The translations of Cicero are so numerous, that for the Italian translations I must refer the reader to Paitoni, Biblioteca degli autori antichi Greci e Latini Volgarizzati, Tom. I. p. 219; and Argelati, Biblioteca degli Volgarizzatori, Tom. I. p. 214. For French versions, to Goujet, Bibliotheque Françoise, Tom. II. p. 221; and, for English, to Brüggemann, View of the Editions and Translations of the Ancient Greek and Latin authors, p. 481.
For the benefit of those who wish to prosecute their inquiries into the subject of Roman Literature, I have subjoined a note of some of the most important Books which treat of the subject. An asterisk is prefixed to the titles of those works which have been consulted by me in the compilation of the preceding pages.
Aimerichius.—Specimen veteris Romanæ Literaturæ deperditæ vel adhuc latentis, seu Syllabus Historicus et Criticus veterum olim notæ eruditionis Romanorum, ab urbe conditâ ad Honorii Augusti excessum, eorum imprimis quorum Latina opera vel omnino vel ex parte desiderantur. Ferrara, 1784. 8vo.
“This work is intended to give an idea of Roman literature, from the foundation of the city to the death of the Emperor Honorius. The preface, written by a friend of the author, gives an account of the manner in which the Romans lived, both in the capital and in the provinces, during this long period. The historical and literary Syllabus contains, under nine articles, a variety of literary matters. In the first, the Abbé Aimerichius gives us brief notices, and a critical review of the ancient Roman writers, both Pagan and Christian, whose works were extant in public or private libraries, before the death of the Emperor Honorius. In the second, we have the titles and subjects of several works which have been lost, but which have been cited or indicated by contemporary writers, or writers nearly such, whose testimonies are related by our author. The third contains an account of the most celebrated public or private libraries, that were known at Rome before the death of Honorius: and, in the fourth, we have the author’s inquiries concerning the pronunciation of the Romans, their manner of writing, and the changes which took place in their orthography. In the fifth, the Abbé treats of the magistracies that could not be obtained, either at Rome or in the provinces, but by men of letters, as also of rites and sacrifices, of luxury, riches, public shows, &c. In the sixth, he gives his particular opinion concerning the ancient literature of the Romans, and the mixture of the Latin and Greek languages which they employed, both in their conversation and in their writings. The seventh contains an indication of the principal heresies that disturbed the church, from the time of the Apostles to that of Honorius; and the eighth several memorable facts and maxims, not generally known, which belong to the literary, civil, military, and ecclesiastical history of this period. In the concluding article, the Abbé takes notice of the Latin works which had been lost for a considerable time, and shows how, and by whom, they were first discovered.”—From this account, which I have extracted from Horne’s Introduction to the Study of Bibliography, I regret extremely that I have had no opportunity of consulting the work of Aimerichius.
Blessig.—De Origine Philosophiæ apud Romanos. Strasburgh, 1770. 4to.
Becmannus.—Manductio ad linguam Latinam cum Tractatu de Originibus Linguæ Latinæ. 1608. 8vo.
*Casaubon.—De Satyrica Græcorum Poësi et Romanorum Satira libri duo, in quibus etiam Poëtæ recensentur, qui in utrâque poësi floruerunt. Halæ, 1774. 8vo.
This treatise, which is one of the most learned and agreeable productions of Casaubon, is the source of almost everything that has been written by modern [pg A-58]authors, on the subject of the satiric poetry of the Romans. Casaubon traces its early history in the Fescennine verses, the Atellane fables, and the satires of Ennius and Lucilius, and vindicates to the Romans the invention of this species of composition, for which, he contends, they had no model in the poetry of the Greeks.
Cellarius.—Dissertatio de Studiis Romanorum Literariis. Halle, 1698. 4to.