s
summa integritate administravit.' (_a_) Hispania Tarraconensis: Plin.
_Ep._ iii. 5, 17, 'cum procuraret in Hispania'; (_b_) Gallia
Narbonensis: _N.H._ ii. 150, 'ego vidi in Vocontiorum agro'; (_c_)
Gallia Belgica: xviii. 183, 'nec recens subtrahemus exemplum in
Treverico agro tertio ante hoc anno compertum'; (_d_) Africa: vii. 36,
'ipse in Africa vidi.' For his intimacy with Vespasian cf. Plin. _Ep._
iii. 5, 9, 'ante lucem ibat ad Vespasianum imperatorem ... inde ad
delegatum sibi officium.'

In A.D. 79 Pliny was in command of the fleet at Misenum, when his
scientific interest in the eruption of Vesuvius led him to approach
too near the volcano, with the result that he was suffocated by the
ashes (24th August). For a detailed account of his death, see Plin.
_Ep._ vi. 16 (to Tacitus). Cf. Sueton. _vit._, 'Periit clade
Campaniae. Cum enim Misenensi classi praeesset, et flagrante Vesuvio
ad explorandas propius causas liburnica pertendisset, neque
adversantibus ventis remeare posset, vi pulveris ac favillae oppressus
est, vel, ut quidam existimant, a servo suo occisus, quem aestu
deficiens ut necem sibi maturaret oraverit.'

(2) WORKS.

A chronological list of Pliny's writings is given by his nephew (_Ep._
iii. 5).

1. _De iaculatione equestri_.--'Hunc, cum praefectus alae militaret,
pari ingenio curaque composuit.' This manual on the javelin as a
cavalry weapon is mentioned by Pliny himself, _N.H._ viii. 162, 'Nos
diximus in libro de iaculatione equestri condito.'

2. _De vita Pomponii Secundi_, in two Books, a tribute to the memory
of a valued friend, the tragic poet Pomponius. Cf. _N.H._ xiv. 56,
'referentes vitam Pomponii Secundi vatis.'

3. _Bella Germaniae_, in twenty Books, a narrative of the Roman wars
in Germany; begun by Pliny when serving in that country, the
apparition of Drusus having besought him to rescue his name from
oblivion (so Pliny the younger). Cf. Tac. _Ann._ i. 69, 'Tradit C.
Plinius, Germanicorum bellorum scriptor.'

4. _Studiosus_, in three Books or six parts, a treatise on rhetoric
from the very rudiments. Quintilian, though surprised at some of
Pliny's views (xi. 3, 143; 148), numbers him among the more careful
exponents of the subject (iii. 1, 21, 'accuratius scripsit'). The book
contained models of good style: Gell. ix. 16, 1, 'refert plerasque
sententias quas in declamandis controversiis lepide arguteque dictas
putat.'

5. _Dubius Sermo_, in eight Books, published A.D. 67, towa