Readings from Latin Verse; With Notes
Readings from Latin Verse, With Notes is a college anthology compiled by Curtis C. Bushnell for his own classes at Syracuse University. It gathers selections of classical Latin poetry chosen first for their literary merit and second for the chance to introduce students to authors seldom encountered early in the course. The volume opens with Ennius, drawing on the Annals, the tragedies, and the epigrams, then moves to Lucretius and the sweep of De Rerum Natura, pairing each passage with explanatory notes drawn from standard reference works to guide the reader through grammar, meter, and context.
As an early-undergraduate reader, the book values breadth and original encounter over the familiar canon, letting students meet Rome's older voices on patriotism, fortitude, the gods, and the natural world. It matters as a window into how Latin verse was taught a century ago and as a still-useful gateway to poets whose lines reward careful reading.
How it begins
THIS little book has been prepared to meet the needs of my own classes. The selections have been made primarily with reference to their literary merit, but also with the intention of introducing the student to a number of authors not usually read in the earlier portion of the college course. The notes are greatly indebted to the works named under the heading, 'Reference.' I am under obligations to Professor E. C. Morris of Syracuse University for the correction of the manuscript of the notes, and to Mr. N. L. Willey, Syracuse University, 1908, for assistance in proof-reading. C. C. B. SYRACUSE, N.Y. READINGS FROM LATIN VERSE. CLASSICAL LATIN POETRY. I. ENNIUS. FROM THE ANNALS. 1. The Lament for Romulus. Pectora fida tenet desiderium: simul inter sese sic memorant, 'o Romule, Romule die, qualem te patriae custodem di genuerunt! O pater, o genitor, o sanguen dis oriundum, tu produxisti nos intra luminis oras.' 5 2. Pyrrhus dismissing the Prisoners without Ransom. Nec mi aurum posco nec mi pretium dederitis: nec cauponantes bellum sed belligerantes ferro, non auro, vitam cernamus utrique. Vosne velit an me regnare era quidve ferat Fors virtute experiamur. Et hoc simul accipe dictum: 5 quorum virtuti belli fortuna pepercit eorundem libertati me parcere certumst. Dono ducite doque volentibus cum magnis dis. 3. M.' Curius. Quem nemo ferro potuit superare nec auro. 4. Q. Fabius Maximus.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain.