Pliny the Younger: 'Epistles' Book II

Description

Pliny the Younger's nine-book Epistles is a masterpiece of Roman prose. Often mined as a historical and pedagogical sourcebook, this collection of 'private' letters is now finding recognition as a rich and rewarding work in its own right. The second book is a typically varied yet taut suite of miniatures, including among its twenty letters the trial of Marius Priscus and Pliny's famous portrait of his Laurentine villa. This edition, the first to address a complete book of Epistles in over a century, presents a Latin text together with an introduction and commentary intended for students, teachers and scholars. With clear linguistic explanations and full literary analysis, it invites readers to a fresh appreciation of Pliny's lettered art.

Christopher Whitton is a University Lecturer in Classics at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Emmanuel College; he is also currently an Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow at the Freie Universitat zu Berlin. Dr Whitton is a specialist in Latin literature, in particular prose of the early Roman empire. This is his first book.

'... a sophisticated resource for mature academics and a catalyst for invigorating classroom discussion for students.' Noelle Zeiner-Carmichael, Bryn Mawr Classical Review '... sets an extraordinarily high standard ... a tour de force ... an exceptional commentary.' Jacqueline Carlon, Classical Review