The Student's Companion to Latin Authors   By: George Middleton (1865-)

The Student's Companion

to Latin Authors

by

George Middleton, M.A.

Lecturer in Latin, Aberdeen University; Late Scholar of Emmanuel College, Cambridge

and

Thomas R. Mills, M.A.

Late Lecturer in Greek, Aberdeen University, and Classical Lecturer, Owens College, Manchester; formerly Scholar of Wadham College, Oxford

with an Introductory Note by

Prof. W. M. Ramsay, D.C.L., LL.D.

Aberdeen University

London Macmillan and Co., Ltd. New York: The Macmillan Co. 1896

All rights reserved

Glasgow: Printed at the University Press by Robert Maclehose and Co.

PREFACE

The object of this book is to give in a convenient form all the facts of importance relating to the lives and works of the principal Latin Authors, with full quotation of original authorities on all the chief points. It appears to us that these facts are not at present readily accessible; for the ordinary histories of literature are compelled to sacrifice much exact information to the demand for a critical appreciation of the authors. The latter aspect does not enter into the plan of this book, which may therefore, with advantage, be used side by side with any work of the kind indicated, the two supplementing one another. The authors have been, as far as possible, illustrated from their own works. Special attention has been paid to the great writers, as the book is meant for use in the upper forms of schools and by students at the Universities. We had collected a considerable amount of matter upon the minor authors, most of which it was thought advisable to omit, so as not to extend the book unduly. An attempt, however, has been made to retain the most important facts about these, whenever they illustrated one of the great authors, or whenever it was thought that they ought to be in the hands of a student. We have attempted no treatment of early Latin as seen in inscriptions and the like, but have started with the first literary author, Livius Andronicus, and have gone down to Tacitus and the younger Pliny, dealing with each author by himself. A section has been added on Suetonius. A sketch of the chief ancient authorities on Roman writers is given at the end of the book, as well as a selected list of editions, which, without being exhaustive, will, we hope, be of service to the average student.