On the Latin Language, Vol. I

and ideas. Of this portion, Books II.-IV. were probably an earlier smaller work entitled De Etymologia On Etymology or the like; it was separately dedicated to one Septumius or Septimius, who had at some time, which we cannot now identify, served Varro as quaestor a public treasurer or official. Book II. presented the arguments which were advanced against Etymology as a branch of learning; Book III. presented those in its favour as a branch of learning, and useful; Book IV. discussed its nature.

Books V.-VII. start with a new dedication to Cicero. They treat of the origin of words, the sources from which they come, and the manner in which new words develop. Book V. is devoted to words which are the names of places, and to the objects which are in the places under discussion; VI. treats words denoting time-ideas, and those which contain some time-idea, notably verbs; VII. explains rare and difficult words which are met in the writings of the poets.

Books VIII.-XIII. dealt with derivation of words from other words, including stem-derivation, declension of nouns, and conjugation of verbs. The first three treated especially the conflict between the principle of Anomaly, or Irregularity, based on consuetudo popular usage, and that of Analogy, or Regularity of a proportional character, based on ratio relation of form to form. VIII. gives the arguments against the existence of Analogy, IX. those in favour of its existence, X. Varro's own solution of the conflicting views, with his decision in favour of its existence. XI.-XIII. discussed Analogy in derivation, in the wide sense given above: probably XI. dealt with nouns of place and associated terms, XII. with time-ideas, notably verbs, XIII. with poetic words.