A review by dee9401
The Letters of the Younger Pliny by Betty Radice, Pliny the Younger

4.0

A delightful read that takes you behind the scenes and into the mind of a first century Roman author and official. Translated by Betty Radice, who wrote the great introduction to my Penguin copy of Horace's Odes, this quick read covers a variety of topics that are sure to teach you something new or interesting. It was neat reading about two of his spacious homes, one in Laurentum (2.17) and another in Tuscany (5.6). I devoured the information on his uncle, Pliny the Elder, enjoying the letters on his works and life (3.5) and his death at Pompeii during the Vesuvius eruption (6.16, 6.20). These letters on the Vesuvius eruption were written to Tacitus, and it is sad that the part of Tacitus's Histories that would have covered that time period are no longer extant. One wonders if he would have included Pliny the Younger's information. The letters touch on professionalism (1.23, 2.3, 10.97), his beautiful love for his wife Calpurnia (7.5), the death of the writer Martial (3.2) and early thoughts on the Christian cult (10.96).

Throughout, you can see that Pliny derives great pleasure from reading. In one letter, he says it best: "Literature is both my joy and my comfort: it can add to every happiness and there is no sorrow it cannot console" (8.19). I couldn't put it any better.