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As explained in the editor’s Introductory Note, readings are givenin two forms. For this e-text, line breaks and numbers were retainedin the simplified version for use with the Notes. In the unchangedversion, each chapter is a single paragraph.
THE
GATE TO CÆSAR
BY
WILLIAM C.COLLAR, A.M.
Head Master Roxbury Latin School
BOSTON, U.S.A.
GINN & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS
1895
Copyright, 1891,
By William C. Collar.
All Rights Reserved.
Typography by J. S. Cushing & Co., Boston,U.S.A.
Presswork by Ginn & Co., Boston, U.S.A.
iii
PREFACE.
The recent discovery of a work ofAristotle has interested and delighted the whole learned world; but onemay venture to say that if, instead, a book had been found writtenin the best period of the Latin language for the amusement orinstruction of youth, by some Roman De Foe, or Goldsmith, or Lamb, orBurnett, there would be ten times the reason for rejoicing. Unhappilythere is no likelihood that we shall ever congratulate ourselves on sucha “find,” for probably no such work ever existed. What a misfortune thatit did not occur to Cicero to divert himself in some leisure hour bywriting a story for Roman youth! Millions of boys and girls in theselater ages would have had good reason to bless his name. Cæsar couldhave done it; but to him, too, the gods denied such an inspiration, andwe must suffer for it. Seeing that he had composed a treatise on LatinGrammar, one almost wonders that a mind so original and fertile shouldnot have conceived the idea of adapting his Gallic War, or some part ofit, to the powers and comprehension of youth. What measureless gratitudewould he not have won from unborn generations of schoolmasters, who havenow to struggle desperately and often unavailingly to make clear totheir pupils the meaning of his intricate periods, and untwist thestrands of his knotty syntax!
iv
Cæsar is a difficult author. Some parts of his Gallic War are ashard, or nearly as hard, as any prose Latin that has come down to us.Yet it has somehow strangely enough become the fashion to read that workfirst in a Latin course. My own conviction is that for young learners ayear’s reading in easier Latin is not too much before taking up the lessdifficult books of the Gallic War. Even then the transition to Cæsarcomes with something of a shock; for the learner is soon and of