The purpose of this volume is threefold. It seeks to illustrate the poet’s magical art of moulding heterogeneous substances into a harmony; it traces the growth of the epic spirit in his works; and it lays before the reader an account of the Eclogues, the Georgics, and the Minor Poems attributed to Virgil, in which, as is not always done, the interpretation of the poet’s art is accompanied by such an exposition of the contents of his works that the reader may perceive the basis of the judgments given. In the case of the Aeneid, for which such an exposition is not so necessary, attention is centered on Virgil’s transformation of romance into tragedy, his infusion of tragedy into epic, and his magical art of making over modern places—the Palatine, the Sibyl’s cave at Cumae—to fit the demands of an epic of primitive times.

This vigorous, colloquial translation of The Menaechmi was made for the performance of the play given by the Harvard Classical Club on March 19 and 20, 1930. To it Professor Packard of Harvard has added numerous stage-directions, which are intended to suggest his interpretation of the stage business exhibited in the actual performance. The volume will therefore be of value to other groups presenting the play as well as to those readers who wish to renew acquaintance with a singularly sprightly bit of ancient drama.

A Christian polymath embraces reason against misfortune in poetry and prose.

Boethius (Boetius)—Anicius Manlius Severinus—Roman statesman and philosopher (ca. AD 480–524), was son of Flavius Manlius Boetius, after whose death he was looked after by several men, especially Memmius Symmachus. He married Symmachus’ daughter, Rusticiana, by whom he had two sons. All three men rose to high honors under Theodoric the Ostrogoth, but Boethius fell from favor, was tried for treason, wrongly condemned, and imprisoned at Ticinum (Pavia), where he wrote his renowned Consolation of Philosophy. He was put to death in 524, to the great remorse of Theodoric. Boethius was revered as if he were a saint and his bones were removed in 996 to the Church of S. Pietro in Ciel d’Oro, and later to the Cathedral. The tower in Pavia where he was imprisoned is still venerated.

Boethius was author of Latin translations of Aristotle, commentaries on various philosophical works, original works on logic, five books on music, and other works. His Consolation of Philosophy is the last example of purely literary Latin of ancient times—a mingling of alternate dialogue and poems. His Theological Tractates are also included in this volume.

There is magic in this brief appreciation of Horace, his poetry and his outlook on life; for the reader is irresistibly compelled to put out his hand and take down either the original or a translation of Horace’s works. If any words of any modern man can keep alive the memory of an ancient, certainly Mr. Rand’s will do so. We wish that everyone pretending to literary taste could be required to read the essay.