Naravoslovje 2. Antropologija in zoologija

The second book of Pliny's Natural History continues the translation of the first part (2013; for which the translator received the Jerman Award in 2015). It offers a translation and commentary on books 7 and 8. The seventh book, which concerns anthropology, would be more accurately titled "the study of man." Here, Pliny examines humans from various perspectives: their peculiarities, biological characteristics, conception, birth, development, diseases, functioning and death, mental abilities, and, in particular, he highlights the most significant achievements and inventions of humanity and the individuals who distinguished themselves most. The eighth book is among the three most important in the entire Natural History and serves as the introduction to the third section of the work: zoology. In it, Pliny presents land animals, their characteristics, peculiarities, and their significance to human society; his descriptions have shaped perceptions of fauna for centuries and have strongly influenced science and art in both the Middle Ages and the modern era. This book is also supplemented with extensive commentary, providing essential explanations of the translation and interpretation, as well as the scientific and technical apparatus necessary for understanding the text.