While the upper class Romans lived in relative luxery, I am still struck by how much suffering there was. One of Pliny's friends, a man he greatly admired, died after he slipped on a highly polished floor and broke his leg. He was elderly and the bone was not set correctly, and it sounds like he died in agony as a result from complications from the broken leg. Another man he was friends with committed suicide by starving himself to death (!!!!!) in response from long term pain (we're talking years here) caused by an unspecified foot condition (I suspect from the description that it might have been gout, which is said to be extremely painful).
The luxury of the lives led by leading and wealthy Romans is such a contrast to the lives of the poor and the slaves that Pliny merely hints it...he mentions that one man was visciously attacked in his bath by his slaves and later died. He says that this man was cruel to his slaves, though he does not specify the cruelty. He also mentions that the man's father had been a slave, and that is perhaps why he was so harsh...
Yet even with that luxury, as exhibited by their lives in their countryside villas, there was so much suffering even for the rich and powerful. During the course of the letters, two of Pliny's friends had committed suicide through starvation (!!) in the face of painful and incurable medical conditions. He also lamented the death of a young and beautiful maiden, only fourteen and soon to be married, the daughter of a friend, due to disease. Another friend lost his son, returning from his first posting overseas.
Also striking is the cruelty of two of the emperors, Nero and most particularly Domitian. He mentions so matter of factly how Domitian had raped his own niece, and her subsequent death from an abortion, when she tried to end the resulting incestuous pregnancy. Pliny blames the death of the young woman on her uncle. He also tells of how that Emperor had banished and put to death people that Pliny was sure were innocent of their accused crimes. He asks - if Domitian could be so cruel to his own family, as in the case of his niece - how could be expected to be any less cruel to any other people?
The story of Domitian and his niece is all the more horrifying and chilling because it is told in such a matter of fact way...sort of like it was just another day in that particular Emperor's reign...
In the last section of the book, Pliny is sent overseas as an administrator and exchanges many letters with the Emperor over his duties. We catch a glimpse of the early Christians, whom Pliny does not have a very high opinion of at all.
