Reltuk optime
I am by no means and expert but I have looked at several beginning courses and would say that what you say is true: Caesar is typically introduced directly after basic grammar has been completed. One course for example is Henle’s “Latin” in four volumes intended for catholic school kids and dating, I believe, from the forties of the last century. First year is all grammar and model sentences; Second year is all about Caesar; third, Cicero; and on the fourth year, selections from Virgil are introduced. There is a progression in difficulty and all-in-all the intention is to impart an impression of the so-called Age of Augustus. Other methods take a similar, but not identical, approach.
Not all authors, obviously, are equally difficult. In general poetry is deemed tougher than prose - although some prose authors are notoriously tough; Tacitus comes to mind. But, please note, I have not read the complete works, only selections such as appear in introductory works, of any of these authors.
You should know that Caesar’s work on the conquest of Gaul is not really a multi-volume work as we know it. A “book” in classical terms is equivalent, more or less, to a chapter for us. This is because a “liber” was equivalent to one scroll which is not nearly as much the 200+ pages we are accustomed to reading in a typical book. There are many editions of Caesar’s “Gallic War” available in a single volume.
After you’ve completed basic grammar, cruise around the net. There are a number of “libraries” out there. Abbe Lhomond’s “De Viris Illustribus”
(Sp.?, early 18th century and intended for students) is a nice easy prose summary of, if I remember correctly, Tacitus’ history commonly called "Ab Urbe Condita (“From the Founding of the City”). It is my guess that many of the stories about the Horatii, for instance, found in beginning texts owe their provence to this simplifed prose paraphrase of a much more difficult work.
Yes, then, authors vary in their difficulty. But in the case of Caesar, I’ve had occasion to think, he is not just easy because of his direct style, for it is that, but on account of his subject matter; after all, it’s all about war and discriptions of military engagements. You read one account and then the next one is almost the same, at least in terms of the vocabulary and syntax. But don’t, please, ask for examples - I’m no expert. Quite frankly, however “easy” Caesar may be, he sometimes bores me because military history just isn’t my thing - just too challenging for my SEVERE ADD.
Not all authors from the Middle Ages or even late antinquity are equal in difficulty. I dare say you’ll find the Vulgate (Jerome) far easier to take in than Augistine though they are near contemporaries.
Authors in our native tongue, English (I presume), vary immensly in their difficulty. This stems both from their individual styles and from the subject matters that they address. After all, although certainly you “know” English, it’s obvious that some authors, depending on style and subject matter, are far more difficult than others. The same is true of Latin, and, for that matter, of any other language.
Okay, then, Caesar is easy; and Virgil is tougher. But how much tougher? I’d like see some of our experts and amateurs here give their lists for the “3 easiest authors” and “3 toughest authors” - from various periods.
These random and insubstantial thoughts concerning the matter at hand having come to a conclusion, I wish you, each and every one, a good night.
Kynetus
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