Chiara Palladino / Pliny, Naturalis Historia
Furman University
NH 2.1
Chiara Palladino / Pliny, Naturalis Historia
- Created on 2022-03-11 11:18:01
- Translated by John Bostock, 1855
- Aligned by Chiara Palladino
The translation comes from the Perseus Digital Library. The Latin text is the revised version in Lacus Curtius.
Latin
English
Mundum et hoc quodcumque nomine alio caelum appellare libuit , cuius circumflexu degunt cuncta , numen esse credi par est , aeternum , inmensum , neque genitum neque interiturum umquam . huius extera indagare nec interest hominum nec capit humanae coniectura mentis .
The
world
,
and
whatever
that
be
which
we
otherwise
call
the
heavens
,
by
the
vault
of
which
all
things
are
enclosed
,
we
must
conceive
to
be
a
Deity
,
to
be
eternal
,
without
bounds
,
neither
created
,
nor
subject
,
at
any
time
,
to
destruction
.
To
inquire
what
is
beyond
it
is
no
concern
of
man
,
nor
can
the
human
mind
form
any
conjecture
respecting
it
.
NH 2.2
Chiara Palladino / Pliny, Naturalis Historia
- Created on 2022-03-11 11:21:35
- Translated by John Bostock, 1855
- Aligned by Chiara Palladino
Latin
English
sacer est , aeternus , immensus , totus in toto , immo vero ipse totum , infinitus ac finito similis , omnium rerum certus et similis incerto , extra intra cuncta conplexus in se , idemque rerum naturae opus et rerum ipsa natura .
It
is
sacred
,
eternal
,
and
without
bounds
,
all
in
all
;
indeed
including
everything
in
itself
;
finite
,
yet
like
what
is
infinite
;
the
most
certain
of
all
things
,
yet
like
what
is
uncertain
,
externally
and
internally
embracing
all
things
in
itself
;
it
is
the
work
of
nature
,
and
itself
constitutes
nature
.
NH 2.3
Chiara Palladino / Pliny, Naturalis Historia
- Created on 2022-03-11 11:27:34
- Translated by John Bostock, 1855
- Aligned by Chiara Palladino
Latin
English
furor est mensuram eius animo quosdam agitasse atque prodere ausos , alios rursus occasione hinc consumpta aut his data innumerabiles tradidisse mundos , ut totidem rerum naturas credi oporteret aut , si una omnes incubaret , totidem tamen soles totidemque lunas et cetera etiam in uno et inmensa et innumerabilia sidera , quasi non eaedem quaestiones semper in termino cogitationi sint occursurae desiderio finis alicuius aut , si haec infinitas naturae omnium artifici possit adsignari , non idem illud in uno facilius sit intellegi , tanto praesertim opere .
It
is
madness
to
harass
the
mind
,
as
some
have
done
,
with
attempts
to
measure
the
world
,
and
to
publish
these
attempts
;
or
,
like
others
,
to
argue
from
what
they
have
made
out
,
that
there
are
innumerable
other
worlds
,
and
that
we
must
believe
there
to
be
so
many
other
natures
,
or
that
,
if
only
one
nature
produced
the
whole
,
there
will
be
so
many
suns
and
so
many
moons
,
and
that
each
of
them
will
have
immense
trains
of
other
heavenly
bodies
.
As
if
the
same
question
would
not
recur
at
every
step
of
our
inquiry
,
anxious
as
we
must
be
to
arrive
at
some
termination
;
or
,
as
if
this
infinity
,
which
we
ascribe
to
nature
,
the
former
of
all
things
,
cannot
be
more
easily
comprehended
by
one
single
formation
,
especially
when
that
is
so
extensive
.
NH 2.4
Chiara Palladino / Pliny, Naturalis Historia
- Created on 2022-03-11 11:30:32
- Translated by John Bostock, 1855
- Aligned by Chiara Palladino
NH 2.5
Chiara Palladino / Pliny, Naturalis Historia
- Created on 2022-03-11 11:36:30
- Translated by John Bostock, 1855
- Aligned by Chiara Palladino
Latin
English
Formam eius in speciem orbis absoluti globatam esse nomen in primis et consensus in eo mortalium orbem appellantium , sed et argumenta rerum docent , non solum quia talis figura omnibus sui partibus vergit in sese ac sibi ipsa toleranda est seque includit et continet nullarum egens compagium nec finem aut initium ullis sui partibus sentiens , nec quia ad motum , quo subinde verti mox adparebit , talis aptissima est , sed oculorum quoque probatione , quod convexu mediusque quacumque cernatur , cum id accidere in alia non possit figura .
That
it
has
the
form
of
a
perfect
globe
we
learn
from
the
name
which
has
been
uniformly
given
to
it
,
as
well
as
from
numerous
natural
arguments
.
For
not
only
does
a
figure
of
this
kind
return
everywhere
into
itself
and
sustain
itself
,
also
including
itself
,
requiring
no
adjustments
,
not
sensible
of
either
end
or
beginning
in
any
of
its
parts
,
and
is
best
fitted
for
that
motion
,
with
which
,
as
will
appear
hereafter
,
it
is
continually
turning
round
;
but
still
more
,
because
we
perceive
it
,
by
the
evidence
of
the
sight
,
to
be
,
in
every
part
,
convex
and
central
,
which
could
not
be
the
case
were
it
of
any
other
figure
.
