Eutropius

[Barry Hofstetter]

I searched the archives and already found some good discussion on the use of Eutropius. Next year I have a 4th year class (out of 5 years) ready to read selections from Cicero, Ovid, and for the second half of the year either Caesar or Vergil as I prepare that class for the following year's AP course. Every student in this class is a top performer, a couple of them not quite as top performing as the others. I was thinking of using Eutropius for in class rapid sight reading drills, as much to build confidence as for actual Latin practice, since I find Eutropius not far removed in difficulty from Ritchie's Fabulae Faciles. Good idea? Other authors who could fit this (and I do plan on doing sight readings from more difficult authors)?

[metrodorus]

Eutropius was the traditional 'first classical author' - but suffers from being rather dry.

John Stirling has a Latin paraphrase of Eutropius which can be a useful tool to use alongside the text, for classroom teaching.

Other accessible authors used as introductory authors were Curtius and Cornelius Nepos.

[Barry Hofstetter]

Eutropius was the traditional 'first classical author' - but suffers from being rather dry.

John Stirling has a Latin paraphrase of Eutropius which can be a useful tool to use alongside the text, for classroom teaching.

Other accessible authors used as introductory authors were Curtius and Cornelius Nepos.

Thanks for the response. I envision "sight reading drills" taking about 5 minutes, similar to a quiz and using a short selection from an author. I agree that Eutropius is a bit dry, but in small amounts should be fine. Nepos is another author I was thinking of using as well. Hadn't thought of Curtius, I'll have a look.

[Hylander]

Short excerpts, chosen for ease, from Seneca's Epistulae Morales?

[Dantius]

I agree that Eutropius is a good easy author.
By the way, a medieval writer named Paul the Deacon wrote a work called Historia Romana which is basically an expanded version of Eutropius. The 10 books of Eutropius are fleshed out with slightly more detail, and 5 extra books are added to the end. Especially the parts about the emperors (book 7 and on) are pretty interesting, and Paul the Deacon incorporates a few funny anecdotes from Suetonius.

[rothbard]

The Historia Augusta is probably suitable as an introductory text as well.

[Hylander]

Maybe select passages from Suetonius, too.

[bedwere]

Maybe this edition with Greek parallel text could be useful to introduce the students to that language.

Eutropi Breviarium ab urbe condita cum versionibus graecis et ...,

[Barry Hofstetter]

Maybe this edition with Greek parallel text could be useful to introduce the students to that language.

Eutropi Breviarium ab urbe condita cum versionibus graecis et ...,

Now, that's a hoot. Thanks -- I wasn't even aware of the existence of the Greek version. Several of my students in that class have more than once expressed a desire for Greek, but time, alas, is limited, and I'll only be making limited use of Eutropius anyway.

[Dantius]

The Historia Augusta is probably suitable as an introductory text as well.

The first sentence there has a typo (vetustiora for vetustior)! Either way, I haven't read the Historia Augusta but from what I've read about it it's a lot like Suetonius (except not really as good in some aspects of style). It seems simple enough, though not nearly as easy as Eutropius.