Didicit homo naturam provocare: il naturale e l’artificiale negli ultimi libri della Naturalis historia di Plinio il Vecchio

Abstract

Man’s capacity to manipulate, modify, and replicate matter is most profoundly exercised in the mineral kingdom. As a result, the final books of the Naturalis Historia delve into a profound contemplation of the relationship between nature and artifice. This paper explores two dimensions of this connection: firstly, the devastation of the earth that results from marble processing; secondly, the counterfeiting of certain mineral elements, such as metals and colors. Pliny oscillates between admiration for man’s skills and condemnation of his dominion over nature. Ultimately, however, a negative judgment prevails in his language, one that equates the ability to reproduce natural elements with deception.