Editing Natural History (Pliny) (section)

==Publication history==

===First publication===

Pliny wrote the first ten books in AD 77, and was engaged on revising the rest during the two remaining years of his life. The work was probably published with little revision by the author's nephew Pliny the Younger, who, when telling the story of a tame dolphin and describing the [[floating island (fiction)|floating islands]] of the [[Lake Vadimo|Vadimonian Lake]] thirty years later,<ref name=EB1911/><ref>[[Pliny the Younger]], ''Letters'', [http://www.attalus.org/old/pliny8.html#20 8.20], [http://www.attalus.org/old/pliny9.html#33 9.33]</ref> has apparently forgotten that both are to be found in his uncle's work.<ref>{{cite book | author=Pliny the Elder | title=Natural History | chapter=II:209, IX:26}}</ref> He describes the {{Lang|la|Naturalis Historia}} as a ''Naturae historia'' and characterises it as a "work that is learned and full of matter, and as varied as nature herself."<ref>[[Pliny the Younger]], ''Letters'', [http://www.attalus.org/old/pliny3.html#5 3.5]; see also ''[http://digilander.libero.it/mmarcoccio/ The True Story of Lake Vadimo]'' {{in lang|it}}.</ref>

The absence of the author's final revision may explain many errors,<ref name=EB1911/> including why the text is as John Healy writes "disjointed, discontinuous and not in a logical order";<ref>Healy, 2004.  Translator's Note:xliii</ref> and as early as 1350, [[Petrarch]] complained about the corrupt state of the text, referring to copying errors made between the ninth and eleventh centuries.<ref>Healy, 2004. Introduction:xxxviii-xxxix</ref>

===Manuscripts===

[[File:Histoire Naturelle Pline l Ancien mid 12th century Abbaye de Saint Vincent Le Mans France.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|The ''Natural History'' of Pliny in a mid-12th-century manuscript from the Abbaye de Saint Vincent, [[Le Mans]], France]]

About the middle of the 3rd century, an abstract of the geographical portions of Pliny's work was produced by [[Gaius Julius Solinus|Solinus]].<ref name=EB1911/> Early in the 8th century, [[Bede]], who admired Pliny's work, had access to a partial manuscript which he used in his "[[De natura rerum (Bede)|De natura rerum]]", especially the sections on [[meteorology]] and [[Gemstone|gems]]. However, Bede updated and corrected Pliny on the [[tides]].<ref>Healy, 2004. Introduction:xxxvi-xxxvii</ref>

There are about 200 extant manuscripts, but the best of the more ancient manuscripts, that at [[Bamberg State Library]], contains only books XXXII–XXXVII. In 1141 [[Robert of Cricklade]] wrote the ''Defloratio Historiae Naturalis Plinii Secundi'' consisting of nine books of selections taken from an ancient manuscript.<ref name=EB1911/><ref>Healy, 2004. Introduction:xxxviii</ref>

There are three independent classes of the [[Textual criticism|stemma]] of the surviving Historia Naturalis manuscripts. These are divided into:<ref>{{Cite book |last=Marshall |first=Peter K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cJ11AAAAIAAJ |title=Texts and Transmission: A Survey of the Latin Classics |date=1983 |publisher=Clarendon Press |isbn=978-0-19-814456-4 |pages=307–316 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearse |first=Roger |date=2013-06-22 |title=The manuscripts of Pliny the Elder's "Natural History" |url=https://www.roger-pearse.com/weblog/2013/06/22/the-manuscripts-of-pliny-the-elders-natural-history/ |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=Roger Pearse |language=en-GB}}</ref>

# Ancient [[Codex|Codicies]]: 5th-6th centuries. None survive intact; all as [[palimpsest]]s or as recycled book bindings. 
# Medieval:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearse |first=Roger |date=2013-06-27 |title=Detlefsen on the "indices" of Pliny the Elder's "Natural History" |url=https://www.roger-pearse.com/weblog/2013/06/27/detlefsen-on-the-indices-of-pliny-the-elders-natural-history/ |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=Roger Pearse |language=en-GB}}</ref> 
## Vetustiores (older): 8th-9th centuries
## Recentiores (younger): 9th century
# Later Medieval Recentiores: 11th-12th centuries & up to 1469 printed editions.

