ECLOGE LATINE. A FIRST LATIN READING BOOK. WITH ENGLISH NOTES AND A DICTIONARY, BY THE REV. PERCIVAL FROST, M.A. LATE FELLOW OF ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. •BOD LONDON: BELL AND DALDY, 186, FLEET STREET. CAMBRIDGE: DEIGHTON, BELL, & CO. 1865. 305.g. 29. PREFACE. THIS Reading Book is intended to serve the same purpose for young students of Latin, which the "Analecta Græca Minora," recently edited by me, serves for beginners in Greek. As that book has been received with approbation by those engaged in teaching Greek, the present work has been prepared on the same plan. The first part of the book consists of examples in the declension of substantives, adjectives, &c. in various combinations, to familiarize the learner with the ordinary inflections. On reaching the verbs, the sentences, of course, can do what they could not do before-convey a definite meaning-but they are purposely at first made as simple as possible. The regular conjugations are taken separately, and then the deponent and irregular verbs. Next come a large number of miscellaneous sentences, taken from various Latin authors, so arranged as to exemplify the main rules of Syntax. After reading these sentences, I think a boy should construe easy pieces of a more continuous nature, and I have therefore selected some portions of Eutropius, Cornelius Nepos, Cæsar, Phædrus, &c. In these extracts care has been taken to remove any parts likely to prove too hard, and such difficulties as occur are explained more copiously than in separate editions of the various writers. I have tried to induce systematic and accurate translation, by pointing out in the notes the principles to be followed in construing. All who have taught boys know how hard it is to wean them from that hap-hazard custom of taking any word that the eye first lights on, instead of following some systematic plan. I have sometimes endeavoured to explain the reasons of constructions. As an instance of what I mean, I refer the reader to a note at p. 39, on the reason of the rule which puts the second of two verbs in the Infinitive Mood. Such explanations, if mastered, tend to make learners thoughtful, and thus to carry out the chief aim of education. The Prose and Verse extracts are printed separately, but I do not advise that they should be read in the order of their arrangement. Probably after Eutropius it would be as well to read Phædrus, then Nepos, and so on. A dictionary of the words occurring in the text has been added. I may say here, as I said in the Preface to the "Analecta Græca," that I hope there is not too much help given in the notes; if there is any fault, I trust it is on the side of deficiency rather than of excess. PERCIVAL FROST. BRIGHTON. * *The references in brackets at the end of certain notes are to the rules of Syntax, found in Kennedy's Latin Grammar. For instance, (1172) would mean, Rule 117, Observation 2d. |