William Alabaster, or Alablaster, was born at Hadleigh, Suffolk in 1567. He was educated at Hadleigh grammar school, Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, which he entered as a scholar in 1584. He took his B.A. in 1587, and M.A. in 1591. In 1592 he was incorporated of the University of Oxford.
While at Cambridge, Alabaster wrote Roxana, a Senecan tragedy in Latin, in 1592. It was performed at Trinity soon after to great enthusiasm. Forty years after its first performance, it was still esteemed highly enough to warrant an unauthorized publication, in 1632. Full of errors, this induced Alabaster to publish an authorized edition later in the same year. Johnson, in his Lives of the Poets, says, in reference to "Latin verses with classic elegance": "If we produced any thing worthy of notice before the elegies of Milton, it was perhaps Alabaster's Roxana.
Avienus was a Latin writer of the 4th century AD. According to an inscription from Bulla Regia, his full name was Postumius Rufius Festus (qui et) Avienius.
He was a native of Volsinii in Etruria, from the distinguished family of the Rufii Festi. He was twice appointed consul, if an inscription published by the 17th-century antiquaries Jacob Spon and Raffaello Fabretti really refers to this Avienus.
Famously asked what he did in the country, he answered Prandeo, poto, cano, ludo, lavo, caeno, quiesco:
“I dine, drink, sing, play, bathe, sup, rest.”
Avienus made somewhat inexact translations into Latin of Aratus' didactic poem Phaenomena. He also took a popular Greek poem in hexameters, Periegesis, briefly delimiting the habitable world from the perspective of Alexandria, written by Dionysius Periegetes in a terse and elegant style that was easy to memorize for students, and translated it into an archaising Latin, as descriptio orbis terrae . Only Book I survives, with an unsteady grasp of actual geography and some far-fetched etymologies.
Avienus wrote Ora Maritima ("Sea coasts"), a poem containing borrowings from the early 6th century BC Massiliote Periplus. This poeticised periplus resulted in a confused amateur's account of the coastal regions of the known world. His editor A. Berthelot demonstrated that Avienus' land-measurements were derived from Roman itineraries but inverted some sequences. Berthelot remarked of some names on the Hispanic coast "The omission of Emporium, contrasting strangely with the names of Tarragon and Barcelona, may characterize the method of Avienus, who searches archaic documents and mingles his searches of them with his impressions as an official of the fourth century A.D." (Barthelmy, Introduction). Ora maritima was a work for the reader rather than the traveller, where the fourth century present intrudes largely in the mention of cities at the time abandoned. More recent scholars have emended the too credulous reliance on Avienus' accuracy of his editor, the historian-archaeologist Adolf Schulten. Another ancient chief text cited by Avienus is the Periplus of Himilco, the description of a Punic expedition through the coasts of western Europe which took place at the same time of the circummnavigation of Africa by Hanno (c. 500 BC).
Ora Maritima includes reference to the islands of Ierne and Albion, Ireland and Britain, whose inhabitants reputedly traded with the Oestrymnides of Brittany.
In Praise of Folly is an essay written in 1509 by Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam and first printed in 1511.
It starts off with a satirical learned encomium after the manner of the Greek satirist Lucian, whose work Erasmus and Sir Thomas More had recently translated into Latin, a piece of virtuoso foolery; it then takes a darker tone in a series of orations, as Folly praises self-deception and madness and moves to a satirical examination of pious but superstitious abuses of Catholic doctrine and corrupt practices in parts of the Roman Catholic Church—to which Erasmus was ever faithful—and the folly of pedants (including Erasmus himself). Erasmus had recently returned disappointed from Rome, where he had turned down offers of advancement in the curia, and Folly increasingly takes on Erasmus' own chastising voice. The essay ends with a straightforward statement of Christian ideals.
Waltharius was the son of Alphere, ruler of Aquitaine, which in the 5th century, when the legend developed, was the centre of the Visigothic kingdom of Toulouse. When Attila invaded the west, the western princes are represented as making no resistance. They purchased peace by offering tribute and hostages. King Gibicho, here described as a Frankish king, gave Hagano as a hostage (of Trojan race, but not, as in the Nibelungenlied, a kinsman of the royal house) in place of his infant son Guntharius; the Burgundian king Heriricus, his daughter Hiltgunt; and Alphere, his son Waltharius.