The [[Textual criticism|textual tradition]]/stemma was established by the German scholars [[Karl Julius Sillig|J. Sillig]], D. Detlefsen, L. von Jan, and K. Rück in the 19th century. Two [[Bibliotheca Teubneriana|Teubner Editions]] were published of 5 volumes; the first by L. von Jan (1856–78; see [[#External links|external links]]) and the second by C. Mayhoff (1892-1906). The most recent [[Textual criticism|critical editions]] were published by [[Collection Budé|Les Belle Letters]] (1950-).

==== Ancient Codices ====

All 5th century:

# M: [https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/21198/zz002965xw St. Paul in Carinthia, Stiftsbibliothek 3.1] (25.2.36; xxv.a.3) (CLA x.1455) (=codex Moneus)
# N: Rome, Bibl. Naz. Sessor. 55 (''CLA'' iv.421)
# O: Vienna 1a (''CLA'' x.1470)
# P: Paris lat. 9378, folio 26 (''CLA'' v.575)
# Pal. Chat.: Autun 24 + Paris n.a.lat. 1629 (''CLA'' vi.725)

==== Medieval Vetustiores ====

[[File:Pliny the Elder, Leiden, Voss. Lat. F. 4.jpg|thumb|upright|Pliny the Elder, ''Natural History'', beginning of Book 4, in ms. Leiden Voss. Lat. F. 4, fol. 20v]]

# Q: Paris lat. 10318 (''CLA'' v.593) ca.800 A.D.
# A: [[Leiden University|Leiden]], Voss. Lat. F.4 (''CLA'' x.1578) 8th century. Written in [[Jarrow]] hand; possibly [[Bede]]'s personal copy mentioned by [[Alcuin]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Codices Vossiani Latini — Brill |url=https://primarysources.brillonline.com/browse/vossiani-latini/vlf-004-fragmentum-homiliarii-plinius-secundus-maior-petrus-pictaviensis |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=primarysources.brillonline.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Manuscript: Leiden Voss.Lat.F.4, fols. 4–33 {{!}} DigiPal |url=https://www.digipal.eu/digipal/manuscripts/1586/ |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=www.digipal.eu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Garrison |first=Mary |title=An Insular Copy of Pliny's Naturalis historia (Leiden UB VLF 4 fol 4-33) |url=https://www.academia.edu/7163012 |journal=Writing in Context: Insular Manuscript Culture 500-1200 (Ed.) Erik Kwakkel (Leiden 2013)}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Meyier |first=K. A. de |title=Descriptio codicum |date=1973-01-01 |work=Codices Vossiani Latini |pages=6–9 |url=https://brill.com/display/book/9789004623903/B9789004623903_s004.xml |access-date=2024-11-28 |publisher=Brill |language=la |doi=10.1163/9789004623903_004 |isbn=978-90-04-62390-3}}</ref>
# B: Bamberg, Class. 42 (M.v.10) 9th century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Naturalis historia (lib. 32-37) - Staatsbibliothek Bamberg Msc.Class.42 {{!}} bavarikon |url=https://www.bavarikon.de/object/SBB-KHB-00000SBB00000104?lang=en |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=www.bavarikon.de |language=de}}</ref>

