The original source is pliny the younger, epistles 10. The epistulae are later copies of a series of personal missives by pliny the younger directed to his friends and associates. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including tacitus, martial and suetonius. Apr 16, 2020 towards the end of his career as governor of bithynia and pontus northwest turkey, pliny wrote letters to the emperor trajan r. Some are addressed to reigning emperors or to notables such as the historian tacitus. These letters are a unique testimony of roman administrative history and everyday life in the 1st century. I have uploaded a vocabulary word list for the correspondence between pliny the younger and emperor trajan, letters 10. Providing a series of fascinating views of imperial rome, the letters of the younger pliny also offer one of the fullest selfportraits to survive from classical times. The information shown in this letter deals with the practical aspects of dealing with christians in romedetails that might be irrelevant to the situation are omitted. You very justly, sir, express the fear that the lake may drain itself dry if its waters are turned into the river and so into the sea, but i fancy that i have discovered a way to meet this difficulty. It is a rule, sir, which i inviolably observe, to refer myself to you in all my doubts. Book x of the letters contains his correspondence with trajan during this period, and includes letters about the early christians. The letters of the younger pliny have come down to us in 10 books, 9 of his personal letters, and book 10 containing his official correspondence with the emperor trajan. The style is very different from that in the panegyricus, and some commentators maintain that pliny initiated a new genre.
Epistulae x letters 10, also known as the correspondence with trajan is a book of letters by the roman lawyer and author pliny the younger to the emperor trajan between 109 and 111 ce. The numbering of the letters in this book has been changed slightly to bring it into line with the most recent editions. Sep 14, 2012 one of the many queries sent to trajan by pliny concerning the administration of his province. Pliny the younger was governor of pontusbithynia from 1111 ad. The letters of the younger pliny by pliny the younger. Read in english by andrew coleman the largest surviving body of plinys work is his epistulae letters, a series of personal missives directed to his friends, associates and the emperor trajan. Letters 96 and 97 are the famous exchange over the question of what to do about the christians. While this book does contain a lot of first hand information about life in imperial rome especially the legal system and the elaborate network of favors, obligations, and patronage in the senatorial class its not especially readable, being a collection of letters written by pliny and, near the end, by the emperor trajan to pliny. I have now made a collection, not keeping to the original order as i was not writing. This final book was, significantly, not intended for publication. Plinius traiano imperatori 1 exprimere, domine, verbis non possum, quanto me gaudio affecerint epistulae tuae, ex quibus cognovi te arpocrati, iatraliptae meo, et alexandrinam civitatem tribuisse, quamvis secundum institutionem principum non temere eam dare proposuisses. Letter xcvi is plinys famous letter concerning the christians. Pliny the younger, or gaius plinius caecilius secundus, was the nephew and adopted son of pliny the elder, the author of the famous and importantly influential natural history in thirtyseven.
The letters of pliny in book 10 were isolated from trajans and other correspondence. Letter 96 is the most famous of the collection, and it contains the earliest external account of christian worship, and details what was to become the standard roman policy toward christians for the rest of the pagan era. Perhaps the most famous of these is the letter he wrote asking for advice on how to deal with christians epist. Towards the end of his career as governor of bithynia and pontus northwest turkey, pliny wrote letters to the emperor trajan r. Pliny s letters are important as a social document of his times. He was at misenum at the time of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 described in two famous letters when the elder pliny died. Librivox recording of letters of pliny by pliny the younger. Having never been present at any trials of the christians, i am unacquainted with the method and limits to be observed either in. They thus lack the spontaneity of ciceros impulsive utterances, but to most modern readers who are not special students of roman history they are even more interesting. This document is a letter with its accompanying response from one government official to his superior. These allusions are part of a much wider network of allusions, both within this particular letter and more generally in plinys book 5, that revolves around the theme of unpublished writings. See key to translations for an explanation of the format. Gaius plinius caecilius secundus was a prolific letterwriter, and has one of our earliest attestations to christians in a secular work of antiquity. It is not possible to lay down any general rule which can be applied as the fixed standard in all cases of this nature.
