Pliny: Natural History, Books 12-16 [4] 0674994086, 9780674994089

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L BRA RY I

AUG

-

6 1969

THE ONTARIO iNSTITUTE FOR STUDiES IN EDUCATiON

THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY FOUNDED BY JAMES LOEB,

LL.D.

EDITED BY tT. E. PAGE,

fE. CAPPS, L. A.

POST,

L.H.D.

C.H., LITT.D.

tW. H.

PH.D., LL.D.

E. H.

D.

WARMINGTOX,

PLINY NATURAL HISTORY IV LIBRI XII-XVI

ROUSE,

litt.d.

m.a., f.r.hist.soc.

PLINY NA TURAL HISTORY WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION TEN VOLUMES

IN

VOLUME

IV

LIBRI XII-XVI

BY

H.

RACKHAM,

FELLOW UF CHRIST'3

COLI.KCiE,

M.A. CAMBRIDOB

LONDON

VVILLIAM

HEINEMANN LTD

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS

HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS MGMLX

First printed 1945

Reprinted 1960

Printed in Great Britain

CONTENTS PIQE

INTRODUCTION

BOOK

XII

BooK

xm

V 1

97

BOOK XIV

185

BOOK XV

287

BooK XVI

385

INDEX OF PERSONS

553

The Editors annoimce with much regret the death of Mr. H. Rackham, whereby the Loeb Classical Library has lost one of its most helpful contributors. Mr. Rackham had completed his work on the galleyproofs of this volume, and was engaged in the revision of the page-proofs. The whole of the translation, except a few verbal changes, is his.

INTRODUCTION Tiiis volume contains Books XII-XVI Their subject is trees Naturalis Historia. The detailed contents will be found outhne of the work, which, with Hsts of the

of Pliny's

and in

vines.

PHny's

authorities

used for each Book, forms the contents of Book I. For Books XII-XVI, see Volume I, pp. 65-80, of this edition.

Book XII deals with trees Book XIII gives foreign

trees and their use in paper and wood. discusses vine-growing and varieties of

supplying scent,

Book XIV

—their various quaHties.

fruit,

wine.

Book XV. OHves, oHve-oil and fruit-trees. Book XVI. Forest trees, their nature and ties

;

their value for timber

Longevity of

trees.

varie-

and other commodities.

Parasitic plants.

PLINY

:

NATURAL HISTORY BOOK

XII

NATURALIS HISTORIAE

PLINII

LIBER I.

XII

Animalium omnium quae

generatim

membratimque

nosci potuere naturae

ita

se

habent.

restat

—neque ipsa anima carentia, quandoquidem —terra edita aut inde eruta dicantur sine ea ut

^

nihil

^

vivit

ac nullum sileatur

Diu fuere

rerum naturae opus.

occulta

beneficia,

eius

summumque

munus homini datum arbores silvaeque intellegehinc primum ahmenta, harum fronde bantur. vestis etiamnunc gentes sic quo magis ac magis admirari subit his a principiis caedi montes in marmora, vestes ad Seras ^ peti, unionem in Rubri maris profunda,* zmaragdum in imam tellurem ^ quaeri. ad hoc excogitata sunt aurium vulnera, nimirum quoniam parum erat mani-

moUior specus, Hbro

2

;

degunt.

bus, collo, crinibus gestari nisi infoderentur etiam coi*pori.

quamobrem

sequi par est ordinem vitae et

^

V.l. restant.

^

Madvig

^

V.l.

* ^

V.l.

ut (et Mayhoff). a Seribus. profundo. :

Rackham

:

ima

tellure.

PLINY:

NATURAL HISTORY BOOK

XII

I. SucH are the generic and specific characteristics of all the animals about wliich it has been possible to obtain information. It remains to describe the things produced by the earth or dug up from it these al^^o not being devoid of vital spirit, since nothing hves without it and not to pass over in silence any of the works of nature. riches of earth's bounty vvere for a lon^ time The , 1 hidden, and the trees and lorests were supposed to be the supreme gift bestowed by her on man. These first provided him with food, their fohage carpeted his cave and their bark served him for raiment there are still races which practise this mode of hfe. This inspires us with ever greater and greater wonder that starting from these beginnings man has come to quarry the mountains for marbles, to go as far as China for raiment, and to explore the depths of the Red Sea for the pearl and the bowels of the earth for For this purpose has been devised the the emerald. fashion of making wounds in the ears, because forsooth it was not enough for jewels to be worn on the hands and neck and hair without making them Consequently it even pierce through the body. will be weh to follow the biological order and to speak

—

—

,

.

,

,

,

1

/•

*

;

'^^^^^J introdnctoTii '

remarks.

:

PLINY: NATURAL HISTORY arbores ante alia dicere ac moribus primordia ingerere nostris. 3

II.

nummum

Haec fuere

simplicia rura etiam

templa, priscoque ritu

nunc deo praecellentem arborem

dicant; nec magis auro fulgentia atque ebore simulacra

quam

lucos et in

arborum genera

iis

adoramus.

silentia ipsa

numinibus

suis

perpetuo

dicata

servantur, ut lovi aesculus, ApoUini laurus, Minervae olea,

Veneri

myrtus,

Silvanos Faunosque et 4

numina tamquam

Herculi

dearum genera

his recreans

vini, tot

5

et

ac sua

silvis

membra

hominem mitigavere

olei liquor viresque

potus

denique sapores anni sponte venientes, et

mensae, depugnetur pasti

quin

;

e caelo attributa credimus. arbores

postea blandioribus fruge sucis

ex

populus

naufragorum

licet

earum causa ciun

coi-poribus

etiam nunc tamen secundae.

pisces

feris et

expetantur,

mille praeterea sunt

usus earum sine quis vita degi non possit.

arbore

sulcamus maria terrasque admovemus, arbore exaedificamus tecta; fuere

nondum

atque ut, a

arborea et simulacra

numinum

pretio excogitato beluarum cadaver

diis

nato iure luxuriae, eodem ebore

BOOK

XII.

I.

2-II.

5

of trees before earth's other products, and to bring forvvard origins for our customs. II. Once upon a time trees were the temples of the deities, and in conformity with primitive ritual simple country places even now dedicate a tree of exceptional nor do we pay greater worship to height to a god images shining with gold and ivory than to the forests and to the very silences that they contain. The different kinds of trees are kept pei-petually dedicated to their own divinities, for instance, the wdnter-oak to Jove, the bay to Apollo, the oHve to Minerva, the myrtle to Vemis, the poplar to Hercules nay, more, we also beheve that the Silvani and Fauns and various kinds of goddesses are as it were assigned to the

^'•^