Pliny The Younger’s “Panegyric In Praise Of Trajan” (Excerpts)
Pliny the Younger’s “Panegyric in Praise of Trajan” (Excerpts)Trans. by FPGarland, from Masterpieces of Eloquence, ed. MW Hazeltine et al. (New York: Collier, 1905).Caius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, nephew and son of the elder Pliny, was born at Novum Comum in 62 CE. Afterstudying rhetoric under Quintilian, he began his career as advocate at the age of nineteen. He subsequently serve inSyria as a military tribune, was a quaestor under Domitian, and consul under the emperor Trajan. About the year112 he governed Bithynia as imperial legate, his death occurring shortly after, in the year 114. He was more or lessof a dilettante, painstaking, very desirous of making a literary reputation, and amiable, but lacking in force ofcharacter and original thought. His panegyric on Trajan (delivered to express his gratitude to the emperor, who hadrecently appointed him consul) is his only speech which really possessed vitality, and his letters, which exhibit hisself-complacency, form entertaining reading.enthusiastically as they did the beauty of Domitian,t was a good and wise custom of our ancestors toand applaud his devotion, self-restraint, and humanitybegin no act or speech without prayer. Theyas vociferously as they did the voice and the bearingbelieved it only proper and prudent to reverenceof Nero. What, then, shall we commend? The divinitythe gods and seek their aid and guidance. How muchof our prince, his culture, his self-control, or hismore ought we now to have recourse to prayer when,affability? We can do nothing worthier of our citizensby command of the senate and the will of the people,and our senate than we have already done inyour consul is about to make an expression ofconferring on him the surname of the Good — a titlegratitude to a good prince! For what gift of the godsmade peculiarly his by the arrogance of formeris better or nobler than a chaste, pious, godlikeprinces. It is only natural and reasonable, then, thatprince! And I am sure that even if there were stillwe should esteem ourselves happy and our princedoubt as to whether rulers are given to the world byhappy, and pray that he may ever do deeds deservingchance or by divine will, we should all feel that ourof our praise. At all this he is affected even to tears,prince was chosen by divine direction. For he was notfor he knows and feels that we speak of him as afound out by the secret power of fate, but by the openman, not as a prince.manifestation of Jupiter’s will, and was chosen amidLet us retain, then, individually, in the ho«rsacred altars in the same temple in which Jupiterof calm reflection, the same spirit that we had in thedwells in person as clearly as he does in the starryfirst heat of our devotion; and let us bear in mind thatheavens. It is therefore all the more fitting that Ithere is no kind of gratitude more sincere or moreshould turn in prayer to thee, Jupiter, most mightyacceptable than that which, like the acclamations ofand good, and ask that my address may prove worthythe populace, is too spontaneous to be feigned. Soof me as consul, worthy of our senate, and worthy offar as I can, I shall try to adapt my address to theour prince; that my words may bear the stamp ofmodesty and moderation of our prince, and shall confreedom, faith, and truth, and lack as much the semsider not less what his delicacy will permit than whatblance, as they do the need, of flattery.his merits deserve.It is the peculiar glory of ourNot only a consul, but every citizen, shouldprince that, when I am about to render him anstrive to say nothing of our prince that might seemexpression of gratitude, I fear not that he will thinkproper enough if spoken of some other prince. Let us,me niggardly, but lavish in his praise. This is mytherefore, repress the utterances of fear. Let us speakonly anxiety; this my only difficulty. For it is anas we feel. Let us emphasize clearly in our discourseeasy matter to render thanks to one who deservesthe difference between the present and the past. Letthem. Nor is there any danger that he will mistakeour language show unmistakably that it is Trajan wethe praise of culture for the censure of conceit; thethank, and his age that we praise. But let us notpraise of frugality for the censure of luxury; theaddress him with the flattering title of a god orpraise of clemency for the censure of cruelty; thedivinity; for we speak not of a tyrant, but of a fellowpraise of liberality for the censure of avarice; thecitizen; not of a master, but of a father. He boasts thatpraise of benignity for the censure of malice; thehe is one of