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.
Zitate Plinius d.J.
„Ruhm nämlich muss folgen, er darf nicht erstrebt werden.“
— Plinius d.J.
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.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book IV, Utque in corporibus sic in imperio gravissimus est morbus, qui a capite diffunditur.
Letter 22, 7.
„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.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book VIII, Context: 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.
Letter 20, 1.
„Those who are actuated by the desire of fame and glory are amazingly gratified by approbation and praise, even though it comes from their inferiors.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book IV, Omnes enim, qui gloria famaque ducuntur, mirum in modum assensio et laus a minoribus etiam profecta delectat.
Letter 12, 6.
„There is little difference between expecting misfortune and undergoing it; except that grief has limits, whereas apprehension has none. For we grieve only for what we know has happened; but we fear all that possibly may happen.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book VIII, Parvolum differt, patiaris adversa an exspectes; nisi quod tamen est dolendi modus, non est timendi. Doleas enim quantum scias accidisse, timeas quantum possit accidere.
Letter 17, 6.
„An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book II, Rarum id quidem nihil enim aeque gratum est adeptis quam concupiscentibus.
Letter 15, 1.
„The living voice is that which sways the soul.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book II, Letter 3, 9.
„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.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book V, Est omnino iniquum, sed usu receptum, quod honesta consilia vel turpia, prout male aut prospere cedunt, ita vel probantur vel reprehenduntur.
Letter 9, 7.
„It is allowed to poets to lie.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book VI, Poetis mentiri licet.
Letter 21.
„As it is far better to excel in any single art, than to arrive only at a mediocrity in several; so on the other hand, a moderate skill in several is to be preferred, where one cannot attain to excellency in any.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book IX, Ut satius unum aliquid insigniter facere quam plura mediocriter, ita plurima mediocriter, si non possis unum aliquid insigniter.
Letter 29, 1.
„Informations without the accuser's name subscribed must not be admitted in evidence against anyone, as it is introducing a very dangerous precedent, and by no means agreeable to the spirit of the age.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book X, Sine auctore vero propositi libelli nullo crimine locum habere debent. Nam et pessimi exempli nec nostri saeculi est.
Letter 97, 2; Trajan to Puny.
„For my part, I regard every death as cruel and premature, that removes one who is preparing some immortal work.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book V, Mihi autem videtur acerba semper et immatura mors eorum, qui immortale aliquid parant.
Letter 5, 4.
„The day, even when it is at the longest, is quickly spent.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book IX, Quamquam longissimus, dies cito conditur.
Letter 36, 4.
„There is certainly no truth in the popular belief, that a man's will is the mirror of his character.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book VIII, Falsum est nimirum quod creditur vulgo, testamenta hominum speculum esse morum.
Letter 18, 1.
„A certain large collective wisdom resides in a crowd, as such; and men whose individual judgement is defective are excellent judges when grouped together.“
— Pliny the Younger
Letters, Book VII, In numero ipso est quoddam magnum collatumque consilium, quibusque singulis iudicii parum, omnibus plurimum.
Letter 17, 10.
