A reader of medieval Latin texts, from early Christianity to the Renaissance, with notes, suitable for intermediate Latin students, consisting of more than 200 selections. Special Features -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introductions medieval Latin, the structure of worship in the Roman church Selected medieval Latin readings from the fourth through the fifteenth centuries A.D., arranged chronologically Introduction to each author/text Introduction to each period Same-page notes on grammar, vocabulary, translation, interpretation List of medieval Latin words not occurring in classical Latin Also A Latin Reader (A.D. 374-1374) - ISBN 0865161917 Columbus' First Latin Selections from Peter Martyr's De Orbo Novo - ISBN 0865166137 For over 30 years Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers has produced the highest quality Latin and ancient Greek books. From Dr. Seuss books in Latin to Plato's Apology , Bolchazy-Carducci's titles help readers learn about ancient Rome and Greece; the Latin and ancient Greek languages are alive and well with titles like Cicero's De Amicitia and Kaegi's Greek Grammar . We also feature a line of contemporary eastern European and WWII books. Some of the areas we publish in Selections From The Aeneid Latin Grammar & Pronunciation Greek Grammar & Pronunciation Texts Supporting Wheelock's Latin Classical author Vergil, Ovid, Horace, Catullus, Cicero Vocabulary Cards For AP Vergil, Ovid, Catullus, Horace Greek Mythology Greek Lexicon Slovak Culture And History
This book contains some interesting selections but I think the grammatical and vocabulary notes are woefully insufficient for most readers. Considering the geographical and temporal span of this book, it's not surprising that there should be a considerable variety in the styles and grammatical quirks between authors and countries and periods; what is surprising is how little help there is to guide a reader through the knottier sections.
Also, for a reader who is completely unfamiliar with these authors and their social/historical contexts, jumping into the middle of one of their works without a lot of contextual information is just inviting confusion and misunderstanding. For a few of the texts in this book, I had to do a little independent research (a.k.a. googling) on the source so that I could understand what the broader context was so I could better understand what was going on in the Latin in front of me.
So my final review is that it's a fine collection of medieval Latin, but you're only slightly better off this this version than you would be with a version with no notes at all. I'm glad I read it, it was worth making my way through, but if you aren't an expert in medieval Latin, get ready for a job.
Interesting passages, mixture of prose and poetry. My colleague and I are coming up with resources to use alongside our textbook; some of these passages suit our needs.