The Golden Legend (Latin: Legenda aurea or Legenda sanctorum) is a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that became a late medieval bestseller. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived, compared to twenty or so of its nearest rivals. It was likely compiled around the year 1260, although the text was added to over the centuries.
The stories in this edition are:
HISTORIA SANCTI NICOLAI, HISTORIA DE SANCTA LUCIA VIRGINE, DE SANCTO ANDREA APOSTOLO, HISTORIA DE SANCTO CHRISTOPHORO, HISTORIA DE SANCTO SILVESTRO, HISTORIA DE SEPTEM DORMIENTIBUS, HISTORIA DE SANCTO THOMA APOSTOLO, HISTORIA DE SANCTA ANASTASIA, HISTORIA DE SANCTO ANTONIO, HISTORIA DE SANCTO MACARIO, HISTORIA DE SANCTO SEBASTIANO, HISTORIA DE SANCTO FRANCISCO, HISTORIA DE SANCTO VINCENTIO, HISTORIA DE JUDA ISCHARIOTA, HISTORIA DE SANCTO ALEXIO, HISTORIA DE SANCTO IACOBO MAIORE, HISTORIA DE SANCTA MARINA VIRGINE, HISTORIA DE SANCTA MARIA MAGDALENA, HISTORIA DE SANCTO AMBROSIO, HISTORIA DE SANCTO GEORGIO, HISTORIA DE SANCTO BLASIO, HISTORIA DE SANCTO IULIANO, HISTORIA DE SANCTO PAULO EREMITA, HISTORIA DE VIRGINE QUIDAM ANTIOCHENA
Sextus Aurelius Victor (natus circa annum 320; obiit circa 390) fuit rerum gestarum scriptor Romanus; opus eius sub titulo Liber de Caesaribus cognitum est. In libris manu scriptis et in editionibus cum hoc opere saepe adiunguntur duo opera minime ab Aurelio Victore conscripti (scilicet: Origo gentis Romanae, De viris illustribus urbis Romae). Haec omnia "Corpus Aurelianum" vel "Historiam Tripertitam" appellantur.
The Compendium of Roman History consists of two books dedicated to M. Vinicius, and covers the period from the dispersion of the Greeks after the siege of Troy down to the death of Livia (AD 29). The first book brings the history down to the destruction of Carthage, 146 BC; portions of it are missing, including the beginning. The later history, especially the period from the death of Caesar, 44 BC, to the death of Augustus, AD 14, is treated in much greater detail. Brief notices are given of Greek and Roman literature, but no mention is made of Plautus, Horace or Propertius. The author does not display real historical insight, although generally trustworthy in his statements of individual facts. He may be regarded as a courtly annalist rather than an historian. His chronology is inconsistent. On Caesar, Augustus and above all on his patron Tiberius, he lavishes praise or flattery.
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum
The Ecclesiastical History of the English People was completed in about 731. Bede was aided in writing this book by Albinus, abbot of St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury. The first of the five books begins with some geographical background, and then sketches the history of England, beginning with Caesar's invasion in 55 BC. A brief account of Christianity in Roman Britain, including the martyrdom of St Alban, is followed by the story of Augustine's mission to England in 597, which brought Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons. The second book begins with the death of Gregory the Great in 604, and follows the further progress of Christianity in Kent and the first attempts to evangelise Northumbria. These ended in disaster when Penda, the pagan king of Mercia, killed the newly Christian Edwin of Northumbria at the Battle of Hatfield Chase in about 632. The setback was temporary, and the third book recounts the growth of Christianity in Northumbria under kings Oswald of Northumbria and Oswy. The climax of the third book is the account of the Council of Whitby, traditionally seen as a major turning point in English history. The fourth book begins with the consecration of Theodore as Archbishop of Canterbury, and recounts Wilfrid's efforts to bring Christianity to the kingdom of Sussex. The fifth book brings the story up to Bede's day, and includes an account of missionary work in Frisia, and of the conflict with the British church over the correct dating of Easter. Bede wrote a preface for the work, in which he dedicates it to Ceolwulf, king of Northumbria. The preface mentions that Ceolwulf received an earlier draft of the book; presumably Ceolwulf knew enough Latin to understand it, and he may even have been able to read it. The preface makes it clear that Ceolwulf had requested the earlier copy, and Bede had asked for Ceolwulf's approval; this correspondence with the king indicates that Bede's monastery had excellent connections among the Northumbrian nobility.
