Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Levins: Manipulus Vocabulorum
Manipulus Vocabulorum by Peter Levins, edited by Henry Benjamin Wheatley (1867)
This is a reverse English dictionary, originally published in 1570, organized alphabetically by the final syllable of each English word, and the English words are provided with Latin translations. As a specimen of 16th-century English and Renaissance Latinity, it is fascinating to browse through!
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Arnold: Latin Word-Building
Latin Word-Building by Thomas Kerchever Arnold (1855)
This is a thorough and somewhat technical book, probably more useful for Latin teachers than for Latin students. Its level of detail is commendable, as in this explanation of the fourth conjugation: "The suffix io, ire was originally causative: thus sanc-i-re, to make sacred, ir-ret-i-re, len-i-re, part-i-ri, make oneself a partner, sort-i-ri, blandiri, largiri, potirir, saevire, ferocire, vestire, punire from poena. These are mostly derived from i-nouns: finire, fini-s: lenire, leni-s: mollire, molli-s: audire, from auri-s = ausi-s: but not exclusively, as in the instances above given." Lots to use and learn from here, with great raw materials to use in preparing vocabulary-building exercises for students, even if this book itself is not very student-friendly.
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Monday, August 29, 2011
Dumesnil: Latin Synonyms
Latin Synonyms by Jean Baptiste Gardin Dumesnil (1825)
This is an English translation of a French book, with an introduction by the English translator who describes the book as follows: "The present volume contains the explanations of near 7000 words, each of which is exemplified by appropriate quotations from the most elegant writers of ancient Rome, and leaves but little difficulty in the choice of the proper expression to convey their meaning in English, when translating, or the most elegant word or phrase in rendering English into Latin." The arrangement of the book is basically alphabetical, by the Latin headwords, but there is also an alphabetical table in the front to facilitate the finding of specific words, as some Latin words are presented as synonyms rather than as headwords. So, for example, entry 1330 is "Induere. Vestire," so if you are looking for vestire you need to use the table at the beginning of the book. The entry then consists of a series of Latin phrases illustrating the use and meaning of the Latin word; citations are provided for the Latin phrases, but they are not translated. In some ways, the passages cited are just what you would expect to find in a Latin dictionary; the advantage of this book is that it encourages you to read and compare closely related Latin words, something that is harder to do in a dictionary organized on strictly alphabetical principles.
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Sunday, August 28, 2011
Black: Dictionary of Words Derived from the Latin
An Etymological and Explanatory Dictionary of Words Derived from the Latin by Richard Harrison Black (1825)
This is a discursive exploration of English words derived from Latin roots. The book is arranged alphabetically by the Latin words, but the focus is on the English vocabulary. Here is a typical entry:
De-fer, defero (see FERO, p. 13.) I carry from. To delay, is imply not to commence action; to defer and postpone, are to fix its commencement at a more distant period. - Deference is from defero in the sense of to bear down and, with us, marks the inclination to agree to the sentiments of another in preference to our own. Complaisance is the act of an equal; deference, that of an inferior; condescension, that of a superior. Complaisance has most of genuine kindness in its nature; deference, most of respectful submission; condescension, most of easy indulgence.
As you can see, the book is an interesting one to browse through, especially for its attentiveness to the range of meaning and organization of the English vocabulary.
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Saturday, August 27, 2011
Kendall: Latin Vocabulary of Cognates and Derivatives
A Latin Vocabulary of Cognates and Derivatives by J. M. Kendall (1919)
The listings begin abruptly, with no preface or introduction. The arrangement is alphabetical (more or less - I will confess that I cannot quite figure out just how this book is arranged exactly!), with verbs, adjectives and nouns listed in columns. Some of the groupings are quite productive and useful, but this book seems strangely incomplete. I am not sure, for example, what has happened to the letter B. If anybody has any insight into this odd little book, let me know!
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Friday, August 26, 2011
Walker: Classical Pronunciation of Greek, Latin and Scripture Proper Names
A Key to the Classical Pronunciation of Greek, Latin and Scripture Proper Names by John Walker (1804)
This is a pronouncing guide to the stressed syllables - not the vowel quantities - of the proper names of Greek, Latin and Biblical Hebrew. Here is the very fulsome title presented on the book's title page: "A key to the classical pronunciation of Greek, Latin and Scripture proper names, in which the words are accented and divided into syllables exactly as they ought to be pronounced, according to rules drawn from analogy and the best usage, to which are added, terminational vocabularies of Hebrew, Greek and Latiln proper names, in which the words are arranged according to their final syllables, and classed according to their accents, by which the general analogy of pronunciation may be seen at one view, and the accentuation of each word more easily remembered, concluding with observations on the Greek and Latin accent and quantity, with some probable conjectures on the method of freeing them from the obscurity and confusion in which they are involved, both by the ancients and moderns." That just about says it all!