us; nor does he forget that he is only apraise of continence for the censure of lust; the praiseman, though the ruler of men. Let us, then, appreciateof industry for the censure of laziness; or the praiseour good fortune and prove ourselves worthy of it.of courage for the censure of fear. I do not even fearLet us, too, consider again and again how unworthy itthat I shall seem grateful or ungrateful according as Iwould be to show greater regard for princes whosay a great deal or very little. For I have observedrejoice in the servitude of their fellow citizens thanthat even the gods themselves are pleased not sofor those who rejoice in their freedom. The people ofmuch by flawless perfection in the form of prayer, asRome, who have retained the right to choose theirby the uprightness and piety of their votaries. Theyprinces, now praise the courage of Trajan asI
prefer him who brings to their altars a pure .heart, tohim who brings a studied prayer.But I must comply with the will of the senate,which has decreed for the public advantage that theconsul, by way of an address of thanks, shall remindgood princes of what they have done, and bad princesof what they ought to do. This is all the morenecessary now because our prince suppresses allprivate expressions of gratitude, and would preventalso public ones if he were permitted to forbid whatthe senate has decreed. In both cases, CaesarAugustus, you show moderation; for, in permittinghere the expression of gratitude that you forbid inprivate, you honor not yourself, but us. Since, then,you have yielded to our wishes, the important thing isnot for us to proclaim your merits, but for you to hearthem.I have often reflected how good and great theman should be whose beck and nod control the earthand sea, peace and war. But I should never, even ifI had power equal to that of the gods, have conceivedof a prince like ours. One man becomes great in war,but sinks into obscurity in peace. Another gainsdistinction in the arts of peace, but not in theprofession of arms.One is feared because he iscruel; another loved because he is humble. One losesin public life the renown he gained in private; anotherloses in private life his public reputation. In short,there has been no prince in the past whose virtueshave not been tarnished by vices. But our prince hasobtained unprecedented praise and glory. Hisseriousness is not lessened by his cheerfulness, hisgravity by his simplicity, or his dignity by hishumanity. He is steady, tall, and stately in mien andbearing; and though he is in the prime of life his hairis becoming gray — a sign of approaching age. Theseare the marks that proclaim the prince. . . .But though you possessed the properqualifications, Caesar, you were unwilling to becomeemperor. You had therefore to be forced. Yet youcould not have been forced but for the danger thatthreatened our country; you would not have assumedthe imperial power were it not to save the empire.And I feel sure that the praetorians revolted becausegreat force and danger were necessary to overcomeyour modesty. Just as the sea is calmer, and the skyclearer, after a storm, so the peace and security wenow enjoy under your rule is greater after thatuprising. So through all the vicissitudes of lifeadversity follows prosperity, prosperity adversity.The source of both lies hidden. Indeed the causes ofgood and evil in general deceive us by falseappearances.The revolt of the praetorians was a great disgraceto our age, a grave injury to the commonwealth. Theemperor and father of the human race was besieged,taken, and shut up; the power of saving men wastaken from the mildest of old men; our prince wasdeprived of his most salutary power — freedom ofaction. If only such calamity could induce you toassume the reins of government I should say that itwas worth the price. The discipline of the camp wascorrupted, that you might correct it; a bad examplewas set, that you might act a good one; finally aprince was forced to put men to death against hiswill, that he might give the world a prince who couldnot be forced. You were destined to be adopted atsome time or other; but we should never have knownhow much the empire owed you, had you beenadopted sooner. Adopted by the emperor and calledupon by your countrymen, you responded as did thegreat generals of old when summoned from abroad todefend their country. Thus father and son made anexchange at one and the same time: he gave you theempire; you restored it to him. Nay you even put thegiver under obligation; for in sharing the imperialpower with him you assumed the burden of care,while he enjoyed greater security. . . .During the preceding reigns the barbarians