On the Characteristics of Animals, Volume II, Books 6-11 2

Aelian (Claudius Aelianus), a Roman born ca. 170 CE at Praeneste, was a pupil of the rhetorician Pausanias of Caesarea, and taught and practised rhetoric. Expert in Attic Greek, he became a serious scholar and studied history under the patronage of the Roman empress Julia Domna. He apparently spent all his life in Italy where he died after 230 CE. Aelian's "On the Characteristics of Animals, " in 17 books, is a collection of facts and beliefs concerning the habits of animals drawn from Greek authors and some personal observation. Fact, fancy, legend, stories and gossip all play their part in a narrative which is meant to entertain readers. If there is any ethical motive, it is that the virtues of untaught yet reasoning animals can be a lesson to thoughtless and selfish mankind. The Loeb Classical Library edition of the work is in three volumes. The "Historical Miscellany" (Loeb no. 486) is of similar nature. In 14 books, it consists mainly of historical and biographical anecdotes and retellings of legendary events. Some of Aelian's material is drawn from authors whose works are lost. Aelian's "Letters"--portraying the affairs and country ways of a series of fictitious writers--offer engaging vignettes of rural life. These are available in Loeb no. 383. 1......Page 1 2......Page 2 3......Page 3 4......Page 4 5......Page 5 6......Page 6 7......Page 7 8......Page 8 9......Page 9 10......Page 10 11......Page 11 12......Page 12 13......Page 13 14......Page 14 15......Page 15 16......Page 16 17......Page 17 18......Page 18 19......Page 19 20......Page 20 21......Page 21 22......Page 22 23......Page 23 24......Page 24 25......Page 25 26......Page 26 27......Page 27 28......Page 28 29......Page 29 30......Page 30 31......Page 31 32......Page 32 33......Page 33 34......Page 34 35......Page 35 36......Page 36 37......Page 37 38......Page 38 39......Page 39 40......Page 40 41......Page 41 42......Page 42 43......Page 43 44......Page 44 45......Page 45 46......Page 46 47......Page 47 48......Page 48 49......Page 49 50......Page 50 51......Page 51 52......Page 52 53......Page 53 54......Page 54 55......Page 55 56......Page 56 57......Page 57 58......Page 58 59......Page 59 60......Page 60 61......Page 61 62......Page 62 63......Page 63 64......Page 64 65......Page 65 66......Page 66 67......Page 67 68......Page 68 69......Page 69 70......Page 70 71......Page 71 72......Page 72 73......Page 73 74......Page 74 75......Page 75 76......Page 76 77......Page 77 78......Page 78 79......Page 79 80......Page 80 81......Page 81 82......Page 82 83......Page 83 84......Page 84 85......Page 85 86......Page 86 87......Page 87 88......Page 88 89......Page 89 90......Page 90 91......Page 91 92......Page 92 93......Page 93 94......Page 94 95......Page 95 96......Page 96 97......Page 97 98......Page 98 99......Page 99 100......Page 100 101......Page 101 102......Page 102 103......Page 103 104......Page 104 105......Page 105 106......Page 106 107......Page 107 108......Page 108 109......Page 109 110......Page 110 111......Page 111 112......Page 112 113......Page 113 114......Page 114 115......Page 115 116......Page 116 117......Page 117 118......Page 118 119......Page 119 120......Page 120 121......Page 121 122......Page 122 123......Page 123 124......Page 124 125......Page 125 126......Page 126 127......Page 127 128......Page 128 129......Page 129 130......Page 130 131......Page 131 132......Page 132 133......Page 133 134......Page 134 135......Page 135 136......Page 136 137......Page 137 138......Page 138 139......Page 139 140......Page 140 141......Page 141 142......Page 142 143......Page 143 144......Page 144 145......Page 145 146......Page 146 147......Page 147 148......Page 148 149......Page 149 150......Page 150 151......Page 151 152......Page 152 153......Page 153 154......Page 154 155......Page 155 156......Page 156 157......Page 157 158......Page 158 159......Page 159 160......Page 160 161......Page 161 162......Page 