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Pliny: Natural History, in 19 Vols Vol. 8 Only Libri XXVIII-XXXII
As one of the largest and most comprehensive surviving works from the Roman Empire, Pliny the Elder’s Natural History offers a rare glimpse into the scholarship of the ancient world. In 37 books, Pliny the Elder—not to be confused with his nephew, Pliny the Younger—covers botany, zoology, astronomy, geology, geography, mineralogy, and how each of these interact with Roman life. Pliny the Elder claims to be the only Roman to ever attempt such a massive task, and to this day Natural History is a crucial source of information on the technological advances and nature of the Roman era. It is an unrivaled compendium of ancient Roman knowledge.
This volume contains W.H.S. Jones’s English translation of books 28–32 of Natural History. These texts discuss medical zoology. Book VIII: Deals with various mammals, wild and domesticated; and among them are introduced snakes, crocodiles and lizards.
Pliny the Elder, Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23–79), a Roman of equestrian rank of Transpadane Gaul (N. Italy), was uncle of Pliny the letter writer. He pursued a career partly military in Germany, partly administrative in Gaul and Spain under the emperor Vespasian, and became prefect of the fleet at Misenum. He died in the eruption of Vesuvius when he went to get a closer view and to rescue friends. Tireless worker, reader, and writer, he was author of works now lost; but his great Natural History in thirty-seven books with its vast collection of facts (and alleged facts) survives―a mine of information despite its uncritical character.
The contents of the books are as follows. Book 1: table of contents of the others and of authorities; 2: mathematical and metrological survey of the universe; 3–6: geography and ethnography of the known world; 7: anthropology and the physiology of man; 8–11: zoology; 12–19: botany, agriculture, and horticulture; 20–27: plant products as used in medicine; 28–32: medical zoology; 33–37: minerals (and medicine), the fine arts, and gemstones.
The translator, William Henry Samuel Jones (1876–1963) was an ancient historian and President of St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge.
This volume contains W.H.S. Jones’s English translation of books 28–32 of Natural History. These texts discuss medical zoology. Book VIII: Deals with various mammals, wild and domesticated; and among them are introduced snakes, crocodiles and lizards.
Pliny the Elder, Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23–79), a Roman of equestrian rank of Transpadane Gaul (N. Italy), was uncle of Pliny the letter writer. He pursued a career partly military in Germany, partly administrative in Gaul and Spain under the emperor Vespasian, and became prefect of the fleet at Misenum. He died in the eruption of Vesuvius when he went to get a closer view and to rescue friends. Tireless worker, reader, and writer, he was author of works now lost; but his great Natural History in thirty-seven books with its vast collection of facts (and alleged facts) survives―a mine of information despite its uncritical character.
The contents of the books are as follows. Book 1: table of contents of the others and of authorities; 2: mathematical and metrological survey of the universe; 3–6: geography and ethnography of the known world; 7: anthropology and the physiology of man; 8–11: zoology; 12–19: botany, agriculture, and horticulture; 20–27: plant products as used in medicine; 28–32: medical zoology; 33–37: minerals (and medicine), the fine arts, and gemstones.
The translator, William Henry Samuel Jones (1876–1963) was an ancient historian and President of St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge.
327 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1951
About the author
W.H.S. Jones
7 booksWilliam Henry Samuel Jones (FBA) was a British writer, translator, and academic. He was nicknamed "Malaria Jones," because of his theory that malaria was instrumental in the downfall of the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome.
Jones was born and raised in Birmingham, and educated at Aston Grammar School and King Edward's School, Birmingham. He entered Selwyn College, Cambridge in 1894, graduating B.A. 1897, M.A. 1902, Litt.D. 1925. He taught Classics at The Perse School in Cambridge, and was appointed a Fellow of St Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1908, serving the college as Dean, Steward and Bursar, and President. He wrote two histories of the college, published in 1936 and 1951.
Jones was born and raised in Birmingham, and educated at Aston Grammar School and King Edward's School, Birmingham. He entered Selwyn College, Cambridge in 1894, graduating B.A. 1897, M.A. 1902, Litt.D. 1925. He taught Classics at The Perse School in Cambridge, and was appointed a Fellow of St Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1908, serving the college as Dean, Steward and Bursar, and President. He wrote two histories of the college, published in 1936 and 1951.
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