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Thursday, August 25, 2011
Moseley: Dictionary of Latin Quantities
A Dictionary of Latin Quantities by William Willis Moseley (1827)
The full title describes the book as follows: "A dictionary of Latin quantities: or prosodian's guide to the different quantities of every syllable in the Latin language, alphabetically arranged: to which is prefixed a treatise on prosody." Yet the book is not at all a dictionary in the traditional sense. Instead, it is a listing of Latin sound combinations of vowels and consonants with guidelines as to whether you would expect the vowels to be long or short. So, for example, the entry for "ud" begins: U before D is long in the middle syllables of nouns (examples) but U before D is sometimes short in the middle syllables of nouns (examples) etc. Although modern readers will probably find it faster and easier simply to look up the quantities in a dictionary, this book offers a fascinating tool for exploring the patterns of Latin sounds, covering all the vowel and consonant combinations systematically.
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Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Gates: Latin Word-Building
Latin Word-Building by Charles O. Gates (1887)
The book consists of "root words with their more common derivatives and their meanings illustrated by sentences taken from Caesar and Cicero." The book is organized alphabetically, with root word entries that contain derivatives of those root words, although definitions are not provided for the derivatives; only the root word is defined. This listing takes appx. 50 pages. Then comes the interesting part of the book: the root word list is presented again, this time with lists of sentences from Caesar and Cicero that contain an example of the root word or one of its derivates. So, for example, here is the entry for ager:
ager. a. 1. Rhenus agrum Helveticum a Germanis dividit. 2. Agricultura prohibebantur. b. 1. Caius Gracchus agrarios concitatre conatus est. 2. Ii nonnullos agrestes homines in eandem illam spem rapinarum veterum impulerunt.
It seems to me that the meaninglessness of these sentences taken out of context limits the usefulness of this book - but I can definitely imagine such an arrangement working nicely for proverbs, which can stand on their own and be meaningful!
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Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Allen: General Vocabulary of Latin
A General Vocabulary of Latin by Joseph Henry Allen (1882)
As the author explains, this book functions as a basic dictionary: "This Vocabulary contains about 15,000 words of common use, besides more than 1300 proper names or adjectives." The scan at Google Books is a good, clear one, making this book a very good choice for someone who wants a basic Latin-English dictionary, appx. 200 pages in length, with macrons marked.
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Monday, August 22, 2011
Allen: Etymological Analysis of Latin Verbs
An Etymological Analysis of Latin Verbs by Alexander Allen (1836)
Don't let the old date of this book throw you - it is not a basic book for elementary Latin students, but instead is an attempt to apply the linguistic principles of the time to a study of Latin word formation. So, for example, the first class of verbs considered are "Uncontracted Verbs: Class 1. Perfect tense distinguished by the addition of S." Although the book is old, there is much of value here - for people who have never had a formal course in Latin word formation based on linguistic principles, there is a lot that can be learned from this book.
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Sunday, August 21, 2011
Henn: Ahn's Latin Vocabulary for Beginners
Ahn's Latin Vocabulary for Beginners by Peter Henn (1879)
Here is the book's full title: Ahn's Latin vocabulary for beginners, methodical and etymological, with a collection of Latin proverbs and quotations. Here is a description of the "Methodical Part" as given by the author in the Introduction: "This is an attempt to bring home those words and expression of everyday life which are of prime importance for easy reading." Then, in the "Etymological Part," the words derived from the same root are grouped together. There is also a supplement of Latin proverbs and quotations with English translations. The topics covered in the first part are: homo (figura et membra, corporis affectiones, animus eiusque affectiones, aetates et sexus), domus, vestitus, supellex, victus, familiar, commercium, and so on. Macrons are used but not everywhere and always. This first part occupies appx. 30 pages. The etymological part occupies appx. 70 pages, with appx. 30 pages of proverbs in the appendix.
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Saturday, August 20, 2011
Galfridus Anglicus: Promptorium Parvulorum
The Promptorium Parvulorum by Galfridus Anglicus, ed. Anthony Lawson Mayhew (1908)
This publication for the Early English Text Society contains The first English-Latin dictionary. Ed. from the manuscript in the Chapter library at Winchester, dating to the early 15th century, with introduction, notes, and glossaries. The text of the promptorium is quite substantial, running to over 500 pages in this edition. What a fabulous book - here's a typical entry:
Parlowre: locutorium, ij, neut 2.
Lots of fun browsing here, and some quite unusual Latin that gives you a sense of just how much Latin had "run wild" before its Renaissance standardization based on classical norms.
