De Lingua Latina X

Book excerpt: De Lingua Latina X has never been so courageously edited nor so daringly translated as in this long-awaited sequel to Taylor’s Declinatio (SiHoLS 2). The editor’s intimate familiarity with both the extant archetype and Varro’s unique linguistic theory and practice make this volume indispensable for an understanding of LL X, one of the most important texts in the entire corpus of Latin grammatical writings. The stimulating Prolegomena introduce Varro, his revolutionary language science, book ten, and both the manuscript and the editorial traditions, and the Commentary explains in absorbing detail how and why the editor has set the text as he has. The world’s foremost Varro scholar of this day has successfully combined classical philology and the history of linguistics to produce an inspired new edition and novel translation of book ten of Varro’s magnum opus.