Complete Works

by Aulus Gellius

Composed during the nights of an Attic winter, the sole surviving work of Aulus Gellius, the second century Latin author and grammarian, is an intriguing compendium of notes covering philosophy, history, biography and questions of grammar. ‘Attic Nights’ offers a valuable insight into the works of lost authors and the manners and occupations of Roman society. Delphi’s Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, with both English translations and the original Latin texts. This comprehensive eBook presents Aulus Gellius’ complete extant works, with relevant illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1)

* Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Aulus Gellius’ life and works
* Features the complete extant works of Aulus Gellius, in both English translation and the original Latin
* Concise introductions to the ‘Attic Nights’
* Includes John C. Rolfe’s translation previously appearing in the Loeb Classical Library edition of Aulus
* Excellent formatting of the texts
* Easily locate the sections you want to read with individual contents tables
* Provides a special dual English and Latin text, allowing readers to compare the sections paragraph by paragraph – ideal for students
* Features a bonus biography – discover Aulus Gellius’ ancient world
* Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres

CONTENTS:

The Translation
THE ATTIC NIGHTS

The Latin Text
CONTENTS OF THE LATIN TEXT

The Dual Text
DUAL LATIN AND ENGLISH TEXT

The Biography
LIFE OF AULUS GELLIUS by G. H. Nall

Genres: Classics

2097 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 159

About the author

Aulu-Gelle (en latin Aulus Gellius) est un grammairien et compilateur latin du IIe siècle, auteur d'un ouvrage d'érudition en vingt livres intitulé les Nuits attiques.

Reviews

[Massimo Pigliucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in ancient Greco-Roman culture this is a gem well worth reading. Aulus Gellius jotted down a bunch of notes on everything that interested him, from stuff he had read to conversations he had engaged in. The result is a classic hypomnema, a notebook of personal thoughts about this, that, and the other. We don't know much about Gellius himself, other than he was a Roman author and grammarian who lived during the second century, a contemporary of Marcus Aurelius. The title of the book comes from the fact that Aulus started his collection of notes one cold night in the Attica region of Greece, where Athens is located. The Delphi edition features a handy index of the entries contained in the twenty chapters of the book, so that one can zoom in on what might be of particular interest in the moment. Don't read it cover to cover, just browse around when you are in the mood and then immerse yourself in an anecdote about the relationship between Aristotle and Alexander the Great, or in a particular comment made by Marcus Tullius Cicero, or in the correct meaning of a Latin or Greek word, or in how Stoic philosophers deal with a potentially deadly storm at sea. You will get a sense of what it was like to be alive during the time of the Roman Empire and have a curious mind like that of Aulus.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a delightful book, kind of like reading a diary or Wikipedia entries. He covers philosophy, grammar, rhetoric, social mores, political and military procedures, education, eating, astronomy, travel and more. Some entries go on for pages, others a short paragraphs. Even at his most pedantic moments, particularly on obscure points of grammar, Gellius remains witty and fun. I highly recommend flipping through these pages some day. The version I read was on my Kindle and included a translation, the original Latin (with a great deal of classical Greek included), side by side versions of Latin & English, and a short biography.

Perhaps the greatest contribution Aulus Gellius makes is citing so many of the sources he discusses, many of which are no longer extant. One major example is Marcus Terentius Varro, who was a prolific writer (~ 74 known works) and all we have left is one complete work, and fragments of some of the others. Many of these fragments were preserved by Gellius in his Attic Nights. A great deal of ancient works were lost or destroyed, and Gellius deserves a special thank you for his contribution to preserving so many authors.