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Friday, August 19, 2011
Brederode: Repertorium Sententiarum et Regularum
Repertorium Sententiarum et Regularum by Pieter Cornelis van Brederode (1664)
The first volume contains the legal maxims and citations, while the second volume is a lexicon; both volumes are bound as a single book here.
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Thursday, August 18, 2011
Elven: The Book of Family Crests
The Book of Family Crests by John Peter Elven (1847)
Volume 1:
Volume 2:
There is a handy dictionary of mottos beginning on p. 33 of the first volume which runs for appx. 100 pages. The illustrations are fascinating!
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Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Palliser: Historic Devices, Badges, and War-Cries
Historic Devices, Badges, and War-Cries by Mrs. Bury Palliser (1870)
This is a delightful book, abundantly illustrated, which reviews the emblematic badges and coats of arms of many families and organizations. There is a table in the back listing the main devices and mottoes. Part III, "War Cries," is an unusual addition to the standard topic, something I have not seen covered in similar books.
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Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Bellengard: Sententiarum Volumen Absolutissimum
Sententiarum Volumen Absolutissimum by Etienne Bellengard (1559)
This is a marvelous book, with almost 600 pages of double columns, full of proverbs organized alphabetically by keywords, with literary sources carefully cited in the margins. The motto on the coverpage is very encouraging: Omnia conando docilis solertia vincit.
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Monday, August 15, 2011
Sutor: Der hundert-Augige blinde Argos
Der hundert-Augige blinde Argos by Andreas Sutor (1740)
This collection of proverbs and sayings (Latin, with German translations) by Andreas Sutor is enormous, and shows its good humor right from the start, when the author exclaims: Non desunt Labor atque Liber, sed Praemia desunt; / Hic satio est, Lector Candide! Messis ubi est? The sayings are organized by topic. The Google scan is less than perfect, but there are still almost one thousand pages of delights here!
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Robertson: Dictionary of Latin Phrases
A Dictionary of Latin Phrases by William Robertson (1829)
Here is the long title, full of confidence: "A dictionary of Latin phrases: comprehending a methodical digest of the various phrases from the best authors, which have been collected in all phraseological works hitherto published for the more speedy progress of students in Latin composition." This is indeed a very useful book, running to almost 900 pages in length. It is organized alphabetically with English headwords, but unlike a traditional English-Latin dictionary, Robertson provides Latin equivalents not just for English words but for English phrases, citing Latin words and phrases in great abundance. So, for example, under the word "able," you can find the phrase "as far as I am able," glossed with a whole series of Latin words and phrases, with citations, e.g. "He withstood them as well as he was able; quoad potuit restitit; Cic." As an aid to Latin composition, the value of this book is immense!
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Sunday, August 14, 2011
Verinus: De Moribus Puerorum Disticha
De Moribus Puerorum Disticha by Michaelis Verinus (1539)
The book opens with a series of laudatory epigrams on the occasion of the death of the fifteenth-century poet Michaelis Verinus, while the remainder of the book consists of the distichs of Verinus, along with short moral essays for each one. These little poems became even more well-known when for some reason they began to be printed as Book XI of the epigrams of John Owen, starting with the 1620 edition of John Owen's epigrams.
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Saturday, August 13, 2011
Sexti Sententiarum
Sexti Sententiarum by Johann Gildemeister (1873)
This a critical edition of the so-called "sentences of Sextus," numbering 451 in this edition. This collection was known to Origen; the Latin translation attributed to Rufinus dates to around 400. The attribution to Pope Sixtus (although disputed by Jerome) made the book a popular one in the Christian tradition, and there are affinities between some of the sentences and Christian sayings.
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Friday, August 12, 2011
Stirling: Private Tutor to Sententiae Pueriles
The Private Tutor to Sententiae Pueriles by John Stirling (1769)
The sententiae presented here are divided into days of the week, with lessons for the morning and for the afternoon. It is a quite fascinating arrangement, with the proverbs, then a version with facing text Latin and English, with the Latin and English versions using the same word order. This is certainly an approach I am very sympathetic too - I could definitely see revising this textbook for use by a new generation of students!
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Thursday, August 11, 2011
Spanner: Polyanthea Sacra
Polyanthea Sacra by Andreas Spanner (1709)
Volume 1:
Volume 2:
Here is the full title of the book that appears on the title page: Polyanthea Sacra ex Universae Sacrae Scripturae utriusque testamenti figuris, symbolis, testimoniis, nec non e selectis patrum, aliorumque authorum, sententiis, eruditis interpretationibus, similitudines, rarisque historiis collecta et copiosis exquisitisque materiis moralibus de virtutibus et vitiis pro concionibus eformandis adornata atque ad communem sacrorum praesterim oratorum utilitatem in lucem edita - that just about says it all!
