By Victoria E Pagán

Description

This reader aims to introduce advanced Latin students to the works of Sallust, unique among Roman historians for several reasons. Because he uses standard vocabulary and uncomplicated syntax, Sallust is an accessible author at this level. Unlike other Roman historians whose subject matter was a distant past, Sallust writes about events that occurred in his lifetime. His roller-coaster career afforded him a unique opportunity to critique the inner mechanisms of contemporary Roman politics from the vantage of an outsider.

Complete with introduction, text, commentary, vocabulary, and bibliography, this volume contains selections (556 lines) from the Bellum Catilinae, the Bellum Iugurthinum, and the Historiae. Selections include character sketches, conspiracy and its betrayal, ethnography, a political speech, and a description of a lavish banquet. Students are prepared for an eventual reading of the monographs in their entirety and become acquainted with the fragmentary Historiae. This reader teaches the rudiments of Latin prose by reinforcing transferable skills that can be applied to other prose authors. While attention is given to Sallust’s distinctive style, emphasis is placed on general structures so that students achieve comprehension and appreciation of Latin prose as a distinct—and majestic—art form in its own right.

Special Features

• Introduction to Sallust’s life, work, and style
• Latin text selections (556 lines) from Sallust’s Bellum Catilinae (232 lines: 3.3–4.2; 4.3–5.8, 15; 22–25; 27.2-29; 40–41; 53–54), the Bellum Iugurthinum (304 lines: 6–7; 17–19; 84–86), and Historiae (20 lines: 2.70)
• Grammatical and historical commentary printed at the back of the book

Comments and Reviews

Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers is a seminal source of materials for the study of Latin. Two of their newest contributions include John Henderson's A Plautus Reader: Selections from Eleven Plays (97808651666943, $19.00) and Victoria E. Pagan's A Sallust Reader: Selections from Bellum Catilinae, Bellum Iugurthinum, and Historiae (9780865166875, $19.00). The comedic playwright Plautus and the Roman historian Sallust are significant in studying the culture and history of Rome and serve as ideal sources in the study of Latin for modem students. Enhanced with grammatical and historical notes, maps and photos, and vocabulary, both A Plautus Reader and A Sallust Reader will prove invaluable additions to personal, professional, and academic library Latin Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

—James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
Wisconsin Bookwatch: February 2010
The Language Studies Shelf

Author Bio

Victoria E. Pagán is Associate Professor of Classics at the University of Florida and the Waldo W. Neikirk Term Professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 2008. Victoria was educated at Kent State University (B.A.), the University of Michigan (M.A.), and the University of Chicago (Ph.D.). A two-time Ford Foundation fellow, she has also received post-doctoral grants from the Woodrow Wilson Foundation and the American Association of University Women. She has written Conspiracy Narratives in Roman History (Austin 2004), Rome and the Literature of Gardens (London 2006), and over a dozen articles on imperial Latin literature. She resides in Gainesville, Florida, with her husband, son, and daughter.