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The Natural History Volume 5

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Naturalis Historia (Latin for "Natural History") is an encyclopedia published circa AD 77-79 by Pliny the Elder. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the Roman empire to the modern day and purports to cover the entire field of ancient knowledge, based on the best authorities available to Pliny. The work became a model for all later encyclopedias in terms of the breadth of subject matter examined, the need to reference original authors, and a comprehensive index list of the contents. The scheme of his great work is vast and comprehensive, being nothing short of an encyclopedia of learning and of art so far as they are connected with nature or draw their materials from nature. The work divides neatly into the organic world of plants and animals, and the realm of inorganic matter, although there are frequent digressions in each section. He is especially interested in not just describing the occurrence of plants, animals and insects, but also their exploitation (or abuse) by man, especially Romans. The description of metals and minerals is particularly detailed, and valuable for the history of science as being the most extensive compilation still available from the ancient world.

This fifth volume includes books twenty one to twenty five, covering the following subjects:

Book 21 - The natural history of flowers
Book 22 - The properties of plants and fruits
Book 23 - The remedies derived from the cultivated trees
Book 24 - The remedies derived from the forest trees
Book 25 - The natural history of the wild plants - Summary by Leni (11 hr 46 min)

Chapters

Book 21, Chapters 1-9:The nature of flowers and garlands; garlands and chaplets…

12:47

Read by Leni

Book 21, Chapters 10-21: The rose, twelve varieties of it; the lily, four varie…

29:04

Read by Kristine Bekere

Book 21, Chapters 22-40: Fabrics which rival the colours of flowers; the amaran…

21:27

Read by Leon Harvey

Book 21, Chapters 41-59: Plants which should be sown among flowers for bees; th…

25:25

Read by Leon Harvey

Book 21, Chapters 60-71: Plants classified according to their leaves; the vari…

16:51

Read by Kristine Bekere

Book 21, Chapters 72-109: Ten remedies derived from the sweet-scented rush; rem…

50:59

Read by KHand

Book 22, Chapters 1-15: Properties of plants; plants used for adornment; plants…

29:26

Read by ritalouise

Book 22, Chapters 16-32: The Lamium, seven remedies; the scorpio; the leucacant…

28:32

Read by KHand

Book 22, Chapters 33-49: The Halimon, fourteen remedies; the acanthus; the bupl…

26:33

Read by KHand

Book 22, Chapters 50-56: Propolis, five remedies; influences of aliments upon t…

10:55

Read by JLF

Book 22, Chapters 57-82: Remedies derived from grain; various kinds of meal; po…

34:21

Read by DaveWindell

Book 23, Chapters 1-18: Remedies derived from cultivated trees; the vine; ompha…

22:27

Read by KHand

Book 23, Chapters 19-33: Particulars relative to wine; surrentine wines; falern…

31:40

Read by DaveWindell

Book 23, Chapters 34-50: The leaves of the olive; the blossom of the olive; whi…

20:52

Read by DaveWindell

Book 23, Chapters 51-65: The palm; remedies derived from various trees; six obs…

25:29

Read by DaveWindell

Book 23, Chapters 66-83: Plums; peaches; mulberries; cherries; pine-nuts; almon…

31:30

Read by Kristine Bekere

Book 24, Chapters 1-21: The antipathiers and sympathies among trees and plants;…

35:57

Read by MajorHistory

Book 24, Chapters 22-43: Resins; pitch; pissasphaltos; the torch-tree; the lent…

34:05

Read by Kristy Carpenter

Book 24, Chapters 44-63: The siler; the alder; several varieties of the ivy; th…

19:52

Read by Connie Bettison

Book 24, Chapters 64-90: Gum; the white thorn; gum acacia; asphalatos; the yew;…

24:52

Read by Connie Bettison

Book 24, Chapters 91-120: Different opinions on the dracontium; the aron; the d…

32:50

Read by Connie Bettison

Book 25, Chapters 1-7: When the wild plants were first brought into use; Latin …

21:58

Read by JLF

Book 25, Chapters 8-25: Moly; the paeonia; the panaces; hyoscyamos; linozostis;…

30:33

Read by Leni

Book 25, Chapters 26-49: The mithridatia; the polemonia; centaurion; clymenus; …

19:11

Read by Connie Bettison

Book 25, Chapters 50-74: Plants which have been discovered by certain animals; …

24:09

Read by Connie Bettison

Book 25, Chapters 75-90: The scorpio; the phrynion; the alisma; remedies agains…

13:43

Read by Leni

Book 25, Chapters 91-110: Remedies for diseases of the eyes; mandragora; hemloc…

31:17

Read by Leni