hadbecome insolent, and no longer struggled to gain theirliberty, but fought to enslave us. But on youraccession they were again inspired with fear and awillingness to obey your commands. For they sawthat you were a general of the old stamp—one ofthose who had earned their title on fields heaped highwith slaughter, or on seas resounding with the shoutsof victory. The result is that we now accept hostages;we do not buy them. Nor do we now make peace ondisadvantageous terms in order to keep up theappearance of success. Our enemies seek and implorepeace; we grant or deny it according as the dignity ofthe empire requires. Those who obtain their requestthank us; those to whom it is denied dare not complain, for they know that you have attacked thefiercest nations at that very time of the year whichhas hitherto been deemed most favorable for themand most unfavorable for us. I mean the season whenthe Danube is spanned with ice and supports on itshardened back the ponderous engines of war — theseason when the savage tribes of the north are armed,not only with weapons, but with the fury of theelements. But the elements have no terrors for you,and on your approach the enemy shut themselves upin their hiding-places while our troops cross the rivertriumphantly and hurl against the barbarians the furyof their own winter. Such is the awe with which youhave inspired the barbarians. . . .Above all we ought to feel grateful because youallow the men whom you have made consuls to actwith consular power. You offer no dangers, no causesof fear, to swerve the consuls from their duty; theylisten to nothing against their will, nor do they make
decrees under compulsion. The dignity of the officestill remains and will remain; and the consuls will notlose their security while they continue in power. If byany chance the consular power is diminished, thefault will be ours, not that of our age; for so far as ourprince is concerned men may now be consuls whowere formerly princes. Is there any adequate returnwe can make for the benefits we have received?None, except that we can always remember that wewere consuls under you. Let us feel and vote, then, asbecomes the dignity of our office, and let our conductshow that we believe the commonwealth still exists.Let us not withdraw our counsel or active service, orfeel that we have been severed from the consulate,but rather let us feel that we are inseparably bound upwith it. Finally let us cheerfully endure the labors andcares of our office; its honors and dignity we enjoy infull measure.In conclusion I invoke upon all mankind theblessing of the guardian gods of our empire; and Ipray you, especially, Jupiter Capitolinus, to favor usand add to all your other gifts the gift of perpetuity.You have heard us curse a wicked prince; now hearus bless a good one. We shall not weary you with amultitude of prayers; for we ask not peace, orsecurity, or wealth, or honors; our simple and allembracing prayer is the health of our prince. Nor willyou be reluctant to grant it; for you already receivedhim under your protection when you snatched himfrom the clutches of a rapacious robber. Otherwise, ata time when the high and mighty of the empire wereshaken, he who was higher than all could not havestood unmoved. He remained unnoticed by a badprince, though he could not but attract the attention ofa good prince. If, then, he rules the empire well andfor the advantage of all, I ask you, Jupiter, to sparehim for our grandsons and great-grandsons, and togive him a successor of his own blood whom he shallhave instructed and made worthy of adoption; or, iffate deny him this, I ask you to point out to him someone worthy of being adopted in the Capitol.My indebtedness to you, conscript fathers, I needhardly speak of, for it is recorded on publicmonuments. You have borne witness in a mostgratifying manner to the peace and quiet of mytribuneship, to my moderation and discretion aspraetor, and to the zeal and constancy with which Ilooked after the interests of our allies. You haveapproved, too, of my appointment as consul withsuch unanimity as to show me that I must make aconstant effort to retain and increase your good will,for I know that we cannot tell whether a candidatedeserves office until he has obtained it. Although Isaw, then, what short roads led to office, I preferredthe longer road of honor. I have passed through aperiod of gloom and fear to an era of security andhappiness. I have been hated by a bad prince; I love agood one. I shall always, therefore, show you therespect and deference due you from a man who looksupon himself not as a consul or ex-consul, but as acandidate for the consulship.