NH 2.6
Chiara Palladino / Pliny, Naturalis Historia
- Created on 2022-03-11 11:44:22
- Translated by H. Rackam, 1952
- Aligned by Chiara Palladino
The English translation is from Attalus.org, the Latin text from Perseus.
Latin
English
Hanc ergo formam eius aeterno et inrequieto ambitu , inenarrabili celeritate , viginti quattuor horarum spatio circumagi solis exortus et occasus haut dubium reliquere . an sit inmensus et ideo sensum aurium excedens tantae molis rotatae vertigine adsidua sonitus , non equidem facile dixerim , non , Hercule , magis quam circumactorum simul tinnitus siderum suosque volventium orbes an dulcis quidam et incredibili suavitate concentus . nobis qui intus agimus iuxta diebus noctibusque tacitus labitur mundus .
The
world
thus
shaped
then
is
not
at
rest
but
eternally
revolves
with
indescribable
velocity
,
each
revolution
occupying
the
space
of
24
hours
:
the
rising
and
setting
of
the
sun
have
left
this
not
doubtful
.
Whether
the
sound
of
this
vast
mass
whirling
in
unceasing
rotation
is
of
enormous
volume
and
consequently
beyond
the
capacity
of
our
ears
to
perceive
,
for
my
own
part
I
cannot
easily
say
-
any
more
in
fact
than
whether
this
is
true
of
the
tinkling
of
the
stars
that
travel
round
with
it
,
revolving
in
their
own
orbits
;
or
whether
it
emits
a
sweet
harmonious
music
that
is
beyond
belief
charming
.
To
us
who
live
within
it
the
world
glides
silently
alike
by
day
and
night
.
NH 2.7
Chiara Palladino / Pliny, Naturalis Historia
- Created on 2022-03-11 11:49:08
- Translated by H. Rackam, 1952
- Aligned by Chiara Palladino
Latin
English
esse innumeras ei effigies animalium rerumque cunctarum inpressas nec , ut in volucrum notamus ovis , levitate continua lubricum corpus , quod clarissimi auctores dixere , terrenorum argumentis indicatur , quoniam inde deciduis rerum omnium seminibus innumerae , in mari praecipue ac plerumque confusis monstrificae , gignantur effigies , praeterea visus probatione , alibi ursi , tauri alibi , alibi litterae figura , candidiore medio per verticem circulo .
Stamped
upon
it
are
countless
figures
of
animals
and
objects
of
all
kinds
-
it
is
not
the
case
,
as
has
been
stated
by
very
famous
authors
,
that
its
structure
has
an
even
surface
of
unbroken
smoothness
,
like
that
which
we
observe
in
birds
'
eggs
:
this
is
proved
by
the
evidence
of
the
facts
,
since
from
seeds
of
all
these
objects
,
falling
from
the
sky
in
countless
numbers
,
particularly
in
the
sea
,
and
usually
mixed
together
,
monstrous
shapes
are
generated
;
and
also
by
the
testimony
of
sight
-
in
one
place
the
figure
of
a
bear
,
in
another
of
a
bull
,
in
another
a
wain
,
in
another
a
letter
of
the
alphabet
,
the
middle
of
the
circle
across
the
pole
being
more
radiant
.
NH2.8
Chiara Palladino / Pliny, Naturalis Historia
- Created on 2022-03-11 11:51:32
- Translated by H. Rackam, 1952
- Aligned by Chiara Palladino
Latin
English
equidem et consensu gentium moveor ; namque et Graeci nomine ornamenti appellavere eum et nos a perfecta absolutaque elegantia mundum . caelum quidem haut dubie caelati argumento diximus , ut interpretatur M . Varro .
For
my
own
part
I
am
also
influenced
by
the
agreement
of
the
nations
.
The
Greeks
have
designated
the
world
by
a
word
that
means
'
ornament
,
'
{
kosmos
}
and
we
have
given
it
the
name
of
mundus
because
of
its
perfect
finish
and
grace
!
As
for
our
word
caelum
{
'
sky
'
}
,
it
undoubtedly
has
the
signification
'
engraved
,
'
as
is
explained
by
Marcus
Varro
.
NH2.9
Chiara Palladino / Pliny, Naturalis Historia
- Created on 2022-03-11 11:54:04
- Translated by H. Rackam, 1952
- Aligned by Chiara Palladino
NH 2.10
Chiara Palladino / Pliny, Naturalis Historia
- Created on 2022-03-11 11:57:16
- Translated by H. Rackam, 1952
- Aligned by Chiara Palladino
Latin
English
Nec de elementis video dubitari quattuor esse ea : ignium summum , inde tot stellarum illos conlucentium oculos ; proximum spiritus , quem Graeci nostrique eodem vocabulo aera appellant , vitalem hunc et per cuncta rerum meabilem totoque consertum ; huius vi suspensam cum quarto aquarum elemento librari medio spatii tellurem .
As
regards
the
elements
also
I
observe
that
they
are
accepted
as
being
four
in
number
:
topmost
the
element
of
fire
,
source
of
yonder
eyes
of
all
those
blazing
stars
;
next
the
vapour
which
the
Greeks
and
our
own
nation
call
by
the
same
name
,
air
-
this
is
the
principle
of
life
,
and
penetrates
all
the
universe
and
is
intertwined
with
the
whole
;
suspended
by
its
force
in
the
centre
of
space
is
poised
the
earth
,
and
with
it
the
fourth
element
,
that
of
the
waters
.