The Natural Histories of Pliny the Elder is part of a series of coordinated texts designed to enable students as quickly as possible to read in the original language the authors of our Greco-Roman heritage. The Natural Histories has been successfully used in classes composed of students whose Latin language experience ranges considerably; some had only the intensive introductory course while others had taken several Latin courses.

The Natural Histories of Pliny the Elder contains excerpts from Pliny’s encyclopedic work surveying the knowledge of the natural world as seen by an educated Roman of the 1^st century.  The broad topics of the original work include cosmology and astronomy, geography, biology, zoology, botany, medicine, and finally metals, minerals and precious stones. From among these I have chosen selections for translation that I found entertaining, enlightening and revealing of Roman thought, character, philosophy and even prejudice.

The format of the Natural Histories follows a pattern that has proven

 highly successful in my other texts.  Every chapter begins with a suggested grammar review relevant to the translation at hand, referenced by topic and even page numbers in Latin Alive and Well, my introductory text.  New grammar and vocabulary, i.e., grammar and vocabulary not contained in L.A.W. (Latin Alive and Well) are provided in each chapter as it is encountered.  At the end of the Natural Histories is a glossary of the vocabulary covered in L.A.W.  Following the grammar and vocabulary sections, I have supplied simplified versions of the passages in a sentence format that allows students to familiarize themselves with the subject, basic outline of the passage, and new grammar in an easily comprehensible manner.  These passages thus serve as a kind of bridge, or transition, from the more simplified Latin to which they are accustomed, to the actual prose of Pliny the Elder.

            The strengths of this text are:

1)     interesting and entertaining subject matter;

2)     a suggested Grammar Review for each chapter;

3)     presentation of New Grammar for each chapter;

4)     simplified Sentences that precede each translation;

5)     a list of new Vocabulary for each chapter.

The Natural Histories of Pliny the Elder is in Word format; it is 99 pages in length.

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