3.1 The Haunted House Letter

A ghost story

In a letter to Sura, Pliny tells of a haunted house in Athens where a chained, gaunt specter (a ghost) rattled its bonds at night, driving away tenants.

Athenodorus

The philosopher Athenodorus bravely rents the house, calmly keeps writing when the ghost appears, then follows it to a spot in the yard. Digging there reveals a chained skeleton; once buried properly, the haunting stops.

Purpose

Pliny presents the tale to explore whether ghosts are real, weighing evidence like a careful Roman — part entertainment, part philosophical inquiry into the supernatural.

Key terms

The haunted house letter

to Sura — a ghost in an Athens house

Athenodorus

the philosopher who calmly confronts the ghost

The specter

a gaunt old man rattling chains

Resolution

burying the found skeleton ends the haunting

Purpose

part entertainment, part inquiry into the supernatural

Try an AP-style question

In Pliny's ghost letter, the philosopher who rents the house is…

1. Cicero
2. Tacitus
3. Athenodorus
4. Seneca