Chinese Latin Learners Community | 拉丁语学习社区

原贴：Varro This anonymous textbook, which had its first edition in Cologne in 1491, is a sensible approach to learning Latin. It reflects the heady days after the introduction of the printing press. Finally, the author notes in the introduction, each student has his own book and teacher and pupils don't have to scream themselves hoarse yelling out the text. The exemplar I used (from Cologne in 1499) bears testimony to the truth of the author's preface, for it bears a multitude of childish scribbles, showing that, yes, books had made it to the mini masses. Prologus in quo grammatice necessitas demonstratur [G]rammatice noticia eiusque institutio que latinum et grecum ideoma docet ante omnes alias artes. omnesque superiores facultates adeo quidem opportuna et necessaria perhibetur: ut ipsa de se sane posset dicere 'sine me nihil potestis facere' Quantum philosophi.oratores.theologi.iuriste.medici. atque sophiste nil possunt sine greca linguaque latina. quarum doctrix est grammatica. Quis oro sine grammatica sperandus est poeta. quis historiarum scriptor. quis causarum orator. quis contra hereticos valens disputator. aut quis unquam alteri deditus studio sine grammatica fuerit. Tolle grammaticam et certe omnium studiorum labor inanis est Quintiliano dicente. Grammatica nisi studiis gravioribus fundamenta fide litet[ed. fideliter] iecerit quicquid superstruxeris corruet. Ideo grammatica ceteris artibus sane potest dicere sine me nihil potestis facere. Est preterea omnibus linguis atque nationibus ideoma communissimum et nobilissimum omnibus scientiis fundamentum omnibus litterarum studiosis lumen et ornamentum. Proinde ut ait Quintilianus grammatica est necessaria pueris. iocunda senibus et dulcis ambulantium comes. que sola omnium studiorum plus habet operis quam ostentatonis. Quisquis igitur litterarum amator si quid in secretis philosophorum dictis. si in poetica et oratoria facultate. si in ceteris bonis artibus illustribusque doctrinis proficere cupiat ante omnia id curet ut congrui sermonis rationem habeat ut non barbare non inepte. sed apte latineque mentis conceptum exprimere sciat. ne dum maiora at illustriora prosequatur: turpiter cum dedecore in minoribus labi videatur. Grammatica enim secundum Alphorabium inventa ne in lingua erretur ne in sermone peccetur. Postremo grammatica est philosophorum poetarum et oratorum ideoma sub quo suas sententias suaque archana tradiderunt. Qua re si nostris ingeniis non omnia scibilia invenire sufficimus. sed philosophorum aliorumque egemus auxilio. quippe illorum ideoma (quod sola grammatica docet) scire nobis expedit. Sane igitur ipsa et libere potest dicere. sine me nihil potestis facere. Prologue, in which is shown the need for grammar The practice of grammar and its instruction, which teaches the Latin and Greek languages, more than all other arts and all advanced pursuits is considered so useful and necessary that Grammar could rightly say about itself, "You all are powerless without me." Philosophers, orators, theologians, lawyers, doctors, and scholars can do nothing without the Greek and Latin tongues, which Grammar teaches. Who, I ask you, hopes to be a poet without grammar? Who a historian? Who a trial lawyer? Who a successful debater against heretics? and who, finally, would be a scholar in any other discipline were it not for grammar? Take away grammar and the effort in every discipline is certainly in vain, according to Quintilian. Unless Grammar is rigorously set as the foundation to the more serious disciplines, whatever heights you have erected will tumble. So Grammar can rightly say to the other arts "You all are powerless without me." And besides, the [Latin] language is the most familiar to all tongues and nations, the noblest foundation to every science, the light and ornament to every scholar of literature. Wherefore, as Quintilian said, grammar is necessary for children, pleasant for the aged, and a sweet companion for travellers, which alone of all disciplines consists of a show of knowledge not a knowledge of showmanship. Therefore, the lover of literature, whether he hopes to master the secret sayings of the philosophers, or poetic or oratorical skill, or other good arts and illustrious trades, let him take care above all else that he has a grasp of correct speech, so that he knows how to express his mind, not in a vernacular pastiche nor ineptly, but well and in pure Latin. That way, when he continues on to bigger and nobler tasks, he won't risk disgracefully and dishonorably tripping up over lesser things. For, according to Alphorabius, grammar was invented so that mistakes in language are not made nor sins in speaking committed. Finally, grammar consists of the language of the philosophers, poets, and orators, through which they have passed down their opinions and secrets. Therefore if we, using our natural-born abilities alone, are unable to discover all that is knowable, but in fact need the help of the philosophers, it helps us to know their language (which grammar alone teaches). Wherefore Grammar herself can freely say "You are powerless without me." Complanctus super puerorum nimia detentione in obscuris et prolixis et inutilibus grammatice Gravi merore et iniquo animo ferendum existimo. cum ipsa grammatica apud omnes nationes una sit. eius tamen institutio et dogmatisatio nimium multiplicatis et diversis opusculis traditur atque voluminibus. Sunt nonnulli qui super Alexandri partes commentatia cudunt longa: obscura:et inutilia: quibus parvorum ingenia perturbant et obtundunt. atque non recto tramite sed per devia ad finem grammatice ducunt. quo fit ut in vanis vilibusque rebus in grave puerorum dispendium impensas et opera perdunt. Ach, quanto satius illis frivolis tamque pestiferis reiectis ad illustriora studia se conferrent. Habent italici preceptores laudabiles consuetudines. qui pueros sibi ad erudiendum