Suggestions to the Student ix Plan of Rome xxviii I. Rōmānī Imperiī Exōrdium 1 II. Rōmulus 4 III. Numa Pompilius 8 IV. Tullus Hostīlius 10 V. Ancus Mārcius 15 VI. Lūcius Tarquinius Prīscus 17 VII. Servius Tullius 19 VIII. Tarquinius Superbus 22 IX. Iūnius Brūtus 25 X. Mūcius Scaevola 26 XI. Fabiī Trecentī Sex 27 XII. Lūcius Virgīnius 29 XIII. Titus Mānlius Torquātus 30 XIV. Pūblius Decius 35 XV. Mānius Curius 36 XVI. Gāius Duīlius 38 XVII. Mārcus Atīlius Rēgulus 39 XVIII. Appius Claudius Pulcher 42 XIX. Quīntus Fabius Māximus 43 XX. Aemilius Paulus et Terentius Varrō 48 XXI. Pūblius Cornēlius Scīpio Āfricānus 52 XXII. Tiberius Gracchus et Gāius Gracchus 63 XXIII. Gāius Marius 68 XXIV. Lūcius Cornēlius Sulla 74 XXV. Lūcius Lūcullus 77 XXVI. Gnaeus Pompēius Māgnus 80 XXVII. Gāius Iūlius Caesar 86 XXVIII. Mārcus Tullius Cicerō 96 XXIX. Mārcus Brūtus 102 XXX. Octāviānus Caesar Augustus 103 Exercises for Translation 112 Vocabulary 131
To read Latin quickly and intelligently, and to enjoy the reading properly, we must possess (1) a vocabulary, _i.e._ a collection of Latin words with whose meanings, whether used singly or in combination, we are thoroughly familiar; (2) a knowledge of the inflectional system of the language, _i.e._ its declensions and conjugations; (3) a knowledge of its syntax; and (4) a knowledge of the plan upon which the Latin sentence is constructed, or, in other words, we must be able to overcome the difficulties arising out of the peculiar order of the words and clauses that form a Latin sentence.
#Vocabulary.#--Words are the material out of which sentences are constructed. Hence it is of prime importance to know their meanings. The best way, in fact the only way, to acquire a vocabulary, is by constant reading, and by noting carefully the force of individual words as they occur. It soon becomes evident that certain words are very frequently used, especially verbs which denote actions that have to do with everyday life, such as _dīcō_, _eō_, _faciō_, _habeō_, _veniō_, _sum_, and their compounds. These at least must be mastered at the very outset. It is worth while to notice what prefixes are used in forming compound verbs, and the modifications of meaning which they produce. If the force of the simple verb is mastered, a little practice will enable the student to detect at sight the meaning of any of its compounds without reference to any dictionary.