Ars grammatica
Encyclopedia
An Ars grammatica is a generic or proper title for surveys of Latin Grammar.
Extant works known as Ars grammatica have been written by
The most famous Ars Grammatica since Late Antiquity
into the modern day has been that composed by Donatus
.
Donatus' Ars Major is only a little longer, but on a much more elevated plane. It is a list of stylistic faults and graces, including tropes
such as metaphor
, synecdoche
, allegory
, and sarcasm
. Donatus also includes schemes such as zeugma
and anaphora.
is a Latin
grammatical treatise
. Diomedes wrote probably in the late 4th century AD. The treatise is dedicated to a certain Athanasius
.
The third book on poetry is particularly valuable, containing extracts from Suetonius
' De poetica. This book contains one of the most complete lists of types of dactylic hexameter
s in antiquity, including the teres versus, which may (or may not) be the so-called "golden line
."
The Ars of Diomedes still exists in a complete form (although probably abridged). It was first published in a collection of Latin Grammarians printed at Venice by Nic. Jenson, about 1476. The best edition of Diomedes's Ars Grammatica is in H. Keil's Grammatici Latini, vol I.
Extant works known as Ars grammatica have been written by
- Aelius DonatusAelius DonatusAelius Donatus was a Roman grammarian and teacher of rhetoric. The only fact known regarding his life is that he was the tutor of St...
- Maurus Servius Honoratus
- Diomedes GrammaticusDiomedes GrammaticusDiomedes Grammaticus was a Latin grammarian who probably lived in the late 4th century AD. He wrote a grammatical treatise, known either as De Oratione et Partibus Orationis et Vario Genere Metrorum libri III or Ars grammatica in three books, dedicated to a certain Athanasius. Since he is...
- CharisiusCharisiusFlavius Sosipater Charisius was a Latin grammarian.He was probably an African by birth, summoned to Constantinople to take the place of Euanthius, a learned commentator on Terence...
- Pseudo-Remmius PalaemonRemmius PalaemonQuintus Remmius Palaemon was a Roman grammarian and a native of Vicentia. He lived during the reigns of Emperors Tiberius and Claudius.From Suetonius we learn that he was originally a slave who obtained his freedom and taught grammar at Rome. Suetonius preserves several anecdotes of his profligate...
The most famous Ars Grammatica since Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
into the modern day has been that composed by Donatus
Aelius Donatus
Aelius Donatus was a Roman grammarian and teacher of rhetoric. The only fact known regarding his life is that he was the tutor of St...
.
Donatus' Ars Grammatica
Two Ars Grammatica circulate under the name Donatus. The first, the Ars Minor, is a brief overview of the eight parts of speech: noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, participle, conjunction, preposition, and interjection. (Nomen, pronomen, verbum, adverbium, participium, coniunctio, praepositio, interiectio). The text is done entirely in a question and answer format. "How many numbers does a noun have?" "Two: singular and plural."Donatus' Ars Major is only a little longer, but on a much more elevated plane. It is a list of stylistic faults and graces, including tropes
Trope (literature)
A literary trope is the usage of figurative language in literature, or a figure of speech in which words are used in a sense different from their literal meaning...
such as metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
, synecdoche
Synecdoche
Synecdoche , meaning "simultaneous understanding") is a figure of speech in which a term is used in one of the following ways:* Part of something is used to refer to the whole thing , or...
, allegory
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
, and sarcasm
Sarcasm
Sarcasm is “a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt.” Though irony and understatement is usually the immediate context, most authorities distinguish sarcasm from irony; however, others argue that sarcasm may or often does involve irony or employs...
. Donatus also includes schemes such as zeugma
Zeugma
Zeugma is a figure of speech in which two or more parts of a sentence are joined with a single common verb or noun. A zeugma employs both ellipsis, the omission of words which are easily understood, and parallelism, the balance of several words or phrases...
and anaphora.
Diomedes' Ars Grammatica
The Ars grammatica or De Oratione et Partibus Orationis et Vario Genere Metrorum libri III by DiomedesDiomedes Grammaticus
Diomedes Grammaticus was a Latin grammarian who probably lived in the late 4th century AD. He wrote a grammatical treatise, known either as De Oratione et Partibus Orationis et Vario Genere Metrorum libri III or Ars grammatica in three books, dedicated to a certain Athanasius. Since he is...
is a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
grammatical treatise
Treatise
A treatise is a formal and systematic written discourse on some subject, generally longer and treating it in greater depth than an essay, and more concerned with investigating or exposing the principles of the subject.-Noteworthy treatises:...
. Diomedes wrote probably in the late 4th century AD. The treatise is dedicated to a certain Athanasius
Athanasius (disambiguation)
Athanasius or Athanasios, is a Greek male name which means immortal. It is commonly shortened to Thanasis, Thanos or Nasos.The name Atanas is derived from it.Notable people with this name include:...
.
- Book I the eight parts of speech;
- Book II the elementary ideas of grammar and of style;
- Book III poetry, quantity, and meters.
The third book on poetry is particularly valuable, containing extracts from Suetonius
Suetonius
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, commonly known as Suetonius , was a Roman historian belonging to the equestrian order in the early Imperial era....
' De poetica. This book contains one of the most complete lists of types of dactylic hexameter
Dactylic hexameter
Dactylic hexameter is a form of meter in poetry or a rhythmic scheme. It is traditionally associated with the quantitative meter of classical epic poetry in both Greek and Latin, and was consequently considered to be the Grand Style of classical poetry...
s in antiquity, including the teres versus, which may (or may not) be the so-called "golden line
Golden line
The golden line is a type of Latin dactylic hexameter frequently mentioned in Latin classrooms in English speaking countries and in contemporary scholarship written in English.-Definition:...
."
The Ars of Diomedes still exists in a complete form (although probably abridged). It was first published in a collection of Latin Grammarians printed at Venice by Nic. Jenson, about 1476. The best edition of Diomedes's Ars Grammatica is in H. Keil's Grammatici Latini, vol I.
External links
- On-line Latin texts of major Latin grammarians at the Corpus Grammaticorum Latinorum
- scanned page of William Smith (lexicographer)William Smith (lexicographer)Sir William Smith Kt. was a noted English lexicographer.-Early life:Born at Enfield in 1813 of Nonconformist parents, he was originally destined for a theological career, but instead was articled to a solicitor. In his spare time he taught himself classics, and when he entered University College...
- Latin texts of all of Aelius Donatus, including the Ars Minor and all the parts of the Ars Major