The letters the thing in pliny, book 7, in morello. Trajans reply to the letter by pliny from 2 days ago. With an english translation by william melmoth, rev. For who can better give guidance to my hesitation or inform my ignorance. Selected letters internet history sourcebooks project. Sep 03, 2018 gaius plinius caecilius secundus was a prolific letterwriter, and has one of our earliest attestations to christians in a secular work of antiquity. Pliny served as an imperial magistrate under trajan reigned 98117, and his letters to trajan provide one of the few surviving records of the relationship between the imperial office and provincial. Pliny especially has a special way of writing his letters. Plinys letters are important as a social document of his times. Pliny the younger wrote hundreds of letters, of which 247 survive and are of great historical value. Firth 1900 a few words and phrases have been modified. This habit opens up a window into early second century christianity. The pliny and trajan correspondence as a church industry forgery.
The text of the remainder of plinys letters was divided up into fifteen sections about the same length as the pt. Pliny the younger, latin in full gaius plinius caecilius secundus, born 6162 ce, comum italydied c. He left a collection of letters which offers intimate glimpses into public and private life during the roman empire born of the wealthy caecilius family at comum in northern italy, pliny the younger, as he was later known, was probably given his early education by tutors at home and. The younger pliny was born in 61 or 62 ce, the son of lucius caecilius of comum como and the elder plinys sister. These letters are the earliest evidence for christianity found outside christian sources and after the. Manuscripts of the epistulae fall into three families. Lefkowitz fannia was granddaughter of the famous arria the elder, a stoic, who committed suicide when her husband, caecina paetus, was condemned to death in a. This paper establishes a new date for the publication of suetonius illustrious men through allusions to suetonius virgil in pliny, letters 5. Sep 16, 2012 trajans reply to the letter by pliny from 2 days ago.
I got pliny the youngers letter to trajan from the notes to eusebius ecclesiastical history, book iii, ch. Pliny the youngers letter on the early christians in the. This is an oration in praise of trajan and his life in 95 chapters. It is my practice, my lord, to refer to you all matters concerning which i am in doubt. The letters, on which today his fame mainly rests, were largely written with a view to publication, and were arranged by pliny himself. This post examines pliny the youngers letter to the roman emperor trajan and provides us with an extrabiblical glimpse into the rise of christianity in the roman empire. I have now made a collection, not keeping to the original order as i was not writing history, but taking them as they came to my hand. Learn pliny letter translation with free interactive flashcards. These two letters are the most famous, in which pliny encounters christianity for the first time. Oct 23, 2009 this document is a letter with its accompanying response from one government official to his superior. Read in english by andrew coleman the largest surviving body of pliny s work is his epistulae letters, a series of personal missives directed to his friends, associates and the emperor trajan.
Pliny the younger, the roman governor of bithynia et pontus now in modern turkey wrote a letter to emperor trajan around 112 ad and asked for counsel on dealing with christians. Choose from 500 different sets of pliny letter translation flashcards on quizlet. Letters of pliny, by gaius plinius caecilius secundus. Book i the letters of pliny book i i to septicius clarus 1. The panegyricus is plinys speech of thanks to trajan, later expanded for publication. One of the many queries sent to trajan by pliny concerning the administration of his province. He was educated at home and then in rome under quintilian. The pliny and trajan correspondence as a church industry.
Especially noteworthy among the letters are two in which he describes the eruption of mount vesuvius in august 79, during which his uncle pliny the elder died 65 and 66 in this edition, and one in which he asks the emperor for instructions regarding official policy concerning christians trajan letter 97. You have often urged me to collect and publish any letters of mine which were composed with some care. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including tacitus, martial, and suetonius. Reading the letters of pliny the younger an introduction. Letter 96 is the most famous of the collection, and it contains the earliest external account of christian worship, and details what was to become the standard roman policy toward. Letter 96 is the most famous of the collection, and it contains the earliest external account of christian worship, and details what was to. Plinys letter 96 called the pt the plinian testimonium was separated from the others. Chapter 2 undertakes detailed study of book 6 as an artistic entity. Plinys lively and very personal letters address an astonishing range of topics, from a deeply moving account of his uncles death in the eruption that engulfed pompeii, to observations on the early christiansa desperate. We have a whole set of exchanges of his letters with the emperor trajan on a variety of administrative political matters. Fresh doubts on authenticity of plinys letter about the. The last was written during his tour of administration of bithynia, during which he may well have died.
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