Hagano and Waltharius became brothers in arms, fighting at the head of Attila's armies, while Hiltgunt was put in charge of the queen's treasure. Presently Guntharius succeeded his father and refused to pay tribute to the Huns, whereupon Hagano fled from Attila's court. Waltharius and Hiltgunt, who had been betrothed in childhood, also made good their escape during a drunken feast of the Huns, taking with them a great treasure. The story of their flight forms one of the most charming pictures of old German story. They were recognized at Worms, however, where the treasure excited the cupidity of Guntharius. Taking with him twelve knights, among them the reluctant Hagano, he pursued them, and overtook them at the Wasgenstein in the Vosges mountains (Vosagus). Waltharius engaged the Nibelungen knights one at a time, until all were slain but Hagano, who held aloof from the battle, and was only persuaded by Guntharius to attack his comrade in arms on the second day. He lured Waltharius from the strong position of the day before, and both Guntharius and Hagano attacked at once. All three were incapacitated, but their wounds were bound up by Hiltgunt and they separated friends.
De reditu suo sive Iter Gallicum
Rutilius Claudius Namatianus was a Roman Imperial poet, notable as the author of a Latin poem, De Reditu Suo, in elegiac metre, describing a coastal voyage from Rome to Gaul in 416. The solid literary quality of the work, and the flashes of light it throws across a momentous but dark epoch of history, combine to give it exceptional importance among the relics of late Roman literature. The poem was in two books; the exordium of the first and the greater part of the second have been lost. What remains consists of about seven hundred lines.
Querolus
The plot concerns the attempt by a pretended magician, Mandrogerus, to cheat the poor and grumpy Querolus of a treasure hidden in his house. Querolus’ father Euclio, dying abroad, had confided the location of the treasure to Mandrogerus.....
The Tale of Two Lovers (Latin: Historia de duobus amantibus) written in 1444 was one of the bestselling books of the fifteenth century, even before its author, Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini, became Pope Pius II. It is one of the earliest examples of an epistolary novel, full of erotic imagery. The first printed edition was published by Ulrich Zel in Cologne between 1467 and 1470.
The novel is set in Siena, and centers around the love story of Lucretia, a married woman, and Euryalus, one of the men waiting on the Duke of Austria. After an uncertain beginning, in which each is in love but unaware that it is reciprocated, they begin a correspondence, which takes up much of the rest of the novel and turns into a red hot love affair. Before writing his first love-letter, Euryalus quotes Virgil in defence of his position, Amor vincit omnia et nos cedamus amori.
Gesta Romanorum
This is the complete editon of the Gesta Romanorum, a medieval collection of short stories covering many topics such as romance, love, betrayal and faith. The simple stories are ideal for anyone learning Latin as the language used is easy to understand and straightforward. The spelling has been adjusted to that of classical Latin and medieval terms not found in average Latin dictionaries are explained in footnotes.
Historia Apollonii Regis Tyrii
This novel from late antiquity is written in simple and readable Latin ideal for intermediate students of Latin or anyone wishing to relax with an entertaining book. It tells the story of King Apollonius who falls in love with a princess and has to flee from her father who wants to murder Apolonius. It is a story of romance and adventure in a distant time that has delighted readers for centuries.
This edition comes with a brief glossary of terms in English, German and French.
INSULA THESAURARIA
This classic tale of heroism and adventure was translated in 1923 by Arcadius Avellanus, the first and possibly most famous of modern Latinists who is said to have been the last native speaker of Latin.
Nicolai Klimii Iter Subterraneum
A science fiction novel by Ludvig Holberg that must probably count as the earliest forerunner of Jule Verne's "Journey to the Centre of the Earth". It is the entertaining story of a man who travels into an underground world where he comes upon a society very different from ours.
Liber Kalilae et Dimnae
Liber Septem Sapientium
The "Liber Kalilae et Dimnae" is the medieval translation of the Panchatantra (Five Principles) which was originally a collection of Sanskrit and Pali animal fables in verse and prose. The original Sanskrit text is now long lost and was probably composed in the 3rd century BC. It is attributed toVishnu Sama. However, it originates in older oral traditions that probably go back to the origins of language and India's earliest social groupings of hunting and fishing folk gathered around campfires.
The "Liber Septem Sapientium" is a 12th century translation by Jean de Hauteseille (Joannes de Alta Silva) and is of Persian or Indian origin.
This edition comes with a glossary of medieval Latin terms in English, German and French.
Rebilii Crusonis Annalium
This is the 1884 translation by A F. W. Newman of Daniel Defoe's classic adventure story that has fascinated readers of all ages since it was first published. The translation was made to help school children practise and enhance their Latin in an enjoyable way.
This edition comes with a glossary of difficult Latin terms in English, German and French.
Fabulae Divales
The stories in this book were translated by Arcadius Avellanus. They are: Aladdin's Lamp, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, The Water of Life, The Swans, and Little Cherry.
