Note 22 — PART III CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN PLINY AND TRAJAN

There is a striking passage, based on Pliny’s reflexions, in Professor Dill’s Roman Society from Nero to Marcus Aurelius, on this longing to be remembered after death, so common to the Roman (pagan) mind.

“The secret of immortality, the one chance of escaping oblivion, is to have your thought embalmed in choice and distinguished literary form, which coming ages will not willingly let die (Plin. Ep. ii. 10. 4, iii. 7. 14).... This longing to be remembered was the most ardent passion of the Roman mind in all ages and in all ranks ... of that immense literary ambition which Pliny represented, and which he considered it his duty to foster, only a small part has reached its goal.... The great mass of these eager littérateurs have altogether vanished, or remain to us as mere shadowy names in Martial, or Statius, or Pliny.” Book ii. chap. i.