Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of t. These texts discuss minerals, medicine, and the fine arts. Pliny the elder simple english wikipedia, the free. The eruption had just destroyed the cities of pompeii and herculaneum. Philemon hollands english translation of 1605 has influenced literature ever since. Seven writings are ascribed to pliny the elder, of which only the natural history is extant. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such subjects as botany, zoology, and astronomy. The loeb classical library edition of natural history is in ten volumes.
It is the only work by pliny to have survived, and the last that he published, lacking a final revision at his sudden and unexpected death in the ad 79 eruption of vesuvius. In pliny s eyes, mankind for whose sake nature was created, represents the basis for which the natural world was founded and structured. This is in the form of a covering letter from pliny, to accompany the gift of his treatise on natural history to his friend vespasian caesar i. Click download or read online button to natural history books xxxiii xxxv book pdf for free now. Book vii of the natural history provides a detailed examination of the human animal and is crucial to understanding the work as a whole. Natural history, encyclopaedic scientific work of dubious accuracy by pliny the elder. Pliny the elder students britannica kids homework help. The natural history was one of the first ancient european texts to be printed, in venice in 1469. 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. Naturalis historia is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. Mathematical and metrological survey of the universe.
Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge. 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 natural history book vii with book viii 4 pliny the elders natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. Pliny the elder pliny s natural history in thirtyseven books. There survive, however, a few fragments of his earlier writings on grammar, a biography of pomponius secundus, a history of rome, a study of the roman campaigns in germany, and a book. Natural history books xxxiii xxxv download natural history books xxxiii xxxv ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub, and mobi format. The project gutenberg ebook of the natural history of pliny, vol i. American museum of natural history handbook series no.
By the same token, however, he was sometimes careless in translating details, with the result that he distorted the meaning of many technical and mathematical passages. Table of contents of the others and of authorities. Publication date 1938 topics natural history publisher. He claims to be the only roman ever to have undertaken such a. Rackham left in typescript when he died has been revised by professor e. Natural history plinii naturalis historiae liber xxxiii. Natural history encyclopedic scientific work by pliny.
Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 book. This volume contains harris rackhams english translation of books 3335 of natural history. The british library public domain although pliny did not distinguish between fact, opinion, and speculation in his 37volume treatise, he can be credited with the creation of the first scientific encyclopaedia. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. The natural history of pliny, volume 6 bohns classical library the natural history of pliny, henry thomas riley. The table below is a summary based on modern names for topics. Heinemann edition, in latin natural history 1938 edition open library. 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. Pliny, the elder h rackham pliny, the elder, gaius plinius secundus ad 2379, a roman of equestrian rank of transpadane gaul n. Pliny the elders natural history is an encyclopedia written by pliny the elder in its present form the natural history consists of thirtyseven books, the first book including a characteristic preface and tables of contents, as well as lists of authorities, which were originally prefixed to each of the books separately. 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.
Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. Natural history page from an italian edition of natural history by pliny the elder, c. On india xxvi 96 but before we go on to a detailed account of these countries, it is suitable to indicate the facts reported by onesicritus after sailing with the fleet of alexander round from india to the interior of farsistan, and quite recently related in detail by juba, and. Metalla nunc ipsaeque opes et rerum pretia dicentur, tellurem intus exquirente cura multiplici modo, quippe alibi divitiis foditur 1 quaerente vita aurum, argentum, electrum, aes, alibi deliciis gemmas et parietum lignorumque 2 pigmenta, alibi temeritati ferrum, auro etiam gratius inter bella caedesque. Download pdf natural history books xxxiii xxxv free online.
The complete latin text of book xxxiii of the historia naturalis of c. Pliny the elder, natural history loeb classical library. The natural history properly begins with book ii, which is devoted to cosmology and astronomy. Pliny extensively discusses metals starting with gold and silver book xxxiii, and then the base metals copper. The natural history of pliny, volume 3 bohns classical library the natural history of pliny, henry thomas riley. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. 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. Pliny s natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. Plinys natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. 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. There survive, however, a few fragments of his earlier writings on grammar, a biography of pomponius secundus, a history of rome, a study of the roman campaigns in germany, and a book on hurling the lance.
Pdf the natural history of pliny download ebook for free. Plinys natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ran. Its frequent digressions into issues of morality and gossipy, occasionally rambling style would certainly not be at home in a modern encyclopedia, but its allencompassing scope covering botany, zoology, astronomy, geology. Natural history encyclopedic scientific work by pliny the elder.
Minerals and medicine, the fine arts, and gemstones. Author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Plinys natural history was the goto encyclopedia for over 1,500 years, from its publication around the year 77 until well into the renaissance. The only translation of plinys natural history which has hitherto appeared in the english language. He was attempting the rescue by ship of a friend and his family from the eruption of mount vesuvius. Contents of pliny s natural history divided into thirtyseven books preface. I ran a first proofreading pass immediately after entering each book, so that the text of all the books is quite good already. This volume contains harris rackhams english translation of books 3335 of natural history, an index of artists, a museographic index, and an index of minerals. 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.
The subjects of books xxxiii through xxxvii include minerals, precious. Pliny the elder, the natural history john bostock, m. 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. Gaius plinius secundus, known as pliny the elder, was a roman scholar and author of the celebrated natural history, an encyclopedic work that was an authority on scientific matters up to the middle ages born in ad 23, in novum comum, transpadane gaul now in italy, pliny was descended from a prosperous family. 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. Lacuscurtius pliny the elders natural history book 33. Pliny the elder 2379 ce produced in his natural history a vast compendium of roman knowledge. Natural history pliny project gutenberg selfpublishing. Pliny the elder simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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