Livy: Stories of Rome by Roger Nichols (review)

378 BOOK REVI EWS/COMPTES RENDUS ROGER NICHOLS (tr.). Livy: Stories of Rome. Translations fror.1 Greek and Roman Authors. Cambridge University Press, 1982. Pp. 92, 4 maps. Paper. U.S. $4.95. ISBN 0-521-22816-6. Technically an accurate translation of two dozen stories from Livy's first nine books, this anthology presents a Livy the Latinist will not recognize, a style much less periodic and dependent, racy. For example: priori Remo augurium venisse fertur, sex vultures, iamque nuntiato augurio cum duplex numerus Romulo se ostendisset, utrumque regem sua multitudo consalutaverat: tempore ill i praecepto, at hi numero avium regnum trahebant (1.7.1-2) becomes: Remus, they say, was the first to see a sign: six vultures. This sighting had just been announced when a flock of twelve vultures displayed themselves to Romulus. Each of the brothers was then hailed as king by his supporters, shouting IIHe saw them first~1I and IIHe saw twice as many~1I The clarity and Engl ishness of this translation serve the modern student excellently. Nichols has gone for the story, and he is right. The stories selected (bypassing books 4 and 7) all have good story qualities: a minimum of reference to the struggle of the orders and endless battles with Aequi, Volsci, Hernici, and the indispensable Samnites, but strong emphasis on character, incident, values, development, structure. The titles are those, in fact, that supported the lI old-fashioned ll Ontario Latin courses: Faustulus and the twins, the Sabine women, Tullia's mutilation of her father's corpse, Brutus's oracle, Mucius Scaevola, Coriolanus, Cincinnatus, old Papirius, the sacred geese.... Only the lust of Appius for Verginia and Curtius closing the chasm seem to be missing. The linking narrative and commentary are brief, adequate, helpful. The selection relates to courses in Latin language and literature, classics in translation, ancient history, humanities, and comparative studies. The selections bring Roman IIhistory ll down to 321 B. C. (Thus a more accurate title: IIStories of ~ Rome. lI ) There are no pictures. The four maps are well designed. A BOOK REVI EWS/ COMPTES RENDUS 379 general introduction in four pages surveys the historical panorama down to Livy's day. A brief glossary explains obscure details. Reasonably sturdy for a paperback. Of course it is not Livy. The series editor suggests a use for those " who want to consider Livy's role as a writer and historian." Livy as a writer is to be found in his own Latin, not here. Livy as a historian picked out far more numerous threads than are traced here, and employed a vaster scope in which to display his idea, his faults, and his genius. Eschew the half-baked rationale. Choose Livy the story-teller, and delight in this retell ing. C. W. JEFFERYS SECONDARY SCHOOL NORTH YORK, ONTARIO E. J. BARNES 5~~B;~~.GEs;a~~~~:1i,L~;~~~;g:~~~;r~:tionCP:~~~Pe~;~1inf:a~h~sr~~ ~ Second edition. Cambridge University Press, 1982. Stages 1-12 in one volume (ISBN 0-521-28740-4), U.S. $8.95. Stages 1-12 in 12 pamphlets (ISBN 0-521-28871-1), U.S. $8.9S. i...anguage Information Pamphlet (ISBN 0-521-28792-8), U.S. $1.25. Teacher's Manual (ISBN 0-521-28872-X), U.S. $8.95. Teachers who have been using the Cambridge Latin Course for some years now will be pleased to note that the aims of the Second Edition are the same as in the First: to teach comprehension of the Latin language through reading, and to develop the students' understanding of the social and political history of the Romans. Some will also be pleased to note that the students' text is available in volume or in the customary single-stage pamphlets. The major changes in the students' textbook are as follows: (1) macrons have been added to all Latin words both in the vocabulary lists and in the reading passages; (2) traditional case names have been used; (3) a Words and Phrases Checklist, which includes the words that have been used at least three times in the reading passages and are presumably to be memorized by the students, has been added at the end of...