If there were to be three adjectives that I could use to describe Pliny the Elder, I would say that he is calm, confident and courageous(almost fearless).
I think he is calm because in the midst of all this confusion with Mt. Vesuvius erupting, he doesn't seem to be to nervous about it. For example, when his mother indicates that there is an unusual looking cloud, he does not seem too bothered by it. Pliny writes, "Usus ille sole, mox frigida, gustaverat iacens studebatque;" (line 14-15) so this shows that he is still going along his merry old way and doesn't seem too concerned over the cloud. Another example that shows Pliny the Elder is very calm is when his friend is trembling and PTY writes, "consolatur hortatur," (47-48) and these words describe Pliny as being a comforting person to his friend and he is calm enough to try to make his friend stop trembling. Also, PTY writes, "deferri in balineum iubet;" (50). Taking a bath and eating food are both actions that are done in a calm manner and among all this destruction, he is calm enough to just want a bath and to eat. Now, that is a calm person!
He seems to be confident because he is willing to go into the destruction of the mountain and he is certain that he will be successful. It can be seen that Pliny the Elder is confident when it says, "Erat Miseni classemque imperio praesens regebat." (12) This shows that he was ruling the fleet and you must be confident in order to be in command of a fleet to people. He also is seen as confident in the word choice that PTY uses. For example, he says, "rectumque cursum recta gubernacula in periculum tenet" (34). This shows nothing but confidence because it makes the reader believe that he is comfortable with his decision and carries that out by holding a straight course. It sounds better if Pliny was holding a straight course rather than being wishy-washy about his decision. Therefore, it makes someone believe that Pliny MUST be confident about the saving of the people. Confidence is exemplified in his words, "Fortes fortuna iuvat!" because the ones who were skeptical would hear this and think, "If he's confident that I must be too!" One more example of why confidence is an excellent adjective is when PTY writes, "certus fugae" (47). This shows confidence because they letter says he is certain of fleeing and that can give people hope.
Another word that describes him is courageous (almost fearless) because not everyone would drop everything that he has and decide to help people out. He is fearless because it is he that decides to go the eruption of a volcano and try to help people out. He doesn't have to but he wants to so I feel that makes him courageous. For example, PTY writes, "ascendit ipse non Rectinae modo sed multis" (32). By saying this you get a feeling that he must be fearless because he is going somewhere where everyone is leaving from and he wants to help. He is also fearless because while everyone is scared he was dictating and noting down everything. This can be seen in this sentence, "adeo solutus metu, ut omnes illius mali motus omnes figuras ut deprenderat oculis dictaret enotaretque" (35-37). He is also courageous based in the description of the place is heading into with his boat. It says, "am navibus cinis incidebat, quo propius accederent, calidior et densior; iam pumices etiam nigrique et ambusti et fracti igne lapides;" (38-39) Only a person with hardly any fear could keep going into a place with rocks broken with fire coming at them!!
So, Pliny the Elder to me is displayed as calm, confident and fearless.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Pliny's letter X.xcvi
Pliny is saying that he is writing the letter to Trajan "cunctationem meam regere ignorantiam instruere." Basically he is saying "who is better able of guiding my hesitations or informing my ignorance" than Trajan. Yet, he is writing to more than just Trajan because he knows this will be published.
In order to guide his hesitations toward Christianity he admits to never being present at any of the Christian trials. He also asks alot of questions to Trajan for him to answer. For example, he asks "ideo nescio quid et quatenus aut puniri soleat aut quaeri" This shows the concept of not only Pliny's struggles when it comes to Christians but poses a question that all Romans have on the subject of what the limits are for reprimanding Christian people. He asks if pardon should be given to those who repent and tell him they were once Christians but not anymore. Another example is when he says, "si flagitiis careat, an flagitia cohaerentia nomini puniantur." Therefore he wonders if even the name of Christianity ought to be punished. He hasn't seemed to have gotten a concrete answer from Trajan and he is trying to 'inform his ignorance' by asking these questions. These questions are most likely what most Romans are asking and he wants to make sure that the citizens are aware of Christianity.
