The Harvard Classics, vol. 9: Letters and Treatises of Cicero and Pliny

by M. Tullius Cicero; Pliny the Younger; Charles William Eliot

Publisher:

P. F. Collier & Son

, 1909

Overview

Explore Circero’s On Friendship and On Old Age—two treatises that exemplify the pragmatism of the great orator, politician, and philosopher’s mind, applied to the human condition. A collection of his letters is also included, offering both personal insight and policy initiative.

Examine the Letters of Pliny the Younger as well. Arranged by Pliny himself, this collected correspondence offers a glimpse into the daily life of a Roman patrician.

The Harvard Classics

Journey through “Dr. Eliot’s Five Foot Shelf.” This massive collection, designed to provide the elements of a liberal education, was compiled by distinguished Harvard University president Charles Eliot in the early 1900s. Packed with the essential works of the Western classical tradition, the Harvard Classics collection remains one of the most comprehensive and well-researched anthologies of all time—a must-have library for students and lovers of the classics.

Contents

• On Friendship, On Old Age, and Letters, by Cicero
• Letters, by Pliny the Younger

Top Highlights

“Having never been present at any trials concerning those who profess Christianity, I am unacquainted not only with the nature of their crimes, or the measure of their punishment, but how far it is proper to enter into an examination concerning them.” (Pages 425–426)

“We mean then by the ‘good’ those whose actions and lives leave no question as to their honour, purity, equity, and liberality; who are free from greed, lust, and violence; and who have the courage of their convictions.” (Page 14)

“But here is another golden rule in friendship: put yourself on a level with your friend.” (Page 32)

“the arms best adapted to old age are culture and the active exercise of the virtues” (Page 48)

“To myself, indeed, the composition of this book has been so delightful that it has not only wiped away all the disagreeables of old age, but has even made it luxurious and delightful too. Never, therefore, can philosophy be praised as highly as it deserves, considering that its faithful disciple is able to spend every period of his life with unruffled feelings.” (Pages 45–46)

Product Details

• Title: The Harvard Classics, vol. 9: Letters and Treatises of Cicero and Pliny
• Authors: Cicero and Pliny the Younger
• Editor: Charles William Eliot
• Series: The Harvard Classics
• Publisher: P. F. Collier & Son
• Pages: 441

About Charles William Eliot

Charles William Eliot (1834–1926) served as president of Harvard University for 40 years, helping to shape the struggling provincial college into a premier American research university. Eliot graduated from Harvard in 1853, and was appointed tutor in mathematics in 1854, before becoming assistant professor of mathematics and chemistry. Eliot left Harvard in 1863 and traveled in Europe for nearly two years, studying the educational systems of the Old World. He took an interest in every aspect of institutional operation, from curriculum and methods of instruction, to physical arrangements and custodial services. But his particular concern was with the relation between education and economic growth.

Returning home in 1865, Eliot accepted an appointment as professor of analytical chemistry at the newly-founded Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1869, he published a two-part article with his ideas about reforming American higher education in The Atlantic Monthly, catching the attention of Harvard businessmen trying to pull the university out of a crisis of short-term presidents and languishing curriculum. Eliot was quickly elected as the youngest president in Harvard’s history. Under his leadership, Harvard began to expand the range of courses offered, permitting undergraduates with unrestricted choice in selecting their courses of study. This enabled them to discover their “natural bents” and pursue them into specialized studies. The university soon became a center for advanced scientific and technological research. During his presidency, the university extended its facilities with laboratories, libraries, classrooms, and athletic facilities. Eliot was able to attract the support of major donors from among the nation’s growing plutocracy, making it the wealthiest private university in the world.