Salve!
Lucius lectori clarissimo salutem plurimam dicit.
I’ve decided to begin writing a blog about post-antique Latin literature because, as far as I can gather, there isn’t one. My plan is simple enough. Essentially, I’m going to review Latin works written from late antiquity until around 1950 as if they were books sent to me by my editors at the Historical Novel Society. The only real difference will be the inclusion of citations and, of course, links to sites where one can freely access the work in question. To ensure I can post regularly and cover as many books as possible, I will probably keep these little reviews under 300 or 400 words. I may also occasionally include Classical Latin works that are especially dear to my heart.
If all goes as planned, this site will become a place for fellow lovers of Latin literature to find new books to read - something I only wish I’d had access to when I began reading Latin. I wouldn’t be surprised if something like this already exists. After all, the vast majority of extant Latin works were written after the classical period. There’s so much more to Latin than Cicero and Caesar, after all! These works are also more diverse. Most surviving books written by women date from the middle ages or later (e.g., the fascinating writings of Hildegard). Yet, sadly, these books are almost never read in a classroom setting. They certainly aren’t on the AP curriculum or classics PhD reading lists. Therefore, it is up to nerds like me to promote them.
Cura maxime ut valeas!
Scribebam Romae ante diem sextum Nonas martias anno 2024