Since I was talking about “greatness” in the previous post, I wanted to share a small part of my own research on Pliny because I think it shows part of the Roman “value system”.
Written around 106-107 AD
Epistula 6.16 is Pliny’s response to the request made by the Roman politician
and historian Publius Cornelius Tacitus to furnish him with the details of
Pliny the Elder’s death - he died during the eruption of Vesuvius in AD79 - in
order for this to be included in the former’s historical chronicles. The Historiae of
Tacitus were published c.110-111 but the surviving work only reaches AD70.
Therefore, if Tacitus did ultimately refer to the death of Pliny the Elder in
the chronicles, there is no confirmation of that although, given that Pliny the
Elder was an eminent scholar, author, commander and prominent figure in Rome,
being a personal friend of the Emperor Vespasian, there is equally no reason to
assume that Tacitus would have omitted him. Nevertheless, what transpires in
the opening remarks of 6.16 is Pliny’s determination to ensure that it is
included.
In responding to Tacitus’
request, Pliny the Younger joins the march of an historico-literary tradition
that precedes him by centuries and has continued ever since: the criteria for
the task that Pliny is now willing, indeed demanding to fulfil were already set
in stone by the funerary epitaph of Scipio Barbatus, consul in 298BC.
Those three criteria are not
only set in stone, but set precisely in the middle of the stone and all on the
same line [image #1].
FORTIS (strong; brave)
│SAPIENS (wise) │VIRTVS (virtue)
The other interesting aspect
of this tomb inscription is a language structure known as the “rule of three”,
a technique still used in our advertising i.e. three pieces of memorable
information, a technique used by Cicero and, indeed, by our politicians today.
That rule of three continues on the next line that states Scipio’s positions of
authority:
CONSOL │ CENSOR │ AEDILIS
Cornelius Lucius Scipio
Barbatus, Gnaeo patre prognatus, fortis vir sapiensque,
cuius forma virtuti parissima fuit, Consul, Censor, Aedilis,
qui fuit apud vos; Taurasiam Cisaunam, Samnio cepit, subigit omnem Lucaniam,
obsidesque abducit.
Cornelius Lucius Scipio
Barbatus, sprung from Gnaeus his father, a man strong and wise,
whose appearance was most in keeping with his virtue, who was consul, censor,
and aedile among you – He captured Taurasia Cisauna in Samnium
– he subdued all of Lucania and led off hostages.
In the ancient world being
remembered mattered: Ramesses II ordered his cartouches to be so deeply carved
in the columns at Karnak that they could never be erased, and the inscriptions
known as res gestae Divini Augusti gave a first-person account
of the life achievements of the Emperor.
But the desire for eternal
memory was not the exclusive domain of pharaos, emperors and consuls: the
tombstones of far less illustrious Romans frequently give considerably more
information than the name, date of birth and date of death, historians gaining
insights into, for example, the deceased’s manner of death, occupation,
accomplishments and personal characteristics. Indeed, even the hypostyle
chamber of the 6th century cistern of Philoxenos at Constantinople (Istanbul)
bears the masons’ marks on the columns, as deeply carved as the cartouches of
Ramesses and similarly withstanding the test of time and water erosion.
Immortality, of course, was
not only achieved in stone but most often in the chronicles of the most notable
Roman authors, chronicles that would be read by the most notable Roman
citizens. The poet Horace believes that he does not require the testimony of
others, but that his own works will speak on his behalf:
exegi monumentum aere
perennius
regalique situ pyramidum
altius,
quod non imber edax, non
Aquilo inpotens
possit diruere…
[Odes III: XXX, ll1-4,
published 23BC]
I have built a monument more
lasting than bronze,
higher than the Pyramids’
regal structures,
that no consuming rain, nor
wild north wind
can destroy…
And, what’s interesting, of
course, is that, over 2000 years later, we still remember them.
Nike might be proud of its
memorable rule of three advertising slogan: Just Do It, but the Romans were
doing just that long before Nike ever did. I wonder if Nike will last 2000
years.
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