The project gutenberg ebook of the natural history of. Pliny the elder library of congress published by salem press, inc. 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. Pliny the elder s natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. Pliny the elder, the natural history exploring celtic. 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. When i got on the net in 1995, i heard all kinds of rumors of various projects out there supposedly putting. 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.
Sep 15, 2014 welcome to our natural history books page. Covid19 is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. Pliny attempted to document all known facts about the natural world. Pliny the elder mentions in its vicinity a river canaius, which is not noticed by any other writer. 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. Natural history did not flourish, however, until the 18th and 19th centuries, when linnaeus, darwin, and even u. The natural history by pliny the elder free at loyal books. 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. Ita distinctis celeberrimorum aetatibus insignes raptim transcurram, reliqua multitudine passim dispersa. The only translation of pliny s natural history which has hitherto appeared in the english language is that by philemon holland, published in the latter part of the reign of elizabeth. Pliny the elder s natural history, from firstcentury rome, is the most important surviving encyclopedia of the ancient world. Pliny the elder has 277 books on goodreads with 3804 ratings. Publication date 1938 topics natural history publisher london. The natural history of pliny digital collections national library of.
Plinys natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. 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. Pliny the elders natural history trevor murphy oxford. May 14, 2019 the elder pliny s chapters on the history of art translated by k. Jun 20, 2014 natural history did not flourish, however, until the 18th and 19th centuries, when linnaeus, darwin, and even u. Even the errors of these authors are a portion of the history of nature, and plinys record of them becomes valuable, where otherwise his narrative tempts only. Pliny the elder, natural history loeb classical library. 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. P l i n y t h e e l d e r s n a tu r a l h i s t or y this page intentionally left blank pliny the elders natura. Details natural history biodiversity heritage library. The works subject area is thus not limited to what is today understood by natural history.
It is entirely devoted to a survey of the human race, for whose sake, in plinys words, nature appears to have created everything else. Evidence reported by ian frederickrothwell for item plinysnaturalhis00plinrich on february 22, 2007. Life born into the municipal aristocracy of comum, pliny plihnee the elder followed an equestrian career. Pliny the elders natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. The elder plinys chapters on the history of art translated by k. In writing natural history, pliny or his assistants extracted roughly 20,000 facts from 2,000 volumes by 100 authors.
It is therefore at once crucial to the understanding of pliny s enterprise as a whole but also relatively selfcontained. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to the. He wrote the encyclopedic naturalis historia natural history, which became an editorial model for encyclopedias. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such subjects as botany, zoology, and astronomy. Pliny himself defines his scope as the natural world, or life. It is entirely devoted to a survey of the human race, for whose sake, in pliny s words, nature appears to have created everything else. The elder pliny on the human animal mary beagon oxford. Browse our selection of nature books, geography books, astronomy books, dinosaur books, and much more. 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. Presidents washington, jefferson and theodore roosevelt were avid and avowed.
The natural history of pliny, volume 1 of 6 by the elder pliny free. 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. The natural history of pliny, volume 6 bohns classical library the natural history of pliny, henry thomas riley. His natural history contained over a million words in 37 volumes. Pdf the natural history of pliny download ebook for free.
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. 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. Pliny the elder reported that elephants are scared by the smallest squeal of the hog pliny. The natural history of pliny, volume 3 bohns classical library the natural history of pliny, henry thomas riley. Summary from wikipedia this second volume includes books six to ten, covering the. Pliny s natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology.
Pliny the elder 23 ad79 ad, ancient roman nobleman, scientist, historian, and author of naturalis historia plinys natural history natural history pliny. Book 16 the natural history of the forest trees book 17 the natural history of the cultivated trees book 18 the natural history of grain book 19 the nature and cultivation of flax and an account of various garden plants. Book vii of the natural history provides a detailed examination of the human animal and is. In plinys 37 volumes of natural history, volume 1 mostly summarized the remaining 36 books. 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. It is therefore at once crucial to the understanding of plinys enterprise as a whole but also relatively selfcontained. Of the 37 books of pliny s monumental natural history, book 7 is pivotal. 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 the elders most popular book is natural history. His natural history contained over a million words in 37 volumes pliny attempted to document all known facts about the natural world.
An illustration of a computer application window wayback machine an illustration of an open book. The following is an adaptation of pliny the elder, the natural history, trans. The division of human knowledge into different fieldsbiology, history, mathematics, medicine, and so onis a relatively new invention. He claimed to have recorded 20,000 pieces of information, although modern scholars say he underestimated his own output. Pliny the elders natural history, from firstcentury rome, is the most important surviving encyclopedia of the ancient world. Pliny the elder naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. Natural history is dying, and we are all the losers. 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.
Gaius plinius secundus ad 232479, called pliny the elder. Pliny the elder, the natural history john bostock, m. Naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. 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 natural history, volume 2 by pliny the elder free at. Excerpts by pliny the elder, 9780900000485, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. 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 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. As a guide to the cultural meanings of everyday things in ancient rome it is unparalleled. It is no disparagement to hollands merits, as a diligent and generally faithful translator, to say that his work is unsuited to the requirements of the nineteenth century. Pliny the elder and mans unnatural history cambridge core. The natural history of pliny, volume 5 bohns classical library the natural history of pliny, pliny the elder. Publication date 184749 topics natural history publisher london printed for the club by g.
Metallorum, quibus opes constant, adgnascentiumque iis natura indicata propemodum est, ita conexis rebus, ut immensa medicinae silva officinarumque tenebrae et morosa caelandi fingendique ac tinguendi subtilitas simul dicerentur. Sellers, and additional notes contributed by heinrich ludwig urlichs. Pliny the elder wrote the worlds first encyclopedia. Both factors made it eminently suitable for scholarly analysis. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read plinys natural history. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The world, and this whatever other name men have chosen to designate the sky whose vaulted roof encircles the universe is fitly believed to be a deity, eternal, immeasurable, a being that never began to exist and never will perish. 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. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such. Gaius plinius secundus 23 ad august 25, 79 ad, better known as pliny the elder, was a roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early roman empire, and personal friend of the emperor vespasian. In pliny s 37 volumes of natural history, volume 1 mostly summarized the remaining 36 books. The 37volume history had a table of contents that, when translated into english, required more than 70 pages. Of the 37 books of plinys monumental natural history, book 7 is pivotal.
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