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.
The object of this book is to give in a convenient formall the facts of importance relating to the lives and worksof the principal Latin Authors, with full quotation of originalauthorities on all the chief points. It appears to us thatthese facts are not at present readily accessible; for theordinary histories of literature are compelled to sacrificemuch exact information to the demand for a critical appreciationof the authors. The latter aspect does not enterinto the plan of this book, which may therefore, withadvantage, be used side by side with any work of the kindindicated, the two supplementing one another. The authorshave been, as far as possible, illustrated from their ownworks. Special attention has been paid to the great writers,as the book is meant for use in the upper forms ofschools and by students at the Universities. We had collecteda considerable amount of matter upon the minorauthors, 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 factsabout these, whenever they illustrated one of the greatauthors, or whenever it was thought that they oughtto be in the hands of a student. We have attempted notreatment of early Latin as seen in inscriptions and thelike, but have started with the first literary author, LiviusAndronicus, and have gone down to Tacitus and theyounger Pliny, dealing with each author by himself. Asection has been added on Suetonius. A sketch of thechief ancient authorities on Roman writers is given atthe end of the book, as well as a selected list of editions,which, without being exhaustive, will, we hope, be of serviceto the average student.
Apart from our own study of the authors, our principalauthority has, of course, been the History of Roman Literatureby Teuffel and Schwabe (translated by Prof. G. C. W.Warr), and we have made an extensive use of editionsand monographs both English and foreign, which arementioned where necessary. Ennius has been quoted fromVahlen’s edition, Plautus from the new edition of Ritschl,the fragments of the tragedians and comedians from Ribbeck,of Lucilius from L. Müller, and of the minor poets fromBährens, the minor historians from Peter’s Fragmenta, andSuetonius’ fragmentary works from Reifferscheid.
Some of our materials were originally prepared for theHumanity classes in Aberdeen University, and the LatinLiterary Club in connexion with the Honours class. Wehave to thank some of our pupils for help and criticism,particularly Mr. A. Souter, of Gonville and Caius College,Cambridge, and Mr. A. G. Wright, of St. John’s College,Cambridge, the latter of whom prepared the materials forthe article on Tibullus, and gave us some useful suggestions.We are specially indebted to Professor W. M.Ramsay, without whom the book would not have beenwri