The Naturalis Historiae of Pliny (A.D. 23-79) is more than a natural history; it is an encyclopedia of all of the knowledge of the ancient world set out in an orderly fashion. It was the source of much of medieval knowledge-- and legend. The high regard in which it was held in the world of the Renaissance can be seen by its early appearance in print in 1472, and by its reappearance in later editions, such as this fine two-volume publication nearly two centuries later, with commentaries and annotations by various contributors.[PMM]