Latin, Gentle Reader, is the name given to that language that was spoken (for thus saith the Encyclopædia Britannica) by small groups of people living along the lower Tiber River. Blessed be their memory for evermore, these small groups of people living along the lower Tiber River! For they spoke the language of Western Civilization. By the language of Western Civilization I do not mean French, English, or Greek, or any other inferior tongue: I mean Latin.
But Latin is a dead, pointless language! some people say. Why bother to learn it? I trust that you, O Gentle Reader, do not belong to this category. But those who do are making what appears at first sight to be a perfectly reasonable comment. It is not, indeed, necessary that we all be able to write imitation Cicero. But if we are to understand our historya thing sadly neglecte