162 163......Page 163 164......Page 164 165......Page 165 166......Page 166 167......Page 167 168......Page 168 169......Page 169 170......Page 170 171......Page 171 172......Page 172 173......Page 173 174......Page 174 175......Page 175 176......Page 176 177......Page 177 178......Page 178 179......Page 179 180......Page 180 181......Page 181 182......Page 182 183......Page 183 184......Page 184 185......Page 185 186......Page 186 187......Page 187 188......Page 188 189......Page 189 190......Page 190 191......Page 191 192......Page 192 193......Page 193 194......Page 194 195......Page 195 196......Page 196 197......Page 197 198......Page 198 199......Page 199 200......Page 200 201......Page 201 202......Page 202 203......Page 203 204......Page 204 205......Page 205 206......Page 206 207......Page 207 208......Page 208 209......Page 209 210......Page 210 Aelian (claudius Aelianus), A Roman Born C. A.d. 170 At Praeneste (where He Held A Religious Office), Was A Pupil Of The Rhetorician Pausanias Of Caesarea, And Taught And Practised Rhetoric. Expert In Good Attic Greek, He Became A Serious Scholar And Studied History Under The Patronage Of The Roman Empress Julia Domna. He Apparently Spent All His Life In Italy Where He Died After A.d. 230. In Three Volumes We Present His On The Characteristics Of Animals, In 17 Books, Which Is A Mixed Collection Of Facts And Beliefs Concerning The Habits Of Animals Taken From Greek Authors With Some Personal Observation, And Having As Their Chief Object Entertainment. Fact, Fancy, Legend, Stories And Gossip All Play Their Part In A Narrative Which Has, Of Set Purpose, No Arrangement. If There Is Any Ethical Motive, It Is That The Virtues Of Untaught Yet Reasoning Animals Can Be A Lesson To Thoughtless And Selfish Mankind. Aelian's Philosophy Is An Easy Stoicism. Another Surviving Work Is 'varied History' In 14 Books, Consisting Mainly Of Historical, Biographical, And Antiquarian Anecdotes And Short Narratives, Many Of Them Taken From Authors Whose Works Are Lost. Here Also Aelian Follows No Scheme Of Arrangement. We Have Also Fragments Of A Work On 'providence' And One On 'divine Manifestations' And These Also Were Apparently Collections Of Stories. Some Letters, By Fictitious Persons, On Husbandry And Other Country Matters Survive -- These Are Rhetorical. V. 1. Books I-v -- V. 2. Books Vi-xi -- V. 3. Books Xii-xvii. Aelian ; With An English Translation By A.f. Scholfield. Includes Bibliographical References (v. 1, Pages Xxv-xxix) And Indexes. English And Greek On Opposite Pages. In On the Characteristics of Animals, Aelian (c. 170-after 230 CE) collects facts and fables about the animal kingdom and invites the reader to ponder contrasts between human and animal behavior. Aelian (Claudius Aelianus), a Roman born ca. AD 170 at Praeneste, was a pupil of the rhetorician Pausanias of Caesarea, and taught and practised rhetoric. Expert in Attic Greek, he became a serious scholar and studied history under the patronage of the Roman empress Julia Domna. He apparently spent all his life in Italy where he died after AD 230. Aelian's On the Characteristics of Animals, in 17 books, is a collection of facts and beliefs concerning the habits of animals drawn from Greek authors and some personal observation. Fact, fancy, legend, stories and gossip all play their part in a narrative which is meant to entertain readers. If there is any ethical motive, it is that the virtues of untaught yet reasoning animals can be a lesson to thoughtless and selfish mankind. The Loeb Classical Library edition of the work is in three volumes. The Historical Miscellany (Loeb no. 486) is of similar nature. In 14 books, it consists mainly of historical and biographical anecdotes and retellings of legendary events. Some of Aelian's material is drawn from authors whose works are lost. Aelian's Letters--portraying the affairs and country ways of a series of fictitious writers-offer engaging vignettes of rural life. These are available in Loeb no. 383