COMPLETE: Letters of Pliny by Pliny the Younger-choc

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
MARTIN GEESON
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Post by MARTIN GEESON »

Excellently PL OK. Latin seems the most unsuitable language in which to tell ghost stories. Its logical consistency seems to exclude the paranormal. And yet Pliny and Petronius Arbiter managed to override the norm.

Best
Martin
English Andrew
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Post by English Andrew »

Live in a Life + 70 or Life + 50 country? Record with us on legamus.eu too. It's like LibriVox but for those who obey different ridiculous rules on what's public domain.
MARTIN GEESON
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Post by MARTIN GEESON »

Sections 13 and 14 both word-perfectly PL OK; very lucidly read.

Best wishes
Martin
English Andrew
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Post by English Andrew »

Sections 15 and 16 now uploaded:
https://librivox.org/uploads/leni/lettersofpliny_15_plinytheyounger_128kb.mp3
32 mins 46

https://librivox.org/uploads/leni/lettersofpliny_15_plinytheyounger_128kb.mp3
26 mins 05.

This completes the personal correspondence. The rest are the letters to Trajan - generally very boring with flashes of the quite sinister - no fire brigades for fear of unions and the reasonableness of executing "persistent" Christians. At school we were taught words such as "unctuous" and "sycophantic" to describe Pliny's relationship with his Emperor because "brown-nosing creep" was not considered appropriate style for O Level essays!
Live in a Life + 70 or Life + 50 country? Record with us on legamus.eu too. It's like LibriVox but for those who obey different ridiculous rules on what's public domain.
chocoholic
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Post by chocoholic »

Hi -- Leni's away from LV for a bit, so I'll be MC'ing for you now. Please continue to upload files to Leni's folder. Let me know if you need anything!
Laurie Anne
MARTIN GEESON
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Post by MARTIN GEESON »

The two latest sections are both PL all OK.

I think I would take a slightly less unflattering view of Pliny junior. You'll recall that his mate Tacitus evokes the colossal sense of relief when the atrocities of Domitian gave way (briefly) to Nerva, and then to Trajan. I suppose one can also imagine that some who had lived through Domitian's reign of terror might have been traumatised into thinking that any all-powerful ruler needed to be placated and kept sweet.

Best,
Martin
English Andrew
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Post by English Andrew »

I agree, in retrospect, that the style reflects the times rather than Pliny being any more sycophantic than his contemporaries. It was a convention of the era, similar to the form of address to royals in the eighteenth century. However, to teenagers used to a certain cynicism towards our leaders, it seemed shockingly deferential. As an adult now and a newly appointed manager myself, I'm recognising much of the substance as being similar to dull emails from a regional manager to HQ - 'Accounts seem to be in a mess. Could you send somebody from Accountancy to do a proper audit?' 'We've not got enough accountants to cope here, as it is. Can't you hire one locally?'

Anyway, Section 17 now uploaded:
https://librivox.org/uploads/leni/lettersofpliny_17_plinytheyounger_128kb.mp3

26.4 MB
28.55 mins.
Live in a Life + 70 or Life + 50 country? Record with us on legamus.eu too. It's like LibriVox but for those who obey different ridiculous rules on what's public domain.
MARTIN GEESON
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Post by MARTIN GEESON »

Sorry about the delay. My email was phished, or whatever the term is...

Latest section PL all OK. Trajan certainly doesn't waste words. He himself would have benefited from the convenience of email.

Best
Martin
English Andrew
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Post by English Andrew »

Live in a Life + 70 or Life + 50 country? Record with us on legamus.eu too. It's like LibriVox but for those who obey different ridiculous rules on what's public domain.
MARTIN GEESON
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Joined: February 8th, 2009, 11:30 am
Location: Haslemere Surrey UK

Post by MARTIN GEESON »

Section 18 PL all OK.
English Andrew
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Post by English Andrew »

Live in a Life + 70 or Life + 50 country? Record with us on legamus.eu too. It's like LibriVox but for those who obey different ridiculous rules on what's public domain.
MARTIN GEESON
Posts: 2606
Joined: February 8th, 2009, 11:30 am
Location: Haslemere Surrey UK

Post by MARTIN GEESON »

Section 19 PL all OK.
English Andrew
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Post by English Andrew »

Live in a Life + 70 or Life + 50 country? Record with us on legamus.eu too. It's like LibriVox but for those who obey different ridiculous rules on what's public domain.
MARTIN GEESON
Posts: 2606
Joined: February 8th, 2009, 11:30 am
Location: Haslemere Surrey UK

Post by MARTIN GEESON »

Section 20 and 21 fluently PL OK. It was very generous of Pliny to use his influence on behalf of Suetonius, I thought. What a wonderful commentator he was upon the history of his era.
English Andrew
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Post by English Andrew »

Pliny also wrote to Suetonius to tell him not to worry about a nightmare. I am not sure whether when he writes about Martial's poetry being unlikely to last he is being pessimistic about the transitory nature of fame even of poets who deserve to be remembered or whether he is being dismissive of Martial's ability.

Anyway, here is the final section of my first solo for LibriVox:
https://librivox.org/uploads/leni/lettersofpliny_22_plinytheyounger_128kb.mp3.
19mins 32.
17.8 MB.

I don't know who sorts out the CD cover artwork. I suggest this painting by Joseph Wright as a possible image:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Vesuvio#/media/File:Joseph_Wright_of_Derby_-_Vesuvius_from_Portici.jpg
Whatever image is chosen though, I would like for it to be in colour, even if it's of a statue or relief.
Live in a Life + 70 or Life + 50 country? Record with us on legamus.eu too. It's like LibriVox but for those who obey different ridiculous rules on what's public domain.
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