The texts in this edition are:
Res Gestæ Saxonicæ
ANNALES REGNI FRANCORUM
EINHARDI
VITA KAROLI MAGNI
THEGANI
VITA HLVDOWICI IMPERATORIS
De Rebus in Hibernia Gestis
Richardi Stanihursti Dubliniensis
This work was written in the late 16th century and deals with the Norman conquest of Ireland. The language shows the writers familiarity with classical authors such as Cicero.
Stanihurst was the son of James Stanihurst, speaker of the Irish parliament 1569-71. He was educated at Oxford University, where he met the English Jesuit and later Catholic martyr Edmund Campion. Stanihurst's De rebus in Hibernia gestis (1584), a historical and topographical account from an Old-English viewpoint, was later criticized by more radical Counter-Reformation historians for its sympathetic attitude towards the English in Ireland and reported to the Inquisition. Towards the end of his life Stanihurst became a Jesuit.
Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii
Sigismundo Libero Barone in Herberstain
The Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii(1549) was written by Baron Sigismund von Herberstein on the geography, history and customs of Muscovy (the 16th century Russian state). Herberstein was an Austrian diplomat who was twice sent to Russia as Austrian ambassador, in 1517 and 1526. Born in Vipava (German Wippach), Slovenia, he was familiar with Slovene, a Slavic language, which became important later on his mission in Russia, when he was able to communicate with ordinary Russians in Russian, another Slavic language.
Chronica Slavorum
Helmoldo Presbitero
This is the story of the conquest and subsequent christianisation of Slav lands in what is now Eastern Germany and Poland.
De Expugnatione Terrae Sanctae per Saladinum Libellus
This book was written shortly after the conquest ans annihilation of the crusader kingdoms by an eyewitness, possibly a Templar or Hospitaller knight. It gives unique insight into a lost world as it was written by someone who was part of that world himself, unlike many chronicles that were written long after the event. It is a very emotional book; short of a time machine this is the closest one can get to 12th century events on a personal level and the reader goes through all the fear, hope, hate and despair that the writer felt 800 years ago.
This edition comes with a glossary of medieval Latin terms in English, German and French.
Historia Regni Henrici Septimi Regis Angliae
Sir Francis Bacon wrote this history in a highly readable and interesting way. In educated Latin he recounts all the events during the reign of the most important kings of England.
Dissertae Sententiae
Sic liber inscribitur, quod sententias plerumque contineat, quas Confucius suis cum discipulis edisseruit. Abrupta sunt effata, sensusque ita quandoque concisus, ut attentionis aciem, nisi acuatur, facile fallat. Decem sunt capita in viginti partes dispertita: priora quinque superiorem libri partem conficiunt, cetera inferiorem.
Marci Antonii Commentariorum
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (26 April 121 - 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to his death in 180. He ruled with Lucius Verus as co-emperor from 161 until Lucius' death in 169. He was the last of the "Five Good Emperors", and is also considered one of the most important Stoic philosophers.
His work Meditations, written in Greek while on campaign between 170 and 180, is still revered as a literary monument to a government of service and duty.
The Latin translation is that of J. M. Schulz.
Bellum Iugurthinum bellum inter Iugurtham, regem Numidiae, et Romam fuit. Sallustius librum de hoc bello cum nomine eodem scripsit.
Sallustius proconsul cum imperio proviniciae Africae novae post victoriam apud Thapsum anno 46 a.C.n. fuit et itaque rem scivit quam neminem alium. Sententiam suam in hanc rem in hoc libro descripsit.
