<i>Le metamorfosi di un filosofo. Tracce, presenze e mutazioni di Aristotele nella zoologia di Plinio</i>

Abstract

In the zoological section of Natural History by Pliny the Elder, the name of Aristotle is generally used as a "chrism", which helps to determine the veracity of biological news and data that can also be seen as fabulous or paradoxical. Anyway, whereas, e.g., the paradoxographers never question Aristotle's auctoritas, sometimes Pliny - even though he never denies that the Greek philosopher is summus in omni doctrina vir (NH VIII 44) - shows hesitation in endorsing some of his positions. That is a way to give his historia the same level of auctoritas that Aristotle's physiké historie has, thus constructing a strong aura of "credibility" for his work.