Ritchies Fabulae Faciles

Ritchie's Fabulae Faciles

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Title: Ritchie's Fabulae Faciles A First Latin Reader
Author: John Kirtland, ed.
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RITCHIE'S FABULAE FACILES
A FIRST LATIN READER
EDITED WITH NOTES AND A VOCABULARY BY JOHN
COPELAND KIRTLAND, Jr. Professor of Latin in The Phillips Exeter
Academy
THE LITTLE THAT IS MINE IN THIS LITTLE BOOK I
GRATEFULLY DEDICATE TO PROFESSOR JOSEPH
HETHERINGTON M'DANIELS TEACHER AND FRIEND

PREFACE
Some time ago a fellow-teacher brought the Fabulae Faciles to my
notice, and I have since used two of them each year with my class of
beginners in Latin with increasing appreciation. Indeed, I know nothing
better to introduce the student into the reading of connected narrative,
and to bridge the great gulf between the beginner's book of the
prevailing type and the Latinity of Caesar or Nepos. They are adapted
to this use not merely by reason of their simplicity and interest, but
more particularly by the graduating of difficulties and the large use of
Caesarian words and phrases to which Mr. Ritchie calls attention in his
preface.
Doubtless many American teachers have become familiar with portions
of the Fabulae, for they have been freely drawn upon in several Latin
readers recently published in this country. I venture to hope that those
who have made the acquaintance of the work in this way will welcome

a complete edition.
In England the little book has had a large use. Its pedagogical
excellencies are well summed up in a letter addressed to Mr. Ritchie by
the Very Rev. E.C. Wickham, formerly Head-Master of Wellington
College, the well-known editor of Horace:--
"It launches the student at once in ancient life. The old classical stories,
simply told, seem to me much the best material for early Latin reading.
They are abundantly interesting; they are taken for granted in the real
literature of the language; and they can be told without starting the
beginner on a wrong track by a barbarous mixture of ancient and
modern ideas.
"It combines, if I may say so, very skilfully, the interest of a continuous
story, with the gradual and progressive introduction of constructions
and idioms. These seem to me to be introduced at the right moment,
and to be played upon long enough to make them thoroughly familiar."
In revising Mr. Ritchie's book for the use of American schools it has
seemed best to make extensive changes. Long vowels have been
marked throughout, and the orthography of Latin words has been
brought into conformity with our practice. Many liberties have been
taken with the text itself, especially in the latter part, in the way of
making it approximate more closely to our rather strict notions of the
standards of model prose. A few words and uses of words not found in
the prose writers of the republic have been retained, but nothing, it is
hoped, that will seriously mislead the young student. I shall welcome
any criticism that may lead to further changes in the text in future
editions.
The notes are entirely new, and are intended for students who have but
just finished the beginner's book or have not yet finished it. Some notes
may appear at first sight unnecessary or unnecessarily hard, but the
reason for their insertion should be evident when the student begins the
reading of classical Latin, the difficulties of which will be less likely to
appal the beginner if some of them have been already conquered. I
believe it a mistake to postpone all treatment of the uses of the
subjunctive, for instance, or of the constructions of indirect discourse
until