PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. THE Edition of the first decad of Livy, of which I now publish the first instalment, is intended to put the reader in possession of the information necessary for forming a judgment not only about the meaning but also about the truth and value of what Livy says. In other words, it comprises a historical as well as a philological commentary. The reader will, therefore, be prepared to find the quantity of annotation somewhat large, and may even not refuse to believe me when I assure him that I have studied compression throughout. Nevertheless, it is the first book of the decad more than any later one that presents difficulties to the historical student, for it is the first book that suggests the principal questions which have occupied so many scholars since Niebuhr's time. I expect to be able to elucidate the rest of the decad as fully by means of a much shorter commentary. I have found it possible to throw my historical elucidation of this book into the form of a continuous essay, which will bear to be read by itself. It will be found, however, that I have not wandered from my author's text in order to do this, but that every section of the Historical Examination is a commentary upon some definite passage or passages of it. Questions which the text does not suggest are, therefore, passed over, even such as I should have discussed at length had I been merely writing an essay on the regal period of Rome. For instance, the vexed question of the clients is reserved for the next volume. The patricians are discussed here because Livy discusses them; but as the plebs remains quite in the background throughout the first book, I have refrained as much as possible from discussing it. I have to acknowledge valuable help received from the Dean of Christ Church and from Mr. Max Cullinan, Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. THE alterations made in this edition are confined to the grammatical notes, but here they are not inconsiderable. A complete, accurate, and clearly-arranged account of the peculiarities of Livy's language has at last been given to the world by Dr. Ludwig Kühnast, in his book entitled 'Die Hauptpunkte der Livianischen Syntax' (Berlin, 1871). With this collection in our hands we proceed with quite a new feeling of confidence in the task of ascertaining this author's meaning and even of settling his text. It has enabled me to improve a great many of my notes by substituting for references to Latin Grammars, or statements of the general usage of Latin writers, statements of the Livian usage supported by lists of parallel passages from Livy himself. |