A Brief Summary of
the Letters on this Site.
ROMAN LITERARY LIFE
Book 1, Letter 1
Pliny has accepited his friend's advice and collected some of his letters
for publication.
Book 1, Letter 3
Pliny is shocked that the people walk out in the middle of recitations.
Literature was taken much more seriously in the time of the Emperor Claudius.
Book 8, Letter 21
Pliny has given a two-day reading of his poetry in his dining-room before
a small group of friends.
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ROMAN SOCIAL LIFE
Book 1, Letter 10
Pliny gives a character description of the Syrian philosopher, Euphrates, who acts as his spiritual adviser. He praises him to the skies and recommends him to his friend, Attius Clemens.
Book 1, Letter 15
Pliny's friend went to a fancy party; Pliny describes the simple meal
his friend would have enjoyed if he had decided to spend the evening at
Pliny's instead.
Book 2, Letter 6
A snobbish host gave different food and drink to his guests, according
to their social status. Pliny says he would never behave in this way.
Book 2, Letter 20
Three stories about various tricks used by Regulus to induce elderly
people to leave him a legacy.
Book 9, Letter 6
Pliny cannot understand why so many Romans waste their time going to
the chariot-races.
Book 9, Letter 19
Pliny justifies the boastful tomb-stone of his friend, Verginius Rufus.
It would be more arrogant to assume that people will remember you even
if you do not record your deeds on your tomb.
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SLAVES
Book 3, Letter 14
Larcius Macedo was beaten to death by his slaves, but lived long enough
to have them killed. Although Macedo was a brutal master, Pliny is horrified
by his murder.
Book 5, Letter 19
As a kind master, Pliny is worried by the illness of his former slave,
Zosimus. He asks his firnd to allow Zosimus stay at his friend's estate
in Forum Julii.
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SUPERNATURAL (for Halloween)
Book 7, Letter 27
Pliny tells two stroies about ghosts who prophesied the future, and
one about a house that was haunted by the ghost of a murder victim who
had been buried in the house.
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WOMEN
Book 4, Letter 19
Pliny is flattered that Calpurnia, his young wife, follows his literary
career with enthusiasm.
Book 7, Letter 24
Ummidia Quadratilla has just died. She loved playing board-games and
watching performances by her private troupe of mimes. Her puritanic grandson,
Quadratus, avoids such amusements.
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LEISURE
Book 9, Letter 36
Pliny spends his summers in Tuscany. He describes how he devotes each
day to literary activities.
Book 1, Letter 6
Pliny prefers to write during hunts, but he accidentally caught three
boars at a recent hunt.
Book 1, Letter 9
The hectic daily routine at Rome is frustrating, and Pliny is glad to
return to his winter estate at Laurentum and spend his time studying instead.
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PLINY'S LEGAL CAREER
Book 3, Letter 2
Pliny asks Vibius Maximus, the Praefect of Egypt, to find a position
for his modest equestrian friend, Maturus Arrianus.
Book 5, Letter 9
The Praetor Nepos issued an edict that he would strictly enforce the
law forbidding lawyers to charge fees. His edict has caused consternation
at Rome.
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PLINY'S CAREER IN GOVERNMENT
Book 7, Letter 33
Pliny wants Tacitus to record an incident from his career in the Senate.
During the reign of Domitian, Pliny and his colleague, Senecio, had to
prosecute the governor of Baetica, who was a friend of the emperor's. When
the governor tried to intimidate Sencecio, Pliny jumped to his defence.
Book 8, Letter 24
Maximus is being sent to govern the Province of Achaea, and Pliny urges him to treat the Greek cities with respect because of their great past.
Book 10, Letter 110
The city of Amisus is trying to reclaim a large grant it gave 20 years
ago to a city official, who spent the money on city business.
Book 10, Letter 111
Such grants are technically illegal, but the official cannot be expected
to return a 20-year old grant now.
Book 10, Letter 96
Pliny is unsure how he should deal with the Christians in Bithynia.
They seem to be harmless people, though he feels obliged to punish those
who insist on remaining Christian, even after he has warned them such obstinacy
would result in death.
Book 10, Letter 97
Pliny should not hunt Christians out, but if a prosecutor comes before
him and accuses people of being Christian, he will have to deal with
the case. Even if the accused are Christian, they should be released if
they agree to stop.
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