==== Medieval Recentiores ====

# DGV: Vatican lat. 3861<ref>{{Cite web |title=Manuscript - Vat.lat.3861 |url=https://digi.vatlib.it/mss/detail/Vat.lat.3861}}</ref> + Paris lat. 6796, ff. 52-3<ref>{{Cite web |title=Consultation |url=https://archivesetmanuscrits.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cc659234 |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=archivesetmanuscrits.bnf.fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b10720864h/f57.item.zoom |title=C. Plinii Secundi historia naturalis à libro decimo quarto ad vigesimum quartum. |date=1001–1100 |language=EN}}</ref> + Leiden, Voss. Lat. F. 61 (''CLA'' x.1580 + Suppl. p.&nbsp;28) ca. A.D. 800.
# Ch: New York, Pierpont Morgan Library M.871 (formerly Phillipps 8297). 9th cent (first half)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-07-13 |title=[Historia naturalis] |url=https://www.themorgan.org/manuscript/159317 |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=The Morgan Library & Museum |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Pliny |url=http://corsair.themorgan.org/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=159317 |title=Historia naturalis, libri I-XVII, fragment (MS M.871) |last2=Heber |first2=Richard |last3=Evans |first3=R. H. |last4=Phillipps |first4=Thomas |date=830 |others=St. Nazarius (Abbey : Lorsch, Germany), Tongerloo (Abbey), William H. Robinson, Ltd, Pierpont Morgan Library |location=Worms, Germany}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Maior |first=Plinius |url=https://bibliotheca-laureshamensis-digital.de/view/pml_ms871 |title=New York, The Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.871: Naturalis historia, libb. I-XVII (unvollständig). Hälfte 9. Jh. |location=Lorsch (?) oder Arras (?)}}</ref>
# F: Leiden, Lipsius 7. 9th cent. (first half).
# R: Florence, Bibl. Ricc. 488. 9th cent (second half)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Risultati ricerca manoscritti - Manus Online - OPAC SBN |url=https://manus.iccu.sbn.it/risultati-ricerca-manoscritti/-/manus-search/cnmd/0000249478? |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=Manus Online |language=it-IT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A Small Library: The Riccardiana Library in Florence and Its Collections |url=https://www.paperinmotion.org/a-small-library-the-riccardiana-library-in-florence-and-its-collections/ |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=Paper in motion :: Information and the Economy of Knowledge in the Early Modern Mediterranean |language=en-GB}}</ref>
# E: Paris lat. 6795, 9-10th century<ref>{{Cite web |title=Consultation |url=https://archivesetmanuscrits.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cc65922w |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=archivesetmanuscrits.bnf.fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b90769859 |title=C. Plinii Secundi , Veronensis, historiae naturalis libri triginta duo : trigesimi secundi finis et alii quinque integri desiderantur. |date=0801–0900 |language=EN}}</ref>

==== Later Medieval Recentiores ====
Definite descendants of E (Paris lat. 6795):

# h: Berlin (East), Hamilton 517, 11th c.
# X: Luxembourg 138, 12th c.
# Leiden, Voss. Lat. Q.43, 12th c.
# n: Montpellier 473, 12th c.
# Co: Copenhagen Gl.Kgl.S.212 2°, ca. 1200 AD

Possible descendants of E:

# Oxford, Bodl. Auct. T.1.27 + Paris lat. 6798, 12th c.
# C: Le Mans 263, 12th c

Copies of E:

# e: Paris lat. 6796A, 12th c

Cousin of E:

# a: Vienna 234, 12th c.

Independent earlier tradition:

# d: Paris lat. 6797, third quarter of 12th century

===Printed copies===

The work was one of the first classical manuscripts to be [[printed]], at Venice in 1469 by [[Johann and Wendelin of Speyer]], but [[John F. Healy]] described the translation as "distinctly imperfect".<ref name="Healy39"/> A copy printed in 1472 by [[Nicolas Jenson]] of Venice is held in the library at [[Wells Cathedral]].<ref>{{cite journal | last=Church | first=C.M. | title=Historical traditions at Wells, 1464, 1470, 1497. | journal=[[The Archaeological Journal]]| year=1904 | volume=61 | issue=11 | url=http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-1132-1/dissemination/pdf/061/061_155_180.pdf | pages=155–180| doi=10.1080/00665983.1904.10852967 }}</ref>
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===Translations===
[[Philemon Holland]] made an influential translation of much of the work into English in 1601.<ref name="Healy39"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Holland |first1=Philemon |title=The Historie of the World, Commonly called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus |url=http://penelope.uchicago.edu/holland/index.html |publisher=University of Chicago |access-date=28 May 2015 |date=1601}}</ref> [[John Bostock (physician)|John Bostock]] and [[H. T. Riley]] made a complete translation in 1855.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bostock|first1=John|last2=Riley|first2=H. T.|title=Pliny the Elder, The Natural History|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plin.+Nat.+toc|publisher=Perseus at Tufts|access-date=28 May 2015|date=1855}}</ref> The [[Penguin Books|Penguin]] edition was published in 1991 (reprinted by [[Penguin Classics]] in 2004), an abridged translation with an Introduction and notes by Healy.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Pliny |title=Natural history, a selection |last2=Healy |first2=John F. |date=1991 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-14-044413-1 |series=Penguin classics |location=London, England ; New York, NY, USA}}</ref>