Pliny, the Eruption of Vesuvius for Exam

CSCP Support Materials

for Eduqas GCSE Latin Component 3A

Latin Literature (Narratives) Pliny, The Eruption of Vesuvius

For examination in 2020 and 2021

Introduction

Pliny the Younger His achievements reveal, among other things, an ability to survive and do well under such different emperors as

Domitian, Nerva and Trajan. His life As consul in 100 A.D., Pliny delivered Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, his Panegyricus in honour of the known as Pliny the Younger, was the emperor Trajan. His revised and son of a landowner from Comum (now expanded version of this speech is one called Como) in northern Italy. He was of the very few surviving Latin speeches born in c. 61 A.D. His father died when not written by Cicero. In around 110 he was a young child and Verginius A.D., Pliny was sent to govern the Rufus became his guardian. At some Roman province of Bithynia where he point, he was adopted by his uncle, died about two years later (the exact Pliny the Elder. date of his death is not known). In August 79 A.D., the seventeen-year- Pliny was married three times: his last old Pliny and his mother were staying at wife was called Calpurnia, whom he Misenum on the Bay of Naples praises in several of his letters. She (Neapolis) with Pliny’s uncle (known as was much younger than he was – Pliny the Elder). In the long letter now perhaps only fifteen when Pliny was known as Letter VI:16, written to the over forty – but the marriage seems to historian Tacitus, Pliny describes how have been a happy one, except that his uncle died helping rescue people they did not have children. during the eruption of Vesuvius, claiming he himself preferred to stay behind and continue his studies. Pliny became his uncle’s heir, inheriting his His works estate which made him a rich man. From an early age, Pliny was interested Pliny travelled to Rome for the later in literature: he wrote a Greek tragedy stages of his education. For at least part when he was fourteen and was reading of his time there, Pliny studied with extracts from Livy when his uncle Quintilian, a famous teacher of rhetoric embarked on his mission to save and of Greek and Latin literature. people from the eruption of Vesuvius. Although he initially made his name as A huge amount of Pliny’s personal a lawyer, he later embarked on a career correspondence was published in ten in the Senate and became the first books. The letters in Books I-IX, almost member of his family to be a senator. 250 published between 99 and 109 What Pliny did as a politician is A.D., cover a whole range of topics: recorded on an inscription found in these include incidents in the lives of Comum. His expertise in finance was Pliny’s friends, gossip about notorious quickly recognised and he moved people, the murder of a man by his through various political appointments, slaves, city life, Pliny’s attitude to his becoming consul before he was forty.

© University of Cambridge School Classics Project 2019 slaves and freedmen, family life, the paid Martial’s traveling expenses when pointlessness of chariot racing, the the poet retired to Spain. events of 79 A.D. and obituaries. There In a letter written to his friend Maximus, are also letters which include advice, Pliny recalls a story told to him by comments about elections and trials, Tacitus. When Tacitus was once at the topographical descriptions and even circus, he fell into conversation with job references. The letters provide a another spectator. When this man unique insight into the society of the asked Tacitus if he was Italian or from time, at least from a wealthy and the provinces, Tacitus replied that the successful man’s point of view. man would know him by his published After his death, a tenth book appeared, work, whereupon the man asked ‘Are consisting mostly of official letters from you Tacitus or Pliny?’ Bithynia to the emperor Trajan and

Trajan’s replies: this is the only surviving government correspondence of its kind. Each letter deals with a Pliny the Elder particular problem and in most cases reveal Pliny as a man who has a real Gaius Plinius Secundus (Pliny the concern for the people in his care – if a Elder) was also born in Comum in little over-fussy at times. These letters northern Italy in 23 or 24 A.D. and was are a major source for Roman almost certainly educated in Rome. For provincial administration, and give a twelve years, he was on active military fascinating glimpse of the paperwork service in the Rhine during which time with which emperors were required to he was a fellow soldier with Titus who occupy themselves. In two of the would later become emperor. On his letters, there are the earliest surviving return to Rome, Pliny practised as a accounts of the teaching, behaviour lawyer: after Vespasian became and official persecution of the early emperor, he held procuratorships in Christians. Gaul, Africa and Spain. He seems to have been extremely proficient in these Pliny was also proud of his skill as a posts: the historian Suetonius says that poet although only fragments quoted in he carried out his duties ‘with the his letters have survived. He particularly utmost integrity’. enjoyed composing hendecasyllables and tells his friend, Paternus, that he is Later, Pliny became one of the sending some of his verses to him. emperor’s amici, those whom the Pliny seems to have been annoyed by emperor chose to advise him on criticism that his poetry contains coarse particular occasions. When Vespasian language. He defends himself by citing was succeeded by Titus, Pliny was famous poets against whom the same appointed commander of the Roman criticism was levelled, including fleet which was stationed at Misenum Catullus and Martial. Whether Pliny on the bay of Naples. In this way, he sees himself as being on a par with was on hand to observe the eruption of these literary greats is not clear. He was Vesuvius in 79 A.D. which was to result certainly on friendly terms with many of in his death at the age of 55. the poets of his day and reveals that he

© University of Cambridge School Classics Project 2019 Pliny the Younger was immensely wars in Germany, grammar and proud of his uncle and paints a picture biographies. However, the only one of of a man who was disciplined, hard- his works which has survived is his working and always curious about the Naturalis Historia, an encyclopedia in world around him. He appears to have 37 volumes which covers many aspects needed little sleep, rising before dawn of the natural world. and spending much of the morning studying. Then he would have a light lunch. When he was at leisure, in the bath or sunbathing, he would always have a slave there to read to him or to Further reading take notes and once his rest was over, Fifty letters of Pliny: A.N. Sherwin- he would again work until it was time for dinner. Even then, he would insist that White a book be read to him and he took Pliny the Younger Complete Letters: notes. According to Pliny, his uncle always had someone near him with P.G. Walsh (Oxford World’s Classics) writing tablets in case he should want to write something down. Pliny the Elder Natural History: A The elder Pliny was a prolific author and Selection (Penguin Classics) wrote on various topics, including the