NATUrvAL HISTOEY OF PLINY, 



BOOK 1} 



DEDICATION. 



C. PLINIUS SECUNDU8 TO HIS FEIEND TITUS VESPASIAN". 



This treatise on Natural History, a novel work in Eoman 

 literature, which I have just completed, I have taken the 

 liberty to dedicate to you, most gracious'"^ Emperor, an appel- 

 lation pecidiarly suitable to you, while, on account of his 

 age, that oi great is more appropriate to your Father ; — 



" For still thou ne'er wouldst quite despise 

 The trifles that I write » ; " 



if I may be allowed to shelter myself imder the example of 

 Catullus, my fellow-countryman"*, a military term, whicli you 

 well understand. For he, as you know, when his napkins 

 Lad been changed^, expressed liimself a little harshly, from 



1 Lemaire informs us, in his title-page, that the two first books of the 

 Natural History are edited by M. Alexandre, in his edition. 



2 " Jucundissime ;" it is not easy to find an epithet in oiu* language 

 which will correctly express the meaning of the original, affectionate and 

 faaniliar, at the same time that it is sufficiently dignified and respectful. 



3 Lamb's trans. ; Carm. i. 4. of the origin^d. 



* " Conterraneus ; " we have no word in English which expresses the 

 idea intended by the original, and which is, at the same time, a military 

 term. There is indeed some reason to doubt, whether the word now 

 inserted in the text was the one employed by the author : see the remarks 

 of M. Alexandre, in Lem. i. 3 ; also an observation in Cigalino's disser- 

 tation on the native country of Pliny ; Yalpy, 8. 



5 " Permutatis prioribus ssetabis;" Carm. xii. 14 j xxv. 7; see the 

 notes in Lamb's trans, pp.135 & 149. 



YOL. I. B 