commissos primis aliquantulum iactis fundamentis: statim ad virgiliana carmina: comediasque therentianas et plautinas omnium poetarum principes collocant. Epistolasque familiares Tullii: cum de amicicia. de senectute.de paradoxis et ceteris ad manus habent. Complaint Concerning the Excessive Occupation of Children With the Obscure, Verbose, and Useless Aspects of Grammar With a heavy heart and a mind ill at ease, I consider it necessary to state that, while there is one and only one grammar among all nations, its instruction and theory is however passed down in an excessive amount of diverse tracts and textbooks. There are quite a few people who knock off commentaries on the sections of Alexander [de Villa Dei, a popular grammar handbook in verse form]. These commentaries are invariably long, obscure, and useless and serve to confuse and baffle the minds of the young. What's worse, they don't provide a straight path to the goal of grammar, but little roads to nowhere. This results in these textbooks wasting money and effort to the serious detriment of the children. Ach, how much better it would be to trash that pernicious trivia and focus on more illustrious studies. The Italian pedagogues have quite praiseworthy customs. They take the childrem entrusted to their care and, after tossing them a smattering of the basics, point them to the Vergilian poems, the plays of Plautus and Terence: the princes of all poetry. The Family letters of Tullius [ Cicero, of course ] together with the De Amicitia, De Senectute, De Paradoxis, [Cicero's works On Friendship, On Old Age, On Paradoxes]and whatever else they have on hand. Ut preceptorum labor minuatur Pro pueris nostris instruendis in hoc opusculo non est opus lectione pervia quum ipsa res clarissime atque facillime ante oculos est depicta. Scolarium igitur rectores preceptores atque lectores non sua capita frangant legendo vociferando clamando. Sed maiore vel minore lectione discipulis data pro eorum qualitate conditione et etate ipsi legant et relegant resumant repetant. Et post auditionem atque redditionem perceptoribus suis factam. tunc semel aut bis in die septeni vel octeni petitiones atque questiones in auditis et redditis inter se faciant sub pena mutuo se vexantes. Hec enim vexatio mirabilem dabit intellectum. To Reduce Teachers' Workload In this little handbook there is no need for complicated lectures to teach our children, since the matter itself is extremely clearly and easily depicted right before their eyes. So therefore principles, teachers, and readers won't break their heads by reading, yelling, and shouting. Instead, after giving students a large or small passage to read (in accordance with their ability, experience, and age), let them read, reread, summarize, and repeat for themselves. And after they've turned in work and recited to their teachers, let them then quiz and question one another once or twice in about a week concerning what they've heard and turned in, harassing each other in turn with punishments [for incorrect answers]. For this process of mutual harassment will give them an amazing understanding. Ego sum vermis et non homo Unique among grammar books of its time, the Exercitium devoted considerable space to word order and syntax. This excerpt from the end of the book concerns predicate nominatives. The example sentences are particularly interesting because it gives one an idea of the pedagogy practiced by German teachers of the time. Optima distinctio Dicam plane pro pueris et noviter incipientibus quos moneo ut diligenter notent sex Quando. que sequuntur. Quando post verbum substantinum sequitur adiectum.illud semper ponatur in nominativo sub convenientiatrium cum substantino precedente. ut populus est bonus.gens est bona. vulgus est bonum Ad istum modum reducitur quando dictum vel attributum. vel appellatum reddit superpositum ad est.fuit.vel erit. tunc sepe sequitur pronomen in neutro genere. Unde scriptura. Scire tempora et momenta non est vestrum. Sedere ad dexteram vel sinistram non est meum De appellato Terentius Ut omnia recte fiant suum erit videre Quando post verbum substantinum sequitur nomen substantinum. et in vulgari sonat eyn non curando si pertineat ad idem cum substatino precedente sive non semper ponetur in nominativo Exempla sunt Petrus est mercator Peter ist eyn kauffman Johannes fuit grossa bestia Johannes wa? eyn gross beyst Ego sum vermis et non homo Ich bin eyn worm und nit eyn mensch I am a worm and not a human. I will speak simply for the benefit of boys and recent beginners, whom I warn to pay close attention to the six Whenever's that follow. Whenever an adjective follows a noun, it should always be put in the nominative in agreement with the preceding noun. Like populus est bonus, gens est bona. vulgus est bonum. [ the people are good, the race is good, the mob is good] It works out the same way whenever a word is placed next to est, fuit, or erit. [is, was, will be], either before or after. In that case a pronoun will often follow in the neuter gender. Hence in the Scripture: Scire tempora et momenta non est vestrum. [Know the time and moments are not yours.] Sedere ad dexteram vel sinistram non est meum [Sitting to the right or left side is not my thing.] Terence, placing it before the verb: Ut omnia recte fiant suum erit videre [His will be the task of seeing that everthing is done right.] Whenever the a substantive noun follows a noun, and in the common tongue you'd say "eyn" [indefinite article "a"], non even bothering about whether or not it has the same [gender] as the preceding substantive, it will always be placed in the nominative. Examples are: Petrus est mercator Peter ist eyn kauffman [Peter is a merchant.] Johannes fuit grossa bestia Johannes wass eyn gross beyst [John was a big beast.] Ego sum vermis et non homo Ich bin eyn worm und nit eyn mensch [I am a worm and not a human. (A quote from Psalm 21)]