He also attempts to 'guide his hesitations' by telling Trajan and the Roman citizens what he has done to the Christians and show them how they are treated. For example he says, "Interrogavi ipsos an essent Christiani." Obviously, this is a first attempt to see who would admit they belonged to this cult. What was happening though was that the Christians were admitting because they only have one god and they could not disobey god by saying that they have other gods besides the one god in Christianity. Pliny made sure to sound like a model citizen by saying that he asked the accused a second and third time whether or not they were Christians. He even mentioned, "supplicium minatus" so this means he wanted the Romans to know that he was serious about this accusation enough to threaten torture!!
He also mentions that this cult of Christianity is on the rise and that "multi enim omnis aetatis, omnis ordinis, utriusque sexus etiam vocantur in periculum et vocabuntur." This means that there are many different people involved and there is no certain type of person that is involved with Christianity. He wanted to make sure the Romans knew what this religion involves more people than they might think and that will result in ALOT of persecutions.
If I were a Roman that didn't have much contact with the Christians, the impression I would get from them is that they were not bad people. Pliny includes that "seque sacramento non in scelus aliquod obstringere, sed ne furta ne latrocinia ne adulteria committerent, ne fidem fallerent, ne depositum appellati abnegarent." This shows that the people were not bad that were Christians. Pliny suggests that they can try to get rid of Christianity, but there is a large number of people all ready involved. I would be a little afraid because these people seem to be multiplying in their masses and believing in one god. Before this, polytheism was the religion and it seems like a strange suggestion to have only one god so I would be a bit uncertain about this religion.
In order to guide his hesitations toward Christianity he admits to never being present at any of the Christian trials. He also asks alot of questions to Trajan for him to answer. For example, he asks "ideo nescio quid et quatenus aut puniri soleat aut quaeri" This shows the concept of not only Pliny's struggles when it comes to Christians but poses a question that all Romans have on the subject of what the limits are for reprimanding Christian people. He asks if pardon should be given to those who repent and tell him they were once Christians but not anymore. Another example is when he says, "si flagitiis careat, an flagitia cohaerentia nomini puniantur." Therefore he wonders if even the name of Christianity ought to be punished. He hasn't seemed to have gotten a concrete answer from Trajan and he is trying to 'inform his ignorance' by asking these questions. These questions are most likely what most Romans are asking and he wants to make sure that the citizens are aware of Christianity.
He also attempts to 'guide his hesitations' by telling Trajan and the Roman citizens what he has done to the Christians and show them how they are treated. For example he says, "Interrogavi ipsos an essent Christiani." Obviously, this is a first attempt to see who would admit they belonged to this cult. What was happening though was that the Christians were admitting because they only have one god and they could not disobey god by saying that they have other gods besides the one god in Christianity. Pliny made sure to sound like a model citizen by saying that he asked the accused a second and third time whether or not they were Christians. He even mentioned, "supplicium minatus" so this means he wanted the Romans to know that he was serious about this accusation enough to threaten torture!!
He also mentions that this cult of Christianity is on the rise and that "multi enim omnis aetatis, omnis ordinis, utriusque sexus etiam vocantur in periculum et vocabuntur." This means that there are many different people involved and there is no certain type of person that is involved with Christianity. He wanted to make sure the Romans knew what this religion involves more people than they might think and that will result in ALOT of persecutions.
If I were a Roman that didn't have much contact with the Christians, the impression I would get from them is that they were not bad people. Pliny includes that "seque sacramento non in scelus aliquod obstringere, sed ne furta ne latrocinia ne adulteria committerent, ne fidem fallerent, ne depositum appellati abnegarent." This shows that the people were not bad that were Christians. Pliny suggests that they can try to get rid of Christianity, but there is a large number of people all ready involved. I would be a little afraid because these people seem to be multiplying in their masses and believing in one god. Before this, polytheism was the religion and it seems like a strange suggestion to have only one god so I would be a bit uncertain about this religion.
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