Latin Phrase-Book

A treasure trove of Roman expression, organized for the student who wants not just to read Latin but to write it. Carl Meissner's 1894 phrase-book arranges thousands of classical Latin idioms by subject: domestic life, politics, law, religion, warfare, nature, human emotion. Each category gathers the authentic phrases Roman writers actually used, so you can find exactly the right expression for your argument, your letter, your oration. Originally compiled in German and translated into English with supplements by H.W. Auden, this was the standard textbook for generations of students who needed to compose in Latin rather than merely parse it. The 50-page index makes it browsable as well as functional. Whether you are translating Cicero or composing your own Latin, this book unlocks the language's expressive power in a way that grammar charts alone cannot. It remains, over a century later, an indispensable companion for anyone serious about Latin as a living tongue rather than a dead one.