THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE 



HISrOllIE OF NATVRE, WRITTEN 



BY C.PLINIVS S&CVNDVS. 



TheT^reface orEpiBleDedicatorietd ^i-ince "^Ve^fafianjns [freind] 



Hefebooks containing the Hiftorie of Nature,vvhfch afeyydaies 

 fince I brought to Iightf a new work in Latin.and namely among 

 the Romanes, yourdttizens and Gountn'mcn) I purppfeby this 

 . j Epiftle of mine to prefenc and eonfecrate unto you^ moft frveer 



and gentle Prince [for *this tide aeeordcth fitted: nnto you, fee- . 



ing that the name of[*Moft mightiej (brtcth well vvith the age of the hmperor 

 yourfathertjvvhich haply might feemeboldnefle andprefumptionin me, but 

 that 1 know hovv uoth^r timts'^youmreipoont to ba\>e fom ^ood opinionofmytoks 

 and fooiertesN^htxc^y the vvay,y ou muft give me leave to moilifie a licde the vet'- 

 fesvvhich I borrow ofmy comtrman(^at;m/4j.iStQd\^o howHight upon^avrord 

 ufed among foldiors, which you are acquainted with, fince time vye feryed both 

 together in the camp:) For he as you wot full well^changing the former fillablcs 

 of his verfes one for another^ made himfelfe fomewhat more harfh than he would 

 feeme to be unto the fine ears of his familiar friends,the Veramoli 8C FAbuHi, And 

 withalljl would be thought by this my malapart writing unto you^to fatisfi'eone 

 point,which,as you complained in your anlwer of late to another tude SC auda- 

 cious letter of mine,! had not performedjto witjThatall the world niightieeCas it 

 were Upon record)how the Empire is managed by you and your father equally; 

 and notwithftanding this imperiall maieftie wherunto you are called,yet is your 

 aftabilitie and maner of converfing with your oldfriendsjfellow-iike,^ the fame 

 that alwaies heretofore it had beeniFor albeit you have triumphed with hiai for 

 your noble vicftories, ben Cenfor in your time,and ConfulP fix times,executed 

 ?he facred authoritie of theTribuneSjpatrones^and prqtedors of the Commons 

 of Rome, together with him % albeit I fay you have othervvifefhewed your no- 

 ble heart in honouring and gracing both the court of the Emperor your father^ 

 andalfb the whole Rate of Knights and Gentlemen of Rome,whiles you were 

 captainc of the guard,and Grand maifter of his houfe and roiall pallacefin which 

 places all^you cariedyourfelferefpecflively to the good of the Commonweale) 

 yet to all your friends^and efpecially to my felfe,ydu have borne the fame coun- 

 tenance as in times paft within the campe, when we ferved under the fame co- 

 lours, and lodged together in one pavilion. So as in all this greatneffe and high 

 efirare wherunto you are mounted, there is no other change and alteration feen 

 in y our perfon but this,That your power is now anfwerable to your will,&: able 

 you are to do and performe that good which you ever meant, and ftill intend* 



And 



leba^Sy Meaj 

 aliquid ^utat 

 migas, 

 * Cdrsterrane: 



It rcemetb ti 



in Caml/iu, 

 futart timc^ 

 Tiugat efje , 

 quidmeasfolt 

 bx!t wbicb 

 deed was bi 

 an hard con 

 pofirion sod 

 couching oi 

 the words. 



* Sex/et, or t\ 

 thsr StptiejtC 



