1-7: All Quotes Were Obtained Through the English Translation of Pliny's

Home , Pliny the Elder, Pliny the Younger, Tacitus

Pliny the Elder must have been a imposing presence for any person to live with. His versatile accomplishments ranged from compiling a encyclopedia detailing natural phenomena, titled Naturalis Historia, to serving as an army commander and personal friend of Vespasian.

Living with such an accomplished man could fill any teenager with feelings of both admiration and inferiority. Pliny the Younger grew up in such an environment that caused him to not only respect his uncle but question his own worth. For instance, in Pliny the Younger’s first letter to the famous historian Tacitus concerning the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, he extensively comments on his uncle’s bravery and perseverance in the face of adversity while completely ignoring his own deeds during the historic event. While Pliny eventually composes another letter to Tacitus detailing his own account of that day (upon the historian’s request), he concludes this correspondence by saying, “You will read what I have written, but will not take up your pen, as the material is not the stuff of history. You have only yourself to blame if it seems not even proper stuff for a letter.”1 Pliny believes that his uncle’s deeds on that fateful day were so magnificent and heroic that they completely eclipse his own actions, which seem insignificant by comparison. However Pliny’s zealous reverence for his uncle and self-deprecation are ironic, for he shares many of his uncle’s characteristics and talents. In fact, throughout his Vesuvius letters and later life, Pliny the Younger’s deeds and accomplishments mirror those of his imposing guardian.

Although Pliny the Younger declines to accompany his uncle to investigate the ongoing eruption, preferring instead to study at home, both men react similarly to this novel occurrence.

While ash and pumice fall around him and send his fellow companions into a nervous frenzy,

1-7: All quotes were obtained through the English translation of Pliny’s Vesuvius letters, found at SMATCH-International.org, an organization dedicated to preserving Europe’s cultural heritage and understanding of its ancient languages.

Pliny the Elder “went to rest and certainly slept”2, attempting to allay his friends’ fear and return a sense of normalcy. Meanwhile, Pliny the Younger, while sitting with his mother watching the disaster unfold, “went on reading [Livy] as if [he] had nothing else to do.”3 Pliny maintained this unconcerned demeanor even after his uncle’s friend scolded him for such disrespect and foolhardiness. In reality, neither Pliny the Elder nor Pliny the Younger were disrespectful or careless by absorbing themselves in other pursuits. Instead this represents a similarity in their personalities and method of dealing with challenges; when faced with difficult situations, both

Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger relaxed their nerves by doing something uncharacteristically ordinary. Also, both Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger selflessly risk their safety for the benefit of someone else. Although Pliny the Elder’s original intention in approaching Vesuvius was to study this rare phenomenon, when a worried resident of a nearby coastal town implored him to rescue her, “he changed his plans, and what he had begun in a spirit of inquiry he completed as a hero”4. At Misenum, many residents began deserting their homes as the situation grew more dangerous. Yet Pliny the Younger refused to consider his “own safety as long as [he was] uncertain of his [uncle’s],”5 bravely risking his own life to honor his uncle’s valiant exploits. Although Pliny the Younger’s bravery is more subtle than his uncle’s heroic venture, both nevertheless demonstrate similar resolve through selflessly putting another’s needs before their own.

In addition to being connected through their deeds, Pliny the Younger and his uncle are connected through their literary pursuits. Both men wrote famous works dealing with natural occurrences; Pliny the Elder wrote Naturalis Historia while Pliny the Younger recorded Mount

Vesuvius’ eruption in the letters mentioned above. In this correspondence with Tacitus, Pliny the

Younger professes the belief that “happy are they…to whom it is given either to do something worth writing about, or to write something worth reading; most happy, of course, those who do both. With his own books and yours, my uncle will be counted among the latter”6. Since Pliny the Elder both performed valiant deeds, recorded by his nephew and published by Tacitus, and wrote about various topics himself, Pliny the Younger considers him among the luckiest of men.

However Pliny the Younger also fits into this criteria for happiness since he is known not just for recording his uncle’ accomplishments but also for accomplishing notable successes himself. For instance, after the eruption, he became a successful property lawyer, distinguished for his unique oratorical skills. Also Pliny rose through the ranks of government by holding various public positions, such as military tribune, quaestor, tribune of the plebs, prefect of both the military and civil treasuries, praetor, and, finally, consul. In fact, Pliny’s many roles later in life were so varied that he even served briefly as an augur, predicting the future through natural occurrences, such as the flight of birds. Thus, Pliny the Younger performed many deeds and accomplishments that have been recorded and passed down for posterity. He too, along with his uncle, became remembered for both his words and deeds. This demonstrates another similarity between Pliny the Younger and Pliny the Elder since both men fit the description of “happiness” quoted above.

Words and deeds are both powerful tools that can survive for eternity if they are worth reading or writing down, respectively. However, each relies on the other to gain that eternal importance. While Pliny the Elder’s deeds were necessary as subject matter for Pliny the

Younger’s letters, Pliny the Younger had to write the letters in order to ensure that his deeds

4 could be acknowledged and honored properly. Pliny the Younger understood this fact and begins his first letter by saying, “You ask me to write you something about the death of my uncle so that the account you transmit to posterity is as reliable as possible. I am grateful to you, for I see that his death will be remembered forever if you treat it”7. Therefore, Pliny the Younger is most strongly connected to his uncle since they both played critical roles in ensuring that the story of

Vesuvius lived on in the world’s memory- Pliny the Elder through his deeds, Pliny the Younger through his words.