Jerome: LettersTrans W.H. Fremantle, in Library of Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers (New York: 1893);All texts from the Internet History Sourcebooks ProjectFor an introduction to Jerome, consult: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08341a.htmLETTER XXII. TO EUSTOCHIUM. [extracts]any years ago, when for the kingdom ofheaven’s sake I had cut myself off fromhome, parents, sister, relations, and--harderstill--from the dainty food to which I hadbeen accustomed; and when I was on my way toJerusalem to wage my warfare, I still could not bringmyself to forego the library which I had formed formyself at Rome with great care and toil. And so,miserable man that I was, I would fast only that Imight afterwards read Cicero. After many nightsspent in vigil, after floods of tears called from myinmost heart, after the recollection of my past sins, Iwould once more take up Plautus. And when at timesI returned to my right mind, and began to read theprophets, their style seemed rude and repellent. Ifailed to see the light with my blinded eyes; but Iattributed the fault not to them, but to the sun. Whilethe old serpent was thus making me his plaything,about the middle of Lent a deep-seated fever fellupon my weakened body, and while it destroyed myrest completely--the story seems hardly credible--itso wasted my unhappy frame that scarcely anythingwas left of me but skin and bone. Meantimepreparations for my funeral went on; my body grewgradually colder, and the warmth of life lingered onlyin my throbbing breast. Suddenly I was caught up inthe spirit and dragged before the judgment seat of theJudge; and here the light was so bright, and thosewho stood around were so radiant, that I cast myselfupon the ground and did not dare to look up. Askedwho and what I was I replied: “I am a Christian.” ButHe who presided said: “Thou liest, thou art a followerof Cicero and not of Christ. For ‘where thy treasureis, there will thy heart be also.’“(4) Instantly Ibecame dumb, and amid the strokes of the lash--forHe had ordered me to be scourged--I was torturedmore severely still by the fire of conscience,considering with myself that verse, “In the grave whoshall give thee thanks?”(5) Yet for all that I began tocry and to bewail myself, saying: “Have mercy uponme, O Lord: have mercy upon me.”Mphilosophers of Tyre and answered others put to himby them.(2) In the commencement of the book ofProverbs he charges us to understand prudent maximsand shrewd adages, parables and obscure discourse,the words of the wise and their dark sayings;(3) all ofwhich belong by right to the sphere of the dialecticianand the philosopher. The Apostle Paul also, inwriting to Titus, has used a line of the poetEpimenides: “The Cretians are always liars, evilbeasts, slow bellies.”(4) Half of which line wasafterwards adopted by Callimachus. . And as if thiswere not enough, that leader of the Christian army,that unvanquished pleader for the cause of Christ,skilfully turns a chance inscription into a proof of thefaith.(3) For he had learned from the true David towrench the sword of the enemy out of his hand andwith his own blade to cut off the head of the arrogantGoliath.(4) He had read in Deuteronomy thecommand given by the voice of the Lord that when acaptive woman had had her head shaved, hereyebrows and all her hair cut off, and her nails pared,she might then be taken to wife.(5) Is it surprisingthat I too, admiring the fairness of her form and thegrace of her eloquence, desire to make that secularwisdom which is my captive and my handmaid, amatron of the true Israel? Or that shaving off andcutting away all in her that is dead whether this beidolatry, pleasure, error, or lust, I take her to myselfclean and pure and beget by her servants for the Lordof Sabaoth? My efforts promote the advantage ofChrist’s family, my so-called defilement with analien increases the number of my fellow-servants.Hosea took a wife of whoredoms, Gomer thedaughter of Diblaim, and this harlot bore him a soncalled Jezreel or the seed of God.(6) Isaiah speaks ofa sharp razor which shaves “the head of sinners andthe hair of their feet;”(7) and Ezekiel shaves his headas a type of that Jerusalem which has been anharlot,(8) in sign that whatever in her is devoid ofsense ‘and life must be removed.LETTER LXX. TO MAGNUS AN ORATOR OFROME. [extracts]ou ask me at the close of your letter why it isthat sometimes in my writings I quoteexamples from secular literature and thusdefile the whiteness of the church with thefoulness of heathenism. I will now briefly answeryour question. You would never have asked it, hadnot your mind been wholly taken up with Tully; youwould never have asked it had you made it a practiceinstead of studying Volcatius’ to read the holyscriptures and the commentators upon them. For whois there who does not know that both in Moses and inthe prophets there are passages cited from Gentilebooks and that Solomon proposed questions to theY4
