Edmund Luce presents a systematic method for mastering Latin translation at sight, designed to overcome the common failure of students to comprehend ancient texts. The author argues that traditional reliance on rote preparation of set books produces chaos rather than genuine linguistic skill. To remedy this, the volume begins with a thorough introduction explaining how to analyze vocabulary through English and French derivatives, prefixes, and suffixes. Special attention is given to the structure of the Latin period and the emphatic order of words, teaching learners to follow the natural thought process of the original writers.
The core of the method is illustrated through six detailed demonstrations showing how sentences are attacked, broken up, and accurately interpreted. The bulk of the book consists of a rich collection of Latin passages chronologically arranged to illustrate Roman Republican history from the regal period down to the civil strife ending in revolution. These texts are accompanied by graduated notes providing historical explanation and translation help, while miscellaneous passages offer unassisted practice across a wide range of authors. Appendices supply essential reference lists of conjunctions, prefixes, suffixes, and cognates, alongside short lives of authors and chronological outlines. Through this rigorous combination of structural analysis and historical context, students learn to grapple successfully with the bare text of classical writers.
