I HARDLY dare refer to my promise, made so long ago as 1873, of giving to the public a Third Latin Reading Book; but heavy work connected with my school, and the preparation of many other educational books, have prevented me from fulfilling this promise earlier. At last, however, I offer my Selections from the best Latin Authors, with every hope that the book will be welcomed in all those schools where my other books are used. The selection has been most carefully made, and other ready help has been given, by my friend the Rev. W. E. Whitaker, Holcombe Rectory, Bath, whose name appears on the title-page. It will be found that most of the better known pieces have been omitted, so that the book may be used without much fear of clashing with others of the same kind. No particular order has been observed in the arrangement of the Selections; the master will look out those pieces which he thinks best calculated for the pupil or class he is teaching. Messrs. Longman have kindly acceded to my request that the book should be brought out in separate parts at 18. 6d. each, as well as in one volume at 2s. 6d. I have given easy notes. I hope that they will not be found poor and meagre as well as 'easy'; but I have avoided everything critical and learned, my sole object being to help the pupil in the translation of any difficult passage. For the term 'Notes 'I have therefore substituted Helps to Construing,' which more thoroughly explains the nature of the help I have intended to give. But every care has been taken that the rendering should be correct and true. The best authorities have been consulted, and valuable hints have been derived from (among other books) 'Cæsar, edited by C. E. Moberly, M.A.;''Selected Letters of Pliny, with Notes by C. E. Prichard, M.A., and E. R. Bernard, M.A. ;' 'Virgil' by Conington (fucile princeps), and A. H. Bryce; Horace' by Orelli and Macleane; and 'Tacitus' in Oxford Pocket Classics, &c. &c. If this book be carefully gone through, the student will be well prepared for reading the different authors themselves by the aid of his dictionary and less helpful notes. The Rev. G. W. OLIVER, 188 Portsdown Road, Maida Vale, W., has once again rendered his kind services in revising the pages as they have passed through the press. EDMUND FOWLE. AMESBURY HOUSE, BICKLEY, KENT: March 17, 1881. SELECTIONS FROM LATIN PROSE AUTHORS. I. THE DICTATORSHIP. NONO anno post reges exactos (A.U. 253), cum gener Tarquinii, ad injuriam soceri vindicandam, ingentem collegisset exercitum, nova Romæ dignitas est creata, quæ Dictatura appellatur, major quam consulatus. Eodem anno etiam Magister Equitum factus est, qui dictatori obsequeretur. Neque quidquam similius potest dici, quam dictatura antiqua, huic imperii potestati, quam nunc Tranquillitas Vestra habet: maxime cum Augustus quoque Octavianus, de quo postea dicemus, et ante eum Caius Cæsar, sub dictaturæ nomine atque honore regnaverint. Dictator autem Romæ primus fuit Lartius; magister equitum primus Sp. Cassius. EUTROPIUS, I. 12. II. STORY OF CORIOLANus. Octavo decimo anno post ejectos reges (A.U. 262) expulsus ex urbe Q. Marcius, dux Romanorum, qui Coriolos ceperat, Volscorum civitatem, ad ipsos Volscos contendit iratus; et auxilia contra Romanos accepit, Romanosque sæpe vicit. Usque ad quintum milliarium urbis accessit, oppugnaturus etiam patriam, legatis, qui pacem petebant, repudiatis, nisi ad eum mater Veturia et uxor Volumnia ex urbe venissent, quarum fletu et deprecatione superatus, removit exercitum. Atque hic secundus post Tarquinium fuit, qui dux contra patriam suam esset. EUTROPIUS, I. 15. |