The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 6 (of 6)

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

62704

Title

The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 6 (of 6)

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Pliny the Elder's final volume explores the wonders of the natural world, detailing fish oracles, silver testing methods, and the extravagant wealth of ancient figures. This text blends scientific observation with superstitious beliefs about gemstones and remedies, offering a fascinating glimpse into Roman curiosity and the limits of ancient knowledge.

Summary up to 500 words

In the concluding volume of his *Natural History*, Pliny the Elder presents a comprehensive survey of minerals, metals, and gemstones, blending empirical observation with the magical and superstitious beliefs of the Roman world. The text begins with a detailed examination of silver, outlining methods for assaying its purity. Pliny notes that fraudsters once used urine to fake the whiteness of silver when heated, while also describing the reflective properties of polished metal, which he attributes to the 'repercussion of the air.' He details the evolution of mirrors, from early mixtures of tin and copper to the superior silver mirrors of Pasiteles, and notes the later innovation of gilding the back of mirrors for greater clarity. The volume also explores the vast disparities in wealth throughout history. Pliny catalogues the immense fortunes of figures like Crassus, who desired to possess all the gold of the Parthians, and compares them to the legendary riches of Pythius the Bithynian, who entertained the troops of Xerxes. These examples serve to illustrate the insatiable human desire for wealth, a theme Pliny finds both marvellous and mad. He contrasts this modern opulence with the frugality of ancient Romans, such as Cato the Elder, who refused silver vessels and lived on earthenware. Beyond economics and metallurgy, Pliny devotes significant space to gemstones, describing their physical properties and alleged magical powers. He recounts the *Heliotropium*, which supposedly reveals solar eclipses, and the *Glossopetra*, a stone that falls from the sky during lunar eclipses. Other gems, such as the *Galactitis*, are said to promote milk secretion in nursing women, while the *Idaei dactyli* resemble human thumbs. The text further details medicinal remedies derived from marine life, prescribing preparations from fish like the *sciæna* and *perch* to treat inflammatory tumors and diseases of the generative organs. Throughout, Pliny captures a worldview where the boundaries between natural science, magic, and superstition remain fluid, reflecting the era's deep engagement with the mysteries of nature.

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Categories

• Classics
• Science