This edition contains the complete text of Julius Caesar's seven books about the war in Gaul and the eighth book written by A. Hirtius.
De bello Gallico est liber Gaii Iulii Caesaris, qui suam in Galliam, Helvetiam, Germaniam, Britanniamque incursionem describit. Is librum scripsit dum bellum contra hostes Gallicos gerebat.
Libri exordium est fortasse inclutissima linguae Latinae sententia: "Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres."
Liber non modo pro scientia belli valet, sed etiam primam scientiam de Gallis Germanisque et geographia Gallica Germanicaque continet.
Epistola de Insulis nuper Repertis
After Christopher Columbus returned from his first voyage to America he wrote a letter about his discoveries. It caused a sensation and was widely read across Europe.
Added are a number of sundry texts, some about travel, others about religion or history. They give a good cross section of modern Latin literature and present the reader with fascinating glimpses into our past.
CHRISTOPHORI COLUMBI
EPISTOLA DE INSULIS NUPER REPERTIS
EXPEDITIO FRANCISCI DRAKI EQUITIS ANGLI
IN INDIAS OCCIDENTALES ANNO MDLXXXVXI
N a v i g a t i o s a n c t i B r e n d a n i a b b a t i s
Cafraria a patre Michaele Boym Polono missa Mozambico
De Tribus Impostoribus
ENCOMIUM EMMAE REGINAE
GUALONIS BRITONIS INVECTIO IN MONACHOS
Libri I - XII
Historia Rerum in Partibus Transmarinis Gestarum
William of Tyre (c. 1130 - September 29, 1186), was a medieval prelate and chronicler.As archbishop of Tyre he wrote the Latin chronicle between 1170 and 1184. It contains twenty-three books; the final book, which deals with the events of 1183 and the beginning of 1184, has only a prologue and one chapter, so it is either unfinished or the rest of the pages were lost before the whole chronicle began to be copied. William had access to the chronicles of the First Crusade, including Fulcher of Chartres, Albert of Aix, Raymond of Aguilers, Baldric of Dol, and the Gesta Francorum, as well as other documents located in the kingdom's archives. He used Walter the Chancellor and other now-lost works for the history of the Principality of Antioch. From the end of Fulcher's chronicle in 1127, William is the only source of information from an author living in Jerusalem. As the Dictionary of the Middle Ages says, "William's achievements in assembling and evaluating sources, and in writing in excellent and original Latin a critical and judicious (if chronologically faulty) narrative, make him an outstanding historian, superior by medieval, and not inferior by modern, standards of scholarship."
Libri XIII - XXIII
Historia Rerum in Partibus Transmarinis Gestarum
William of Tyre (c. 1130 - September 29, 1186), was a medieval prelate and chronicler.As archbishop of Tyre he wrote the Latin chronicle between 1170 and 1184. It contains twenty-three books; the final book, which deals with the events of 1183 and the beginning of 1184, has only a prologue and one chapter, so it is either unfinished or the rest of the pages were lost before the whole chronicle began to be copied. William had access to the chronicles of the First Crusade, including Fulcher of Chartres, Albert of Aix, Raymond of Aguilers, Baldric of Dol, and the Gesta Francorum, as well as other documents located in the kingdom's archives. He used Walter the Chancellor and other now-lost works for the history of the Principality of Antioch. From the end of Fulcher's chronicle in 1127, William is the only source of information from an author living in Jerusalem. As the Dictionary of the Middle Ages says, "William's achievements in assembling and evaluating sources, and in writing in excellent and original Latin a critical and judicious (if chronologically faulty) narrative, make him an outstanding historian, superior by medieval, and not inferior by modern, standards of scholarship."
The Comic Latin Grammar
A humorous introduction to the Latin grammar and language - what could be more fun! This grammar is illustrated with many amusing pictures and the sundry comic texts make it a pleasure to read.
Please note: This is an old book. 19th century humor may not always be agreeable to modern readers.
