Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- MAP OF ITALY
- BOOK THIRD: FROM THE UNION OF ITALY TO THE SUBJUGATION OF CARTHAGE AND OF THE GREEK STATES
- CHAPTER I CARTHAGE
- CHAPTER II THE WAR BETWEEN ROME AND CARTHAGE CONCERNING SICILY
- CHAPTER III THE EXTENSION OF ITALY TO ITS NATURAL BOUNDARIES
- CHAPTER IV HAMILCAR AND HANNIBAL
- CHAPTER V THE WAR UNDER HANNIBAL TO THE BATTLE OF CANNÆ
- CHAPTER VI THE WAR UNDER HANNIBAL FROM CANNÆ TO ZAMA
- CHAPTER VII THE WEST FROM THE PEACE OF HANNIBAL TO THE CLOSE OF THE THIRD PERIOD
- CHAPTER VIII THE EASTERN NATIONS AND THE SECOND MACEDONIAN WAR
- CHAPTER IX THE WAR WITH ANTIOCHUS OF ASIA
- CHAPTER X THE THIRD MACEDONIAN WAR
- CHAPTER XI THE GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNED
- CHAPTER XII THE MANAGEMENT OF LAND AND OF CAPITAL
- CHAPTER XIII FAITH AND MANNERS
- CHAPTER XIV LITERATURE AND ART
- CORRECTIONS
CHAPTER XIV - LITERATURE AND ART
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 October 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- MAP OF ITALY
- BOOK THIRD: FROM THE UNION OF ITALY TO THE SUBJUGATION OF CARTHAGE AND OF THE GREEK STATES
- CHAPTER I CARTHAGE
- CHAPTER II THE WAR BETWEEN ROME AND CARTHAGE CONCERNING SICILY
- CHAPTER III THE EXTENSION OF ITALY TO ITS NATURAL BOUNDARIES
- CHAPTER IV HAMILCAR AND HANNIBAL
- CHAPTER V THE WAR UNDER HANNIBAL TO THE BATTLE OF CANNÆ
- CHAPTER VI THE WAR UNDER HANNIBAL FROM CANNÆ TO ZAMA
- CHAPTER VII THE WEST FROM THE PEACE OF HANNIBAL TO THE CLOSE OF THE THIRD PERIOD
- CHAPTER VIII THE EASTERN NATIONS AND THE SECOND MACEDONIAN WAR
- CHAPTER IX THE WAR WITH ANTIOCHUS OF ASIA
- CHAPTER X THE THIRD MACEDONIAN WAR
- CHAPTER XI THE GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNED
- CHAPTER XII THE MANAGEMENT OF LAND AND OF CAPITAL
- CHAPTER XIII FAITH AND MANNERS
- CHAPTER XIV LITERATURE AND ART
- CORRECTIONS
Summary
The influences which stimulated the growth of Roman literature were of a character altogether peculiar and hardly paralleled in any other nation. To estimate them correctly, it is necessary in the first place that we should glance at the national education and national recreations of this period.
Knowledge of languages
Language lies at the root of all mental culture; and this was especially the case in Rome. In a community where so much importance was attached to speeches and documents, and where the citizen at an age, which is still according to modern ideas regarded as boyhood, was already intrusted with the uncontrolled management of his property and might find himself under the necessity of formally addressing the public assembly, not only was great value set all along on a fluent and polished use of the mother-tongue, but efforts were at an early period directed to acquire a command of it in the years of boyhood. The Greek language also was already generally diffused in Italy in the times of Hannibal. In the higher circles a knowledge of that language, which was the general medium of intercourse for ancient civilization, had long been a far from uncommon accomplishment; and now, when the change in the position of Rome had so enormously increased the intercourse with foreigners and the foreign traffic, such a knowledge was, if not necessary, yet in all probability of very material importance to the merchant as well as the statesman.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The History of Rome , pp. 414 - 479Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1862