particular work had been typed in two volumes with a separate index and errata added at the end. Naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read plinys natural history.
The following is an adaptation of pliny the elder, the natural history, trans. Topics included are the mathematics and metrology of the universe. Natural living for a happy and healthy family coffee. As a detailed study of the human animal, described by its author as the raison detre of nature, book seven of the elder pliny s natural history is crucial to the understanding of the work as a whole. Natural history, volume 2 loeb classical library natural history, pliny the elder.
Pliny the elder, the natural history exploring celtic. 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 elder pliny on the human animal mary beagon oxford. He spent most of his time studying, writing or investigating natural and geographic phenomena in the field. Pliny the elder wrote the worlds first encyclopedia. Of the 37 books of plinys monumental natural history, book 7 is pivotal. Pliny the elder s most popular book is natural history. There is a version of his book with editing transcription done by miriam dorr cobb in 1979. Pliny s natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. Concentrating on pliny s accounts of foreign lands and peoples, monsters, and barbarians, trevor murphy demonstrates the political significance of this reference book as a. This is now como, italy in case you were wondering. 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.
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. The natural history of pliny paperback october 14, 2018 by the elder pliny creator 4. In thirtyseven books by pliny the elder, 1847, printed for the club by g. Summary from wikipedia this third volume includes books eleven to fifteen, covering the following subjects. Book vii of the natural history provides a detailed examination of the human. Book overview pliny the elder 23 79 ce produced in his natural history a vast compendium of roman knowledge. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Pliny the elder naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder.
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. Besides a grammar book, pliny wrote several books on roman history, but by far his greatest achievement was natural history. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge. Naturalis historia is an early encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. Ita distinctis celeberrimorum aetatibus insignes raptim transcurram, reliqua multitudine passim dispersa.
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