Zitate von Plinius d.J.
Plinius d.J.
Geburtstag: 61 n.Chr.
Todesdatum: 113
Andere Namen: Plinio il Giovane
Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, auch Plinius der Jüngere, lateinisch Plinius minor , war Anwalt und Senator in der römischen Kaiserzeit unter den Herrschern Domitian, Nerva und Trajan. Wie sein Onkel, der Naturforscher Plinius der Ältere, ist er für die Nachwelt vor allem wegen seines teilweise überlieferten schriftstellerischen Werkes, hauptsächlich der Plinius-Briefe, bedeutsam geblieben.
Die von Plinius dem Jüngeren zu Lebzeiten herausgegebenen Briefe stellen ein wichtiges Zeugnis dar für das Leben und Denken in führenden Kreisen Roms während dieser Phase des Prinzipats. Größere Bekanntheit erlangte neben seiner Schilderung des Vesuvausbruchs im Jahr 79 auch sein postum erschienener Briefwechsel als Statthalter der Provinz Bithynien-Pontus mit Kaiser Trajan. Diese Korrespondenz ist eine erstrangige historische Quelle zu Aspekten der damaligen römischen Provinzverwaltung. Wikipedia
Zitate Plinius d.J.
„Ruhm nämlich muss folgen, er darf nicht erstrebt werden.“
Epistulae 1, 8, 14
Original lat.: "Sequi enim gloria, non appeti debet."
„It is in the body politic, as in the natural, those disorders are most dangerous that flow from the head.“
Utque in corporibus sic in imperio gravissimus est morbus, qui a capite diffunditur.
Letter 22, 7.
Letters, Book IV
„Objects which are usually the motives of our travels by land and by sea are often overlooked and neglected if they lie under our eye.“
Ad quae noscenda iter ingredi, transmittere mare solemus, ea sub oculis posita neglegimu. ... Differimus tamquam saepe visuri, quod datur videre quotiens velis cernere.
Letter 20, 1.
Letters, Book VIII
Kontext: Objects which are usually the motives of our travels by land and by sea are often overlooked and neglected if they lie under our eye.... We put off from time to time going and seeing what we know we have an opportunity of seeing when we please.
„This expression of ours, "Father of a family."“
Letter 19, 2.
Letters, Book V
„His only fault is that he has no fault.“
Nihil peccat, nisi quod nihil peccat.
Letter 26, 1.
Letters, Book IX
„It is the usual though inequitable method of the world, to pronounce an action to be either right or wrong, as it is attended with good or ill success.“
Est omnino iniquum, sed usu receptum, quod honesta consilia vel turpia, prout male aut prospere cedunt, ita vel probantur vel reprehenduntur.
Letter 9, 7.
Letters, Book V
„Such are the vicissitudes of our mortal lot: misfortune is born of prosperity, and good fortune of ill-luck.“
Habet has vices conditio mortalium, ut adversa ex secundis, ex adversis secunda nascantur.
V.
Panegyricus
„We should read much, we should not read many books.“
Multum legendum esse, non multa.
Letter 9, 15.
Letters, Book VII
„Experience, that excellent master.“
Usus, magister egregius.
Letter 20, 12.
Letters, Book I
„A man must rate public and permanent, above private and fleeting advantages and study how to render his benefaction most useful, rather than how he may bestow it with least expense.“
Oportet privatis utilitatibus publicas, mortalibus aeternas anteferre, multoque diligentius muneri suo consulere quam facultatibus.
Letter 18, 5.
Letters, Book VII
„They will by this means receive their education where they receive their birth, and be accustomed from their infancy to inhabit and affect their native soil.“
Educentur hic qui hic nascuntur, statimque ab infantia natale solum amare frequentare consuescant.
Letter 13, 9.
Letters, Book IV
„The truth is, the generality of mankind stand in awe of public opinion, while conscience is feared only by the few.“
Multi famam, conscientiam pauci verentur.
Letter 20, 9.
Letters, Book III
Letter 12, 11–13; on the death of his friend Cornelius Rufus.
Letters, Book I
„A certain large collective wisdom resides in a crowd, as such; and men whose individual judgement is defective are excellent judges when grouped together.“
In numero ipso est quoddam magnum collatumque consilium, quibusque singulis iudicii parum, omnibus plurimum.
Letter 17, 10.
Letters, Book VII
Nam nec historia debet egredi veritatem, et honeste factis veritas sufficit.
Letter 33, 10.
Letters, Book VII
„There is certainly no truth in the popular belief, that a man's will is the mirror of his character.“
Falsum est nimirum quod creditur vulgo, testamenta hominum speculum esse morum.
Letter 18, 1.
Letters, Book VIII