Fascinating glimpses into the daily lives of people who lived in the ancient Roman Empire can be seen in the existing personal letters written by Pliny the Younger (c. 61/62-113) to his Roman friends and acquaintances. His letters cover a little bit of everything: daily happenings in government, Imperial politics, trials and court cases, estate management, pricey art purchases, anecdotes about family and current events—but Pliny’s true passion was literature. He was a voracious consumer of literary content, and he also dabbled in composing some poetry and prose of his own. To Pliny’s great dismay, his long-form works never gained much traction, but he was deemed by his peers to be a skillful speechwriter and an especially great wordsmith of letters (which is why they were published and preserved). Pliny’s knowledge and passion about literature led him into renowned literary circles in the Roman Empire, bringing him into contact with some of the greatest writers of the age. He offered information, editing, and advice to famous figures such as Suetonius (c. 70-130+) and Tacitus (c. c. 56/57-117+), and Pliny, in turn, had his famous friends read his own writings. In short, Pliny’s opinion was valuable for any Roman at that time who wanted to write a piece of literature—which brings us to Caninius Rufus.
Pliny the Younger and Caninius Rufus were close friends who both shared the same hometown of Comum (Como, Italy). They had much in common, as they both were incredibly wealthy, they both enjoyed reinvesting their wealth back into Comum, and—most importantly for this article—they shared a passion for written works. Like Pliny, Caninius Rufus dabbled at producing his own pieces of literature, and he was known to have a talent for poetry. His most ambitious project was a dream he had of writing an epic poem about Rome’s military successes in Dacia, won by Emperor Trajan (r. 98–117) in two campaigns, the first between 101-102 and the second c. 105-106. Pliny, hearing of his friend’s intentions, supported the project and sent a letter filled with valuable literary advice for his pal. For one, Pliny pointed out that there were plentiful sources available that Caninius Rufus could reference for his poetry. He also suggested that his friend lean heavily into geographical descriptions of the Dacian landscape, proposing that the poet bring to life with his verses the region’s rivers, mountains, and man-made structures. And, of course, Pliny agreed that the wartime maneuvers, battles, and dramatic shifts of fortune in the Dacian campaigns would make an interesting subject. On all of this, Pliny wrote:
“It is an excellent idea of yours to write about the Dacian war. There is no subject which offers such scope and such a wealth of original material, no subject so poetic and almost legendary although its facts are true. You will describe new rivers set flowing over the land, new bridges built across rivers, and camps clinging to sheer precipices; you will tell of a king driven from his capital and finally to death, but courageous to the end; you will record a double triumph, one the first over a nation hitherto unconquered, the other a final victory” (Pliny the Younger, Letters, 8.4).
Interestingly, Pliny warned that the names of Dacian places and people could be difficult to fit into a poet’s verses. These challenges, Pliny assured, could be overcome with skill and determination. If all else failed, Pliny argued that there would be little complaint in Rome if the poet tweaked the spelling of certain Dacian words so as to better fit the Roman palate. Above all else, Pliny encouraged his friend to follow the pull of the Muses. He wrote, “So call the gods to your aid, as a poet may, without forgetting that divine hero whose exploits, achievements and wisdom you are going to celebrate; slacken your sheets, spread sail, and now, if ever, let the full tide of your genius carry you along. (Why shouldn’t I be poetical with a poet?)” (Pliny the Younger, Letters, 8.4). Unfortunately, little is known about Caninius Rufus’s project. It is unclear if he seriously began the undertaking, or how far he progressed in his writing. Whatever the case, nothing of his work on the Dacian war has survived the erosion of time.
Written by C. Keith Hansley
Picture Attribution: (Seated poet, Pseudo-Menander, changed to portrait of Roman, by an unknown sculptor, c. 19th century or earlier, [Public Domain] via Creative Commons and the SMK).
Sources:
- The Letters of Pliny the Younger, translated by Betty Radice. New York: Penguin Classics, 1963, 1969.
- https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-1338
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Trajan/Military-campaigns
