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Lettres: Livres I à X
Pline Le Jeune, neveu de Pline L'Ancien, a connu une brillante carrière d'avocat, de tribun puis de préfet. Il fut un proche de Trajan. Ces lettres, qu'elles s'adressent à des hauts dignitaires de l'Empire romain, aux historiens Tacite et Suétone ou à son épouse, sont une mine de renseignements sur leur époque et témoignent de la personnalité originale de leur auteur.
544 pages, Paperback
Published February 28, 2002
4 people want to read
About the author
Pliny the Younger
720 books70 followersGaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo (61 AD – ca. 112 AD), better known as Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate him and they were both witnesses to the eruption of Vesuvius on 24 August 79 AD.
"You would have heard the wails of women, the shrieks of infants, shouts of men; some were seeking parents with their voices, others children, others spouses, and by their voices they were recognizing them; some were pitying their own misfortune, others the misfortune of their families; there were those who - due to the fear of death - were praying for death; many raised their hands toward the gods, more were concluding that there were no gods anywhere, and that this was the perpetual and final night for the world."
-Pliny the Younger, Letters, 16.20.14-15
"You would have heard the wails of women, the shrieks of infants, shouts of men; some were seeking parents with their voices, others children, others spouses, and by their voices they were recognizing them; some were pitying their own misfortune, others the misfortune of their families; there were those who - due to the fear of death - were praying for death; many raised their hands toward the gods, more were concluding that there were no gods anywhere, and that this was the perpetual and final night for the world."
-Pliny the Younger, Letters, 16.20.14-15
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 6, 2015
Des dizaines et des dizaines de lettres écrites par Pline le jeune, le neveu de Pline l'ancien. Parmi ses correspondant, on va retrouver le très célèbre Tacite. Beaucoup d'histoires de procès (Pline était principalement avocat), mais aussi des lettres légères, entre amis, sur des mystères de la nature, la tristesse de perdre quelqu'un de proche, le souvenir d'un ami vertueux, la glorification d'avoir été reconnu pour sa valeur. On y trouve le récit de la mort de Pline l'ancien lors de l'éruption du Vésuve, envoyée à Tacite. La nouvelle de la mort d'Horace, et des échanges nombreux avec l'empereur Trajan, alors que Pline le Jeune est envoyé en Bythinie. Celui ci se demande comment procéder avec la secte chrétienne qui pullule parmi la canaille, et dont les progrès sont une source d'inquiétude pour les autorités. Toutes ces lettres sont vraiment intéressantes et nous plongent au cœur de la vie quotidienne des patriciens cultivés de l'Empire Romain
May 21, 2017
PLINY the Younger (62 – 113)
Epistles - books I to X - edited from 96 to 113
Most of the letters in the first half of the book are addressed to friends and family and treat the everyday business like illness, death, legacies, as well as some speeches at the senate in Pliny's function as a lawyer. Historically interesting as there are some letters to contemporary authors that I have read, like Tacitus and Suetone, also references made to Cicero, Seneca, Martial, Juvenal, and Catullus.
Then we have two letters to Tacitus, at his request, of major interest.
In the first letter, Pliny explains in great detail his personal souvenirs concerning the terrible day when the Vesuvius erupted in 79. And how his uncle, Pliny the Elder, was called by friends that lived by the sea, close to the volcano, to come to their rescue with great military rowing boats, of which he was the commander. It seems that during that evacuation operation the Elder Pliny was caught up by smoke or gas and died unnoticed on the beach, among a crowd of people fleeing.
He was found dead and covered in ashes, the next day.
The second letter relates Pliny's personal experience during that catastrophic day. He was only about seventeen and had stayed with his mother at home, spending the afternoon in the usual manner. At night there were earthquakes, which was not uncommon in the area.
In the morning daylight would not come. The sky was covered in smoke. They decided with his mother to flee and met up with a crowd of people also running. Twice they were caught up in smoke and fog but could escape safely in the end.
These are not simply letters but beautifully, densely written real eyewitness history.
In book X we find a series of letters to and from Emperor Trajan.
Pliny had been assigned an administrative mission to the province of Pont-Bithynia.
He writes to Trajan for advice on matters of public works, civil legal problems, and minor military affectations. His legal experience as a lawyer makes him competent on almost any issue. I am impressed to learn how the Roman law and order replaced local anarchy in many a favorable way.
In letter 96 Pliny explains to Trajan his first experience of dealing with the rising Christian Sect. He wants to know what procedure to follow and what punishments to issue, are they to be for adults and children alike, what if they are otherwise peaceful citizens, etc.
Trajan replies, that it would be difficult to establish laws to treat all cases alike and to judge it case by case. In all events, he forbids the publishing of lists of names.
This is also for myself the first time I read something on the Christian Faith in the literature of Roman history and I find this approach surprisingly soft, unlike what I was expecting.
I would recommend this book as a four star to any addict of history, like myself. It is jet another piece in the puzzle, to make a complete picture.
Epistles - books I to X - edited from 96 to 113
Most of the letters in the first half of the book are addressed to friends and family and treat the everyday business like illness, death, legacies, as well as some speeches at the senate in Pliny's function as a lawyer. Historically interesting as there are some letters to contemporary authors that I have read, like Tacitus and Suetone, also references made to Cicero, Seneca, Martial, Juvenal, and Catullus.
Then we have two letters to Tacitus, at his request, of major interest.
In the first letter, Pliny explains in great detail his personal souvenirs concerning the terrible day when the Vesuvius erupted in 79. And how his uncle, Pliny the Elder, was called by friends that lived by the sea, close to the volcano, to come to their rescue with great military rowing boats, of which he was the commander. It seems that during that evacuation operation the Elder Pliny was caught up by smoke or gas and died unnoticed on the beach, among a crowd of people fleeing.
He was found dead and covered in ashes, the next day.
The second letter relates Pliny's personal experience during that catastrophic day. He was only about seventeen and had stayed with his mother at home, spending the afternoon in the usual manner. At night there were earthquakes, which was not uncommon in the area.
In the morning daylight would not come. The sky was covered in smoke. They decided with his mother to flee and met up with a crowd of people also running. Twice they were caught up in smoke and fog but could escape safely in the end.
These are not simply letters but beautifully, densely written real eyewitness history.
In book X we find a series of letters to and from Emperor Trajan.
Pliny had been assigned an administrative mission to the province of Pont-Bithynia.
He writes to Trajan for advice on matters of public works, civil legal problems, and minor military affectations. His legal experience as a lawyer makes him competent on almost any issue. I am impressed to learn how the Roman law and order replaced local anarchy in many a favorable way.
In letter 96 Pliny explains to Trajan his first experience of dealing with the rising Christian Sect. He wants to know what procedure to follow and what punishments to issue, are they to be for adults and children alike, what if they are otherwise peaceful citizens, etc.
Trajan replies, that it would be difficult to establish laws to treat all cases alike and to judge it case by case. In all events, he forbids the publishing of lists of names.
This is also for myself the first time I read something on the Christian Faith in the literature of Roman history and I find this approach surprisingly soft, unlike what I was expecting.
I would recommend this book as a four star to any addict of history, like myself. It is jet another piece in the puzzle, to make a complete picture.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews