natural history latin early encyclopedia latin elder died largest single works survived modern day cover ancient knowledge work subject area limited today understood natural history defines scope natural world life work divided books organised volumes cover topics including astronomy mathematics geography human physiology agriculture mining sculpture painting precious stones model later scholarly works result breadth subject matter referencing original authors index work dedicated emperor son close friend emperor year reign work survived published began final revision time death eruption overview natural history written alongside substantial works lost combined scholarly activities busy career imperial administrator emperor writing night daytime hours spent working emperor explains preface addressed elder son future emperor served army nocturnal hours spent writing seen loss sleep addition life states preface est alive military metaphor keeping watch night claims roman undertaken work prayer blessing universal mother hail thee nature thou parent things thou favour unto citizens rome department known praise scope format unlike modern modern reader find dedicated articles natural history medical uses effects goat blood diamond work structure uses aristotle division nature animal vegetable mineral recreate natural world literary form presenting stand entries arranged ordered natural landscape coherent offering reader guided tour brief excursion direction works nature work unified varied subject world nature words life tells nature divine concept inspired philosophy thought deity question goddess main purpose serve human race nature life human life natural landscape initial survey geography starts treatment animals human race sake great nature appears created things view nature common antiquity crucial understanding components nature described view role human life number books plants focus medicinal value books minerals include descriptions uses architecture sculpture painting jewellery premise remote modern ecological theories result entire culture work frequently reflects rome imperial expansion brought new exciting things capital exotic eastern strange animals display arena alleged phoenix sent emperor admits generally acknowledged fake repeated aristotle maxim africa producing new nature variety versatility claimed infinite observed nature induced statement incredible led rumours strange peoples edges world monstrous races single foot act lived strictly new mentioned greek historian 5th century better known variety nature stated nephew younger verdict largely explains appeal death eruption gone investigate strange cloud shaped like umbrella pine according nephew rising mountain ancient european texts printed venice holland english translation influenced literature table contents natural history consists books devised table contents table summary based modern names topics production purpose purpose writing cover learning art far connected nature draw materials nature says subject barren world nature words life subject elevated department employing terms foreign words actually introduced apology path beaten highway authorship mind eager range venture roman tackled single handed departments subject working method nephew younger described method write natural history surprise busy man found time finish volumes deal minute details begin study night festival vulcan luck love study long dawn winter commence seventh hour sleep come leave middle work night worker set official duties return home study time free summer taking meal old days simple light lie sun time spare book read aloud notes extracts younger told following illustrating uncle enthusiasm study dinner book read aloud notes way remember friends reader pronounced word checked read uncle said catch meaning friend said yes remarked turn lost lines jealous moment lost style writing style aims clarity point contains questions metaphors mannerisms silver age sentence structure loose heavy use absolute phrases kind vague express author opinion immediately previous statement translated thing stood knowing work painting warning effort second sentence represents phrase starting publication history publication wrote books engaged rest remaining years life work probably published little revision author nephew younger telling story describing floating islands thirty years later apparently forgotten found uncle work describes work learned matter varied nature absence author final revision explain errors including text writes logical order early complained corrupt state text referring copying errors ninth eleventh centuries manuscripts middle 3rd century abstract geographical portions work produced early 8th century admired work access partial manuscript especially sections gems updated corrected tides extant manuscripts best ancient manuscripts contains books robert wrote consisting books selections taken ancient manuscript printed copies work classical manuscripts printed venice described translation distinctly imperfect copy printed venice held library translations holland influential translation work english complete translation topics generally divided organic plants animals matter frequent section encyclopedia notes uses romans description metals minerals valued detail history science extensive compilation available ancient world book serves preface explaining approach providing table contents astronomy topic covered astronomy book starts known universe criticising attempts madness including view countless worlds earth doubts elements fire earth air water records seven planets including sun moon earth sphere suspended middle space considers weakness try find shape form god suppose care human affairs mentions considers know nature works cites estimate moon miles away describes noting aristotle recorded seeing book continues natural meteorological events lower sky including winds weather lightning returns astronomical facts effect time sunrise sunset variation sun elevation latitude affecting variation day length latitude geography books iii moves earth book iii covers geography spain italy book covers europe including britain book looks africa asia book looks eastwards black_sea india far_east book vii discusses human race covering aspects human physiology matters greatness outstanding people happiness fortune discussed books viii encyclopedia mentions different sources purple particularly highly prized source purple describes elephant detail value origin pearl invention fish farming farming keeping popular rich provides anecdotes problems owners closely attached fish correctly identifies origin amber pine trees evidence cited includes fact samples exhibit insects feature readily explained presence refers way charge property known considerable space bees industry organisation honey discussing significance queen bee use smoke collect praises song handled books sources manufacture grades available romans described different types trees properties wood explained books vine varieties discussed book book covers olive tree detail followed trees including apple pear cherry laurel gives special attention pepper cane sugar mentions different varieties pepper values comparable gold silver sugar noted medicinal value critical pointless passed heirs clothes time lose soon gives summary ingredients roses says widely base substances added include drugs medicine magic major section books discusses matters related