Augustine, On Christian DoctrineTranslation from Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers and the Internet Medieval Source BookFor and introduction to Augustine of Hippo’s life, beliefs, and works, see the three entries available online wadvent.org/cathen/02084a.htmBOOK IICHAP. 40: Whatever Has Been Rightly Said by theHeathen, We Must Appropriate to Our Uses.Moreover, if those who are calledphilosophers, and especially the Platonists,have said aught that is true and in harmonywith our faith, we are not only not to shrink from it,but to claim it for our own use from those who haveunlawful possession of it. For, as the Egyptians hadnot only the idols and heavy burdens which thepeople of Israel hated and fled from, but also vesselsand ornaments of gold and silver, and garments,which the same people when going out of Egyptappropriated to themselves, designing them for abetter use, not doing this on their own authority, butby the command of God, the Egyptians themselves,in the
Pliny the Younger’s “Panegyric in Praise of Trajan” (Excerpts) Trans. by FPGarland, from Masterpieces of Eloquence, ed. MW Hazeltine et al.(New York: Collier, 1905). Caius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, nephew and
May 02, 2018 · D. Program Evaluation ͟The organization has provided a description of the framework for how each program will be evaluated. The framework should include all the elements below: ͟The evaluation methods are cost-effective for the organization ͟Quantitative and qualitative data is being collected (at Basics tier, data collection must have begun)
Silat is a combative art of self-defense and survival rooted from Matay archipelago. It was traced at thé early of Langkasuka Kingdom (2nd century CE) till thé reign of Melaka (Malaysia) Sultanate era (13th century). Silat has now evolved to become part of social culture and tradition with thé appearance of a fine physical and spiritual .
On an exceptional basis, Member States may request UNESCO to provide thé candidates with access to thé platform so they can complète thé form by themselves. Thèse requests must be addressed to esd rize unesco. or by 15 A ril 2021 UNESCO will provide thé nomineewith accessto thé platform via their émail address.
̶The leading indicator of employee engagement is based on the quality of the relationship between employee and supervisor Empower your managers! ̶Help them understand the impact on the organization ̶Share important changes, plan options, tasks, and deadlines ̶Provide key messages and talking points ̶Prepare them to answer employee questions
Dr. Sunita Bharatwal** Dr. Pawan Garga*** Abstract Customer satisfaction is derived from thè functionalities and values, a product or Service can provide. The current study aims to segregate thè dimensions of ordine Service quality and gather insights on its impact on web shopping. The trends of purchases have
Chính Văn.- Còn đức Thế tôn thì tuệ giác cực kỳ trong sạch 8: hiện hành bất nhị 9, đạt đến vô tướng 10, đứng vào chỗ đứng của các đức Thế tôn 11, thể hiện tính bình đẳng của các Ngài, đến chỗ không còn chướng ngại 12, giáo pháp không thể khuynh đảo, tâm thức không bị cản trở, cái được
7. Virtues and Vices 145 Virtues in the language of public life Virtues made a praiseworthy emperor, vices a tyrant. This assump tion was daily reinforced in any Roman (including the emperor himself) by the norms of the language of public life. In the first place, it was the language of panegyric. Only one imperial panegyric
Text and illustrations 22 Walker Books Ltd. Trademarks Alex Rider Boy with Torch Logo 22 Stormbreaker Productions Ltd. MISSION 3: DESIGN YOUR OWN GADGET Circle a word from each column to make a name for your secret agent gadget, then write the name in the space below. A _ Draw your gadget here. Use the blueprints of Alex’s past gadgets on the next page for inspiration. Text and .
