De Spectaculis / On the Spectacles: A Latin Reader with Macrons

By Tertullian   Edited by Timothy A. Lee and Raphael N. Celia  

Book 1 in Latin Patristic Readers

This is a Latin reader for De Spectaculis / On the Spectacles. Tertullian’s De Spectaculis argues that Christians must reject Roman public entertainments, such as the circus, theatre, and gladiatorial games, because they are rooted in pagan worship and incite sinful passions like lust, cruelty, and vanity. Drawing on Psalm 1:1, he presents these spectacles as spiritually dangerous environments dominated by demonic influence, urging believers to pