{"product_id":"9780674994935-on-animals-volume-ii","title":"On Animals, Volume II","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBooks 6–11\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eOn the Characteristics of Animals\u003c\/i\u003e, Aelian (ca. 170–after AD 230) collects facts and fables about the animal kingdom and invites the reader to ponder contrasts between human and animal behavior.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOccasionally zany zoological lore.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAelian  (Claudius Aelianus), a Roman born ca. AD 170 at Praeneste, was a pupil  of the rhetorician Pausanias of Caesarea, and taught and practiced  rhetoric. Expert in Attic Greek, he became a serious scholar and studied  history under the patronage of the Roman empress Julia Domna. He  apparently spent all his life in Italy where he died after AD 230.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAelian’s \u003ci\u003eOn the Characteristics of Animals\u003c\/i\u003e,  in 17 books, is a collection of facts and beliefs concerning the habits  of animals drawn from Greek authors and some personal observation.  Fact, fancy, legend, stories, and gossip all play their part in a  narrative that is meant to entertain. If there is any ethical motive, it  is that the virtues of untaught yet reasoning animals can be a lesson  to thoughtless and selfish mankind. The Loeb Classical Library edition  of this work is in three volumes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe \u003ci\u003eHistorical Miscellany\u003c\/i\u003e  (LCL 486) is of similar nature. In 14 books, it consists mainly of  historical and biographical anecdotes and retellings of legendary  events. Some of Aelian’s material is drawn from authors whose works are  lost.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAelian’s \u003ci\u003eLetters\u003c\/i\u003e—portraying the affairs and country  ways of a series of fictitious writers—offer engaging vignettes of rural  life. These are available in LCL 383.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56451420488054,"sku":"9780674994935","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/files\/stand_41277274.jpg?v=1779276331","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9780674994935-on-animals-volume-ii","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}