Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 11.djvu/899

* LATIN LITERATURE. 815 LATIN UNION. the third century. It was an age of devitalized paganism, and often very crude Christianity, and many a recent convert 'ruslied into print' before lie really understood the doctrines that he pro- claimed. Such was the rhetorician Arnol)ius, author of a defense of Christianity, with tlic title Advcrxiis Xatinncs. Arnobius's pupil, the rhe- torician I,act:intius, was of a far higher type of mind, indeed we should call him a surpassing genius in contrast with the intellectual level of his time. Though a zealous Christian, he loved the pagan writers, and his style is as Ciceronian as was possible in the third century. A number of pagan writers of the time of Uiocletian and Constantine (Spartianus, Capitolinus. Trebcllius Pollio, Gallicanus, Vopiscus, Lanipridius), are grouped iiiider the general name Scriptores Ilis- toriic .ugnsta and have left for us popular ac- counts of the emperors of the second and third centuries. In contrast with the purely scholastic work of the pagans and the constructive and propagandist writings of the Christian writers, we have now also a poem of real genius, wholly pagan in tone, and by an unknown autlior — the Perrif/ilium Vf'»m's, a charming song in praise of springtime and love. In the fourth century Christianity became the recognized tState religion; but ])aganism could not be stamped out by law, and many of the most noted writers were still pagans. Thus, the noble- man Avienus as a poet followed the classical mod- els in his translations from the Greek and in his epigrams; and if his pagan poetry is over- weighted with rhetoric, that was the fault of his time. D. Magnus Ausonius (c.310-.3.5 a.d.) combined a love of the old Roman litcratire and a deep knowledge of Latin poetry with a high respect for Christianity, to which, at last, he was converted. His MoscUii is one of the most perfect gems in the Latin language. The repre- sentative Christian poet was Prudentius (A.n, 348-e.410), who adds to perfect versification orig- inality of subject, for he treats of wholly Chris- tian themes, as the martyrdom of the saints, etc. The last struggle of philosophic — or rather, reminiscent — paganism is splendidly depicted in the writings of Symmachus (c.34.5-40.) a.d.), one of the most attractive characters in the whole range of Latin literature. The two great theologians of the century- are Ambrosius (Saint .Ambrose), Bishop of Milan (c.340-397 A.n.), anil Hicronynuis (Saint .Jerome — A.D. 331-420). History was represented by .-urelius Victor, who published in a.d. 3(10 a history of the Ca-sars; by Eutropius, author of an Epitome of Roman Hislor/i; ami — most important — by Ammianus Marcellinus, the last Latin historian of ancient Rome, a zealous imitator of Tacitus, of whose Histofid- he intended his own work to be a continuation. A few writers on learned and tech- nical sid)jccts should also be noted: the gramma- rians Donatus (whose Ars Grammnticn became the text-book of the Middle Ages), Charisius and Diomedes; the lexicographer Nonius Jlar- cellus; the Vergilian connnentator Servius; the astrologer Firmieus Maternus: and the military writer Vegctius. The passage from the fourth to the fifth century marks the era of the last of the great pagan poets, Claudius Claudianus, author of epic poems and epigrams of high classical fin- ish, often reminding one of Statins. This was the age, also, of Saint .ugustine (..D. 3.54-430), Bishop of Hippo in Africa, author of very nu- merous theological and morifl works, notably the Confcisionc.s and the Ue ('ii:ilnlc Dei. Macrobius, while still a ])agan, wrote the Nnturnalin. a mass of notes in literary criticism and antiquarian lore in the style of (Jellius's octes Attica', and a commentary on Cicero's tSomtiiutn Scipioniti. The Spanish ])riest Orosius was the author of a History of the World, from the Creation to A.u. 417, written from the Christian standpoint. Un- der Theodosius, in a.d. 438, the Imperial edicts from the time of Constantino were collected in the Codex Theodosianus. The last great names of the fifth century were ApoUinaris Sidoniu3 and Dracontius. The former (c.430-4SO A.D.), as Bishop of Clermont in France. ])ublished jioems and letters; the latter, a Carthaginian, wrote a long didactic ptx^m l)e I.duilihus I)' i. In the sixth century the ancient Latin literature conies to an end with the great grammar, /»- stitutiones Grammaticcr, of Priseianus; the phi- loso])hical works of Boethius (died a.d. 524), especially his De Conaolalione Philosophi. com- posed in prison; and the ^^'orld-t'hronicle and lesser works of Cassiociorius. BiBLiOGR.vniY. The standard works of refer- ence on Latin literature are: TeulVcl, Gesehichte der riimischcn Litlciatur (oth ed. by Schwalje, Leipzig, 1890), with English translation by Warr; History of liomnn Literature (London, lS!)l-!)2) ; and Schanz, "(Jcschichte der riimisch- cn Litteratur," in vol. viii. of Miillcr's Haiidbtich der Iclassischen Altertuiiisieissenscliaft (Munich, 1890-99). The best modern manuals are those of Mackail (New York. 189.5); Pichon (Pari<, 1898); Cruttwell (New York, 1888); and Sim- cox (2 vols.. New York, 1883), See also Mayor, Guide to the Choice of Classical Books (London, 1898). For suggestive essays on phases of Latin literature see Nisard, Etudes de la poesie latine and Essais sur Ics poetes latins de la decadence (Paris, 187.5) ; Patin, Etudes sur la poesie latine (Paris, 1883) ; Sellar. lioman Poets of the lie- jiuhlic and Roman Poets of the Augustan Age (Oxford, 1892); Tyrrell, Latin Poetry (Boston, 1893) ; Nettlcship, Lectures and Essays (Oxford, 1895). LATIN QUARTER. See Quartieb Latin. LATIN UNION. Hy the monetary convention of Dc cr 23. lSii5, Fniiice, Belgium, Switzer- land, and Italy entered into a treaty for the uni- fcu'iu regulation of coinage in these States. This association of States in a common monetary policy was known as the Latin I'nion. The French monetary law of 1803 had established both gold and silver as full legal-tender coinage. Under its provisions the two and five franc pieces were exact nuilti]des in wciirht of the one-franc coin. During the early bimetallic ex|w^rience the pressure for the exportation of coin fell chiefiy upon gold, and diil not therefore greatly disturb the money circulation of every day. But with the discovery of gold in California and Australia, gold fell relatively to silver, and large quantities of silver were export- ed, as gold was substituted for it in the monetary circulation. The coins first selected for export were naturally the larger five-franc pieces, but as time )irogressed the smaller coins were drawn upon and the people sulTered great inconvenience from the diminution in the volume of small coins. In ISfil a French commission appointed to inquire into the state of the coinage reported in favor of making the small coins