Friday, March 10, 2023
Pliny's Letters
A.N. Sherwin-White, "Pliny, the Man and His Letters,"
Greece & Rome 16.1 (April, 1969) 76-90 (at 78):
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Max Beerbohm once said that Pliny's letters were the only writings of antiquity that could be enjoyed without knowing anything about the ancient world. But Beerbohm himself lived in a society of polished ease, wealth, and literary sophistication that was not so very different in its setting from the sort of society in which Pliny lived. It is often more difficult for us than for Max. It is no good reading Pliny if you are looking for modern attitudes of mind. You must allow for the standards and values of his own day.
