Natural History Volume 1, The by PLINY THE ELDER
by LibriVox
January 1, 1970 10:00 am
Naturalis Historia (Latin for “Natural History”) is an encyclopedia published circa AD 77-79 by Pliny the Elder. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the Roman empire to the modern day and purports to cover the entire field of ancient knowledge, based on the best authorities available to Pliny. The work became a model for all later encyclopedias in terms of the breadth of subject matter examined, the need to reference original authors, and a comprehensive index list of the contents. The scheme of his great work is vast and comprehensive, being nothing short of an encyclopedia of learning and of art so far as they are connected with nature or draw their materials from nature. The work divides neatly into the organic world of plants and animals, and the realm of inorganic matter, although there are frequent digressions in each section. He is especially interested in not just describing the occurrence of plants, animals and insects, but also their exploitation (or abuse) by man, especially Romans. The description of metals and minerals is particularly detailed, and valuable for the history of science as being the most extensive compilation still available from the ancient world. (Summary from Wikipedia)
This volume one includes the first five books, covering the following subjects:
Book 1- Dedication
Book 2 – An account of the world and the elements
Books 3 to 5 – An account of countries, nations, seas, towns, havens, mountains, rivers, distances, and peoples who now exist or formerly existed
Recent Episodes
01 - Preface and The Life and Writings of Pliny, part 1
55 years ago02 - The Life and Writings of Pliny, part 2
55 years ago03 - Book 1, Dedication. - C. Plinius Secundus to his friend Titus Vespasian
55 years ago04 - Book 2, Chapters 1-5 - Whether the world be finite; Of the form of the world; Of its nature, whence the name is derived; Of the elements and the planets; Of God.
55 years ago05 - Book 2, Chapters 6-8 - Of the nature of the stars; Of the motion of the planets; Of the eclipses of the moon and the sun; Of the magnitude of the stars
55 years ago06 - Book 2, Chapters 9-13 - An account of the observations that have been made on the heavens by many individuals; On the recurrence of the eclipses of the sun and the moon; Of the motion of the moon; Of the motions of the planets; Why the same stars appear at some times more lofty and at other times more near
55 years ago07 - Book 2, Chapters 14-23 Why the same stars have different motions; General laws of the planets; The reason why the stars are of different colours; Of the motion of the sun and the cause of the irregularity of the days; Why thunder is ascribed to Jupiter; Of the distance of the stars; Of the harmony of the stars; Of the dimensions of the world; Of the stars which appear suddenly, or of comets; Their nature, situation and species.
55 years ago08 - Book 2, Chapters 24-45 The doctrine of Hipparchus about the stars; Examples from history of celestial prodigies; Of the colours of the sky and of celestial flame; Of celestial coronae; Of sudden circles; Of unusually long eclipses of the sun; Many suns; Many moons; Daylight in the night; Burning shields; An ominous appearance in the heaven, that was seen only once; Of stars which move about in various directions; Of the stars which are named Castor and Pollux; On the air and on the cause of the showers of stones; Of the stated seasons; Of the rising of the dog-star; Of teh regular influence of the different seasons; Of uncertain states of weather; Of thunder and lightining; The origin of winds; Various observations respecting winds
55 years ago09- Book 2, Chapters 46-55 The different kinds of winds; The periods of the winds; Nature of the winds; Ecnephias and Typhon; Tornadoes; Blasting winds; Whirlwinds and other wonderful kinds of tempests; Of thunder - in what countries it does not fall and for what reason; Of the different kinds of lightining and their wonderful effects; The Etrurian and the Roman observations on this point; Of conjuring up thunder; General laws of lightning.
55 years ago10 - Book 2, Chapters 56-66 Objects which are never struck; Showers of milk, blood, flesh, iron, wool and baked tiles; Rattling of arms and the sound of trumpets heard in the sky; Of stones that have fallen from the clouds; The rainbow; The nature of hail, snow, hoar, mist, dew; The forms of clouds; The peculiarities of the weather in different places; Nature of the earth; Of the form of the earth; Whether there be antipodes; How the water is connected with the earth; Of the navigation of the sea and rivers
55 years ago