Letters of Pliny: A Selection

The only exam-board approved book for OCR's Latin AS and A-Level prescription of Pliny's Letters.

This is the OCR-endorsed edition covering the Latin A-Level (Group 2) prescription of Pliny, Letters 1.9; 3.16; 4.2; 4.19; 8.8; 8.16; 8.17; 9.6, giving full Latin text, commentary and vocabulary, with a detailed introduction that also covers the prescribed material to be read in English.

The letters of Pliny the Younger provide a glimpse of what life at the start of the 2nd century AD was like for a member of the Roman elite, offering some insight into his roles and responsibilities, his daily concerns, and relationships both personal and professional. This wide-ranging selection includes letters of advice and praise, meditations on death and slavery, descriptions of nature or natural phenomena, and even disapproval of the Roman public’s obsession with chariot-racing. Pliny shows various sides to his character and demonstrates his skill in writing, carefully constructing the persona he wants to project to posterity.

Supporting resources are available on the Companion Website: https://www.bloomsbury.pub/OCR-editions-2024-2026