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PREFACE.

THIS edition of Cicero's Orations and Letters is intended for the use of secondary schools. It differs in several respects from those already in general use and, as these differences are the only apology for its publication, I desire to call attention to them at the outset.

I. The Selection of Orations is very different from the usual one, and the Letters have not before been published with the Orations. Twelve years' experience in reading Cicero with pupils of from thirteen to nineteen years of age has taught me that their chief difficulty in understanding the author lies on the historical side. To read understandingly the orations against Verres, for the Manilian Law, against Catiline, for Archias, Milo and Marcellus, and against Antony, even in chronological order, requires a more minute acquaintance with Roman history than the average schoolboy possesses, and the case is worse when these orations are read in order of "ease," "merit," or "interest." I have, therefore, tried to lessen a difficulty which I could not wholly remove, by limiting the field of historical study. I have taken the Conspiracy of Catiline as the main theme, following it up with Cicero's Exile and his Feud with Clodius. The period covered is only from one-third to one-half as long as the usual one, and is the most interesting in the life of Cicero. The orations given are arranged in chronological order: Against Catiline,

I., II., for Murena, against Catiline, III., IV., for Sulla, for Sestius, and for Milo. The period between the Sulla and Sestius is covered by a selection of twenty-three Letters, equivalent to three of the shorter orations usually given. The amount of text is greater than in any other school edition, and the student will find in the specious reasoning of the Sulla, the despairing weakness of the Letters, and the passionate self-justification of the Sestius, better material for an estimate of Cicero's character than in the Manilian Law, the Archias, the Marcellus, and the one or two Philippics which they have displaced. In the text edition, however, which accompanies this, I have included the Manilian Law and the Archias for the purpose of giving material for reading at sight and with dictated notes.

II. The Introductory Matter is much fuller than in similar books. It is divided into two parts: The first contains the life of Cicero and an estimate of his character, together with an unusually full account of the events which are treated of in the orations and letters following. The second part contains an outline of the Roman Constitution as it was in Cicero's time. It has seemed to me better to put this matter in a connected form, however imperfect it may be, than to scatter it through the book in the form of introductions and notes to the several orations. The matter is divided into sections, which are numbered, and to these sections reference is constantly made in the notes. The teacher should have the second part merely read over in the class-room, making such explanations and adding such illustrations as may be necessary. The first part should then be assigned for study in convenient lessons as far as § 50 before commencing to read the first oration; the rest may be taken in order as directed

in the notes on the title of each oration and letter. The constant references in the notes will help the student to retain what he has thus learned and recited.

III. The Text presents some peculiarities. I have adopted that of C. F. W. Müller for the Orations, and A. S. Wesenberg for the Letters, both contained in the former's complete edition of Cicero's works in Teubner's series. I believe that this approaches more closely than any other to what Cicero actually wrote. But as printed here, the following changes should be noticed: 1. Where the editors supplied words necessary to the sense but lacking in the MSS. they printed them in italics-I have left them undistinguished by the type. 2. Where the editors found in the MSS., words that they did not think Cicero's, they enclosed them in brackets - I have omitted both the brackets and the words. 3. Where the editors found passages defective, or senseless and defying reconstruction, they marked them by an asterisk or an obelisk -I have omitted all such passages entirely. With these three exceptions, the Teubner text is here given. I have made these changes in order to furnish a clear, straightforward, readable text, which would make unnecessary the suggestion or discussion of various readings.

IV. The Notes are placed upon the same page as the text, for the convenience of both teachers and students, but a separate text is furnished to prevent the improper use of the notes in the class-room. These notes are intended to assist the pupil in the harder places, and to call his attention to such matters as will help him to a knowledge of the Latin language and of the life and thought of the men who used it. It follows, therefore, that they are to be studied and recited, not merely consulted or neglected at the pleasure of the

student. Three principles have been carefully regarded in their preparation: 1st. They are brief and pointed, and their tone is positive. In the many places where scholars disagree, and certainty is impossible, I have given that explanation only which seems to me the best, without a hint of other possibilities. The discussion which is so stimulating and profitable in college classes, I believe to be out of place in the preparatory school. 2d. It is assumed that what is once learned will be retained, and no notes are intentionally repeated. When an illustration occurs of a usage that has already been explained the student is merely referred to one or more passages where his attention has been called to it, a key word (case, mood, tense, etc.) being always given to assist him in getting the point desired. The teacher should insist upon a full transcription of at least one of the passages cited, with an explanation of the principle involved. 3d. Great care has been taken in making references to other books to limit these to such books as each student must and does possess. I assume that he has a Latin Grammar (Allen & Greenough's, Gildersleeve's, Harkness', or Preble's revision of Andrews & Stoddard's), a school History of Rome (Allen's, Creighton's, Myers', or Pennell's) and an edition of Caesar's Gallic War, I.-IV. To these books I make frequent reference and to absolutely no others. I have also confined quotations from other Latin authors to the four books of Caesar, which are read before Cicero is begun, and to a few passages from Sallust which are printed in extenso, and are meant to be studied in connection with the Orations against Catiline. Even in case of references to other parts of this book the student is never referred to a passage in advance of the chapter on which the note is given provided, of course, that

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