medicine especially plants yield useful drugs lists drugs compared poppy mentioned notes sleep fatal diseases treatment covered book addresses magic book critical attacking suggesting magic originated medicine pretending offer health names ancient persia source magical ideas states travelled abroad learn magic remarking surprising accepted doctrines brought medicine magic flourished simultaneously time war agriculture methods crops described book praises work uses primary source work includes discussion known cultivated crops vegetables herbs derived describes machines cultivation processing crops example describes simple mechanical cut ears wheat straw pushed book chapter depicted relief found later roman period describes grain ground hand mill mill driven water wheels found roman water mills empire extensively discusses metals starting gold silver book base metals copper mercury lead tin iron bronze steel book critical greed gold metal coins early republic gives examples way rulers proclaimed prowess exhibiting gold looted campaigns conquering britain tells stories discusses gold unique far greater metal examples given ability beaten fine foil producing leaves inches square fine gold wire woven cloth imperial clothes usually combined natural like wool saw younger wife public lake involving naval battle wearing military gold rejects claims indian gold obtained ants dug silver writes occur native form mined usually occurring lead spain produced silver time mines having started largest galleries running miles mountain men worked day night draining shifts probably referring reverse water wheels operated found roman mines britain says rich lead found surface places easy extract production high law passed attempting restrict mining fraud described detail particular coin mixing copper silver iron tests developed coins proved popular victims ordinary people deals liquid metal mercury found silver mines records toxic gold metal says mercury copper found silver mines main ore mercury long pigment painters says colour similar probably insect dust toxic workers handling material wear face masks skin copper bronze says famous use statues including gigantic statues tall towers famous personally saw massive statue rome removed emperor death face statue modified shortly death reign statue moved help architect elephants position called gives special place iron distinguishing steel called wrought iron softer grade scathing use iron warfare books work books describes different minerals building works authors topic valuable obsession luxury products engraved gems carvings provides thorough discussion properties noting carved decorative objects account includes myth shepherd moves describing shape diamond recording diamond dust gem cut polish gems owing great states rock crystal valuable transparency carved vessels relates story woman owned mineral paying sum item deliberately broke crystal cups realised deposed denying use returns problem fraud detection false gems tests including scratch test gems marked steel file genuine ones refers glass jewellery refers hard mineral scratch scale diamond sits series says scratch minerals art history chapters roman greek art especially valuable work virtually classical source information subject history art original greek authorities element ascribed notices successive developments art list workers bronze painters large miscellaneous information named connection named writer art metal working ornamental relief greek contribute share descriptions pictures statues minor authorities books athens author work monuments athens important place assigned author work volumes famous works art probably incorporating substance earlier greek denied holds chronological work current catalogue artists knowledge greek authorities probably mainly quotes number items relating works art near coast asia minor adjacent islands general statesman historian died mentions works art collected temple peace galleries information position works rome books personal observation main merit account ancient art classical work kind compilation ultimately founded lost textbooks biographies passages gives proof independent observation prefers marble sons palace widely believed statue vatican pictures world statue attributed island rhodes possibly son temple near renown spot adds rome works art legion memory beautiful distracted claims duty business admire art need leisure profound mining provides descriptions roman mining describes gold mining detail large scale use water gold deposits description probably refers mining especially large site describes methods underground mining including use fire setting attack gold bearing rock extract ore work describes use gain access veins scathing search precious metals considered hardest things greed gold book covers base metals uses extraction copper mining mentioned variety including copper mining underground surface iron mining covered followed lead tin reception anonymous fourth century compilation contains recipes vast majority attached enjoyed huge popularity middle ages quotes times book based largely errors attacked lacking proper scientific method unlike lacking knowledge philosophy medicine sir expressed strange scarce popular error days directly expressed contained work hands men proved powerful occasion propagation notwithstanding reader curiosity author commonly authors received accounts writes reads preface judgement considered represent collective opinion critics wrote original creative pioneer research compared aristotle great secondary italian author book read classics wrote people consult natural history facts author deserves extended read measured movement prose admiration exists respect infinite diversity phenomena notes eclectic sources inconsistent unpredictable compares god prevented logic conflicting reason view makes identification god nature destiny writes impossible force variable destiny natural history man sense pages fortune length life disease death art historian writes introduction analysis chapters art intention work result adaptations earlier writers according intended reference work expresses basic attitude man relationship nature understands man role inventor scientist artist finally attitude use abuse nature man creations progress decay specifically writes guiding principle treatment greek roman art function art society uses art history express opinions ideology state writing cambridge history science asserts natural history ancient form scientific knowledge closely associated writings roman elder witty offered expansive definition subject broadly described entities found nature derived nature seen roman world read books art artifacts peoples animals plants minerals included project contrasts approach intellectual predecessors aristotle sought general causes natural phenomena interested natural wonders contemporary explored nature uses roman medicine great work view writing regained status greater extent time advent work scientific expertise resulted improvements text reputation scientist essential enterprise rediscovered ambitious portrayal nature life recognized unique cultural record time text latin complete latin text complete latin text translation tools version printed venice september copy owned held english english translation second english translation complete index public domain volume edition translated secondary material article detailed table contents elder
Natural History (Pliny)