Included are the original footnotes explaining the origin and meaning of many terms and the translator's thoughts.
Eudemia
A man goes on a journey and comes across a mysterious island where he has many adventures.
"Iam Seiani coniuratio palam illuxerat et Tiberii crudelis animus in omne genus feritatis eruperat, cum ego, Flavius Vopiscus Niger, et mecum Paulus Aemilius Verus, qui in eiusdem coniurationis societate tanquam in equo Troiano includebamur, veriti eius saevitiam, noctu clam navim quae in Africam solvebat, ascendimus, ut inde in remotissimas orbis terrae partes transferremur, ubi neque Tiberii neque Urbis nomen audiretur."
Utopia, Nova Atlantis & Civitas Solis
THOMAS MORE: DE OPTIMO STATU REIPUBLICAE DEQUE NOVA INSULA UTOPIA
De optimo statu reipublicae deque noua insula Utopia sermonis quem Raphael Hythlodaeus uir eximius, de optimo reipublicae statu habuit liber primus, per illustrem uirum Thomam Morum inclitae Britanniarum urbis Londini et ciuem, et uicecomitem.
Franc. Baconis: Nova Atlantis
Navigamus e Peruvia ubi per annum integrum commorati sumus. Petebamus autem Chinam &c Iaponiam. Commeatur in duodecim menses nobiscum portantes, atque per spatium quinque mensium et amplius, ventis secundus ab ortu flantibus, licet lenioribus et reminioribus, usi sumus. Tum vero vertit se ventus et ab occidente per multos dies constanter spiravit.
Thomae Campanellae: Civitas Solis
EIA quaeso, memora tandem quaecunque tibi hac in navigatione contigerunt. GEN. Narravi iam quo pacto totius orbis terrarum peragraverim gyrum, ac demum in Taprobanam pervenerim coactusque fuerim in terram descendere, ubi incolarum metu sylvam adierim ex qua tandem egressus in planitiem magnam prorsus sub aequatore constiterim. HOSP. Hic quid tibi accidit?
Metamorphoseon (Asinus Aureus)
A man is transformed into a donkey and goes through many adventures as people around him do all sorts of things not knowing that there is a witness.
When he went to see his wealthy client Philip Vantine he did not expect to to witness a gruesome murder that was the beginning of a series of mysterious events. How was the victim killed, all alone in a room with doors and windows closed? Who is the shadowy criminal mastermind? And what is the mystery of the Boulé Cabinet?
This thrilling murder and detective novel comes with footnotes by the translator explaining new and unusual terms as well as a glossary of difficult words.
Phoenician Captain Mago is instructed by King David to go on a voyage to bring back precious building materials for the temple in Jerusalem. In his adventures Captain Mago travels to Egypt, Crete, Italy, Iberia and past the Pillars of Hercules into the unkown where the world is said to end.
From the Preface: For children who like fairy stories and romance, who like to read of sea-fights and adventure, this account of "The Adventures of Captain Mago" has been translated into excellent Latin by Dr. Arcadius Avellanus, and my advice to those who take the book up, is - don't turn the reading into work. The Latin is not very difficult. Some of the descriptions may not be easy, but descriptions can be passed over and the action is not hard to follow. After reading a few pages in this manner you will be surprised to find that the book can be read for the sake of the story; go a little further and forms and rules which were hard to learn from the grammar will have concrete meaning and a familiar air. Long before the end you will like Latin and will begin to find class-room work much easier.
Difficult terms are explained in a glossary in English and German.
A father sits under a tree with his children and tells them the story of Robinson Crusoe. The children learn not only the story but in a series of conversations discover what is moral behavior and where Robinson went wrong. The story is told from a Christian perspective and helps the children come nearer to God.
The book combines all the original excitement and adventure with many conversations about sundry issues that provide an excellent opportunity to practice Latin.
A boat lands on the shores of ancient Sicily. A foreign knight steps ashore and anon comes across a pulchritude in dire straights. Savage bandits threaten her and our knight quickly intervenes to save the beautiful lady. Without knowing it he has already become embroiled in the politics of the kingdom that will cost many a good man his head. Intrigue, love, peril and pukka adventures await the knight.
273 Jokes in Latin told by Poggius. A collection of humorous and indecent tales.
De Equestri Palliato
Ibam semel ad Pontificis Palatium. Transibat quidam e nostris palliatus equester, et forsan implicitus curis. Hunc quispiam cum detecto capite revereretur, non animadvertit Episcopus. At ille superbia aut arrogantia factum existimans: 'Hic,' inquit, 'asini sui medietatem nequaquam reliquit domi, sed totum secum defert.' Significans eum asinum, qui se reverentibus non responderet.