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Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Palingenius: Zodiacus Vitae
Zodiacus Vitae by Palingenius (1832)
This is a modern edition of Palingenius edited by C. H. Weise. Palingenius was an early 16th-century neo-Latin poet. His Zodiacus is a poem in 12 books (for the 12 signs of the zodiac), and it is delightful to read. An English translation, The Zodiake of Life, was published in 1565.
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Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Gartner: Dicteria Proverbialia
Dicteria Proverbialia, Rhythmica, Ab Antiquitate Mutuata, Et Doctrinam Ethicam Complectentia by Andreas Gartner (1598)
This is a marvelous collection of rhyming proverbs and sayings. You can find many of these in Wegeler, but there are also many items here that Wegeler did not include. There is even a "Sortilegium Rhythmaticum," a Latin fortune-telling system based on rhymes! The book is organized by keywords, and some of the sayings thus repeat; each Latin saying comes with a German version also.
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Monday, August 8, 2011
Lang: Anthologia Sententiarum
Anthologia Sententiarum, Apophthegmatum, Similitudinem, Exemplorum, et Hieroglyphicorum by Joseph Lang (1674)
Here is a complete description of the book, in florid 17th-century style: Anthologia sive florilegium rerum et materiarum selectarum praecipue sententiarum, apophthegmatum, similitudinem, exemplorum, hieroglyphicorum: ex sacris literis, patribus item, aliisque probatis linguae graecae & latinae scriptoribus collectum. The book is truly fascinating. It is organized alphabetically by topic, and within each topic, Lang provides not just sayings and proverbs but also little stories (apophthegmata) - over 600 pages of reading pleasure!
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Sunday, August 7, 2011
Ancient and Modern Familiar Quotations
Ancient and Modern Familiar Quotations (1875)
The quotations come from Greek, Latin and modern languages, and are accompanied by English translations. The proverbs are arranged alphabetically, with all the languages mixed up together; many of the proverbs have notes, sometimes very brief, and sometimes a quick substantial paragraph which makes this book a fun one to browse through.
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Saturday, August 6, 2011
Mawr: Proverbs in Ten Languages
Analogous Proverbs in Ten Languages by Mrs. E. B. Mawr (1885)
The ten languages are: English, Romanian, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese and Latin. The Latin parallels are often not the best choice (in my opinion), and there are many entries which lack a Latin parallel that could have been supplied - so it is really more of a curiosity, except for someone with a specific interest in Romanian proverbs.
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Friday, August 5, 2011
Rotmar: Adagiorum Versuum Vergilii Centuriae
Adagiorum Seu Proverbialium Versuum Vergilii Centuriae by Valentin Rotmar (1577)
This book collects phrases and sayings from the poetry of Vergil. The sayings are organized into centuries and decades, with a listing at the front of the book. Each of the sayings is then accompanied by a brief essay in Latin, usually just a paragraph but sometimes longer. Sometimes they are true proverbs, while in other cases they are phrases that have been popularized precisely by their use in Vergil.
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Thursday, August 4, 2011
Delrio: Adagialia Sacra
Adagialia Sacra by Martín Antonio Delrío (1612)
Volume 1:
Volume 2:
These two volumes of Delrio cover the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible); for the New Testament, see the Adagialia of Schottus. There is an index of the adages from the Scriptures at the beginning of the book, organized by the Bible books and chapters from which the sayings are taken. Then, for each saying there is an extensive essay in Latin about the meaning of the saying, parallels, etc. And yes, this is the same Delrio who wrote the Disquisitionum Magicarum.
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Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Schottus: Adagialia Sacra Novi Testamenti
Adagialia Sacra Novi Testamenti by Andreas Schottus (1629)
There is an index of the adages from the Scriptures at the beginning of the book, organized by the Bible books and chapters from which the sayings are taken. Then, for each saying - presented in both Latin and Greek - there is an essay in Latin, sometimes just a paragraph and sometimes much longer, about the meaning of the saying, parallels, etc.
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Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Adagia Quaedam ac Carmina
Adagia Quaedam ac Carmina (1727)
Here is the full title of the book, in florid 18th-century style: Adagia quaedam ac carmina magis obvia et ex optimis quibusdam auctoribus collecta nec non alphabetice digesta in gratiam studiosae juventutis. The sayings are accompanied by a translation which the author describes as "barbara locutio" (i.e. Dutch). The sayings are organized alphabetically not by the Latin but by the Dutch translations. It's a charming collection of sayings!
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Monday, August 1, 2011
Burke's Peerage
A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire by John Burke (1832)
Volume 1
Volume 2
You can read about John Burke's work and the creation of Burke's Peerage in this Wikipedia article. This book is an immensely valuable resource for Latin mottoes as Latin mottoes frequently form part of a family's armorial ensign, as you can see here:
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