Natural history, volume i, books 12 loeb classical library no. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such subjects as botany, zoology, and astronomy. Complete collection in ten volumes the loeb classical library, no. Gaius plinius secundus ad 232479, called pliny the elder. Feb 26, 2017 266 videos play all have i got news for you full playlist hat trick herodotus histories full audiobook book 2 of 3 duration. Pliny the elder was a roman natural philosopher who lived during the 1st century. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic. Here is plinys natural historia in 37 books with its vast collection of facts and alleged. The division of human knowledge into different fieldsbiology, history, mathematics, medicine, and so onis a relatively new invention. Loeb classical library, 330, 352353, 370371, 392394, 418419.
Plinys natural history is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. Pliny was a compiler, a gatherer and recorder of information. 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. Pliny himself died while investigating the volcanic eruption that destroyed pompeii in ad 79, and the natural curiosity that brought about his death is also very much evident in the natural history a book that proved highly influential right up until the renaissance and that his nephew, pliny the younger, described as full of variety as. It remains to describe the things produced by the earth or dug up from itthese also not being devoid of vital spirit, since nothing lives without itand not to pass over in silence any of the works of nature. Pliny the elder has 277 books on goodreads with 3818 ratings. Natural history pliny project gutenberg selfpublishing. Such are the generic and specific characteristics of all the animals about which it has been possible to obtain information. Pliny the elder, the natural history, book i 79 hacker news. Book vii of the natural history provides a detailed examination of the human animal and is crucial to understanding the work as a whole.
Particulars relative to hippocrates date of the origin of clinical practice and of. Pliny the elder wrote the worlds first encyclopedia. The natural history of pliny, volume 1 of 6 by pliny, the elder author. Gaius plinius secundus 23 ad 25 august 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 spending most of his spare time studying, writing or investigating natural and geographic phenomena in the field, he wrote an encyclopedic work. Pliny the elder, natural history loeb classical library. The project gutenberg ebook of the natural history of pliny. Book vii of the natural history provides a detailed examination of the human animal and is. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge the contents of the books are as follows.
Plinys historia naturalis natural history is a vast encyclopaedic work and the only book by him to have survived. The project gutenberg ebook of the natural history of pliny, volume 1 of 6, by pliny the elder this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the united states and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. Nov 09, 2017 of course, pliny referred to the first book and others in writing his natural history, but it ended up as a sort of dummys guide to natural history, trying to compose a really wide subject matter into a few books over 2 years, and obviously getting a lot wrong in the process. 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. Pliny the elders most popular book is natural history.
Pdf the natural history book download full pdf book. Unusually, the entire remarkable work it contains over a million words has survived intact it is one of the most substantial ancient works available to modern readers. Pliny the elder 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. 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 natural history by pliny the elder free at loyal books. American museum of natural history handbook series no. This book is available with additional data at biodiversity heritage library. The only translation of plinys 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. An eagle which precipitated itself on the funeral pile of a girl.
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. He claimed to have recorded 20,000 pieces of information, although modern scholars say he underestimated his own output. In plinys eyes, mankind for whose sake nature was created, represents the basis for which the natural world was founded and structured. Pliny the elder 2379 ce produced in his natural history a vast compendium of. Plinius secundus pliny the elder 37 book natural history. 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. Plinys natural history, either directly or indirectly through quotes by later authors, greatly influenced the development of the bestiary and other medieval beast literature. Natural history, volume iv, books 1216 loeb classical library no. Cinnabaris is adulterated by the agency of goats blood, or of bruised. Pliny the elder wrote about dragons forbidden history. 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. In this book, beagon redresses the balance and illuminates the natural history as the work of an author with an identifiable mode of thinking and a coherent attitude toward his. 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.
Pliny the elder s natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. The work, which was largely complete by 77 ce, is divided into 37 books and covers such. Direct observation, informed speculation and common knowledge are combined to present a key snapshot of ancient thought and the romans perspective on. The project gutenberg ebook of the natural history of. 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 elder 23 79, translated by henry thomas riley 1816 1878 naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. Pliny the elder biography facts, childhood, family life.
Pliny the elder simple english wikipedia, the free. Pliny s natural history has too often been regarded as simply a quarry for quaint storiesa view which has tended to overshadow its overall structure and purpose. The table below is a summary based on modern names for topics. Pliny the elder is also the uncle of pliny the younger, whose letters are definitely worth a read, and outline the tragic and incredible nature of pliny the. Natural history is an account that can only be given by a. When the eagle was first used as the standard of the roman legions. 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. Search the history of over 431 billion web pages on the internet. The project gutenberg ebook of the natural history of pliny, vol i. He is best known for his work plinys natural history which was in. 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.
His natural history contained over a million words in 37 volumes pliny attempted to document all known facts about the natural world. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the natural history of pliny. He wrote the encyclopedic naturalis historia natural history, which became an editorial model for encyclopedias. Pomponius secundus, in two books, a person by whom. Pliny the elders natural history is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. Of course, pliny referred to the first book and others in writing his natural history, but it ended up as a sort of dummys guide to natural history, trying to compose a really wide subject matter into a few books over 2 years, and obviously getting a lot wrong in the process. 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, volume x, books 3637 loeb classical library no. In ad 77, pliny published his famous 37volume work naturalis historia or natural history. Pliny the elder, the natural history exploring celtic. Plinys natural history has too often been regarded as simply a quarry for quaint storiesa view which has tended to overshadow its overall structure and purpose.
The zoology chapters books 8 to 11 are frequently quoted, though pliny is not always acknowledged as the. But over the centuries these mistakes have revealed more about plinys world than the accuracies. The natural history of pliny volume 1 1893 full leather bound. Naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. He is best known for his work pliny s natural history which was in latin and explored the natural world. I ran a first proofreading pass immediately after entering each book, so that the text of all the books is quite good already. Here is plinys natural historia in 37 books with its vast collection of facts and.
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. 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. This extraordinary work was originally composed and. The following is an adaptation of pliny the elder, the natural history, trans. The natural history was one of the first ancient european texts to be printed, in venice in 1469. He is always noble and serious, full of the love of justice and virtue. A multifaceted personality, he was also an author, naturalist, and a naval and army commander of the early roman empire. He spent most of his time studying, writing or investigating natural and geographic phenomena in the field. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the us or from the uk, depending on stock availability. His greatest and only surviving work was his naturalis historia of natural history. 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. Philemon hollands english translation of 1605 has influenced literature ever since. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge.