PREFACE. 
The present work was undertaken in the belief that an important want existed, and with the 
hope of doing something to supply that want. The Latin dictionaries now in common use what- 
tlie ulan^oT “!? l T “ Whi ' h ^ d ° what the ^ P™P«> <° d °. «« essentially deficient in 
so ni l h y al ,° “ ecuted - 11 k somewhat remarkable that, for nearly a century past 
“ little been done in England towards the systematic lexicography of the Latin ton-ue Not’ 
that he lesearchesofthcleat-ned have been either shallow or fruitless, but that no one”has been 
-ound to turn them to account. This work by no means pretends to make up the defect, but aim, 
chiefly to present the classical student with the results of the investigations of the most eminent 
ITowntagC m,S ° thelWiSe haVe bee “ inaccessible “ inconvenient form or an 
Lunemann. Of the faithfulness of the execution of the work, the public will judge; bin itma^not 
be anii & s to state, in few words, the characteristics of the plan on which it is founded 
The peculiar province of lexicography is, doubtless, the exact definition of words; but considered 
even thus strictly it is not wholly independent of many other sources of knowledge The mere 
notation of a word, indeed, is an encroachment upon orthography, one of the parts of Grammar • and 
he least attempt to explain a technical term, a trespass upon the particular art to “h may 
long. It is vain then, if it were desirable, to avoid touching, or even entering to some extent into 
o her apparently distmct departments of knowledge. But there seems to be no valid reason why J 
tionaiy certainly, of an ancient language, may not in some measure assume the form of an 
cycopedia, if fuller illustration of the meaning and use of words is thereby afforded more 
T % aS S '; lC ’ 1 a W ° rk mUSt needs fa]1 int0 the ha «ds of many who are scantily furnished with 
means of information upon the auxiliary departments of history, antiquities &c. not to sav 
grammar. In such a case, the work is better overdone than come tardy off. It is hoped then that 
e occasional detail, which has been indulged in with respect to these accessory matters so far 
iom eing viewed as superfluous, will prove some recommendation of the work. It will be per 
" 1 " StaUCC ; that in such . words ns carira, circus, and the like, and especially in the names 
belons-inff t ^ tnbumiS ’ &c ^’ nian > r thi ngs are introduced which, though strictly 
6 g o the province of antiquities, throw light upon the meaning of the words and their 
erivanves. It will also be observed that, in accordance with the same" principle,much LlZ 
bestowed upon proper names and their derivative adjectives and substantives This it is 
presumed, is none the less important for having been hitherto so much neglectedThe and 
posing mythology of the ancients was admirably adapted for the groundwork of their poetry and 
the poets have accordingly built much upon it. It being thus, in & a measure, the s^e o/lhe"r 
r ' ’ 1S ^ ® UrpnS1Ug that P assin g allusions are made to their mythical gods and heroes with a 
equency which can never he approached in similar cases in any modern language • and th^ from 
Q »e names of these illustrious personages, they have formed various epithets, — as the flexible nature 
without anSUageS ’ eSpeClalIy the Gl ' eek) enabledthem to do, —which would be utterly unintelli°ible 
fome to tr 6 aCqUamtai ! Ce With theh * fabulou « traditions. The same remark applies with equal 
the! ° Se anC1 ° nt Clt,eS and llllIs ’ whlch had become consecrated by so many recollections tint 
Xrsn; prop r:i of t,,e ^ n ° ° n ° « 
unless , mean , 16 SUU ’ ° r Wl,at e ? uw * Trojanus would denote in its figurative sense 
simila A ha<1 . som ® knowledge of the derivation of these words. This holds good also of other 
^ar deriva tive adjective. When we find in Catullus <M«« le VatinLo, this is a riddle 
