Letters, Volume I: Books 1–7

by Pliny the Younger, Betty Radice (Translator)

The Younger Pliny was born in 61 or 62 CE, the son of Lucius Caecilius of Comum (Como) and the Elder Pliny's sister. He was educated at home and then in Rome under Quintilian. He was at Misenum at the time of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 (described in two famous letters) when the Elder Pliny died.

Pliny started his career at the Roman bar at the age of eighteen. He moved through the regular offices in a senator's career, held two treasury appointments and a priesthood, and was consul in September and October 100. On this occasion he delivered the speech of thanks to the Emperor Trajan which he afterwards expanded and published as the Panegyricus. After his consulship he returned to advocacy in the court and Senate, and was also president of the Tiber Conservancy Board. His hopes of retirement were cut short when he was chosen by Trajan to go out to the province of Bithynia and Pontus on a special commission as the Emperor's direct representative. He is known to have been there two years, and is presumed to have died there before the end of 113. Book X of the Letters contains his correspondence with Trajan during this period, and includes letters about the early Christians.

Pliny's Letters are important as a social document of his times. They tell us about the man himself and his wide interests, and about his many friends, including Tacitus, Martial and Suetonius. Pliny has a gift for description and a versatile prose style, and more than any of his contemporaries he gives an unprejudiced picture of Rome as he knew it.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Pliny the Younger is in two volumes; the second contains Books VIII–X of his Letters and Panegyricus.

Genres: Classics, History, Nonfiction

563 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 112

About the author

Gaius 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

Reviews

[Vinovino! · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has the original latin on one page and the translation on the facing page. I have read it two or three times and always notice something new of interest in the letters. Pliny the Younger wrote missives on anything from gossip about a recent dinner party to front page politics in first century AD, but perhaps the most fascinating letter included in this collection is his firsthand account of the destruction of pompeii and herculaneum in 79. Great for subway and bedtime reading--because it's individual letters, you don't have to backtrack or re-read if you fall asleep or are jostled by a baby carriage coming through.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

even though I wrote a paper for class about how it really bothered me that Pliny edited his letters in advance of publication, I still thought they were enjoyable to read and gave nice insight into daily life of ancient Rome

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few notable letters - in particular, describing his uncle's death while helping to evacuate Pompeii - otherwise the collection is noteworthy for being such a mundane description of first century empire jurisprudence, estate economy, and literary culture.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and surprising easy to read, however I did feel that some of the shorter letters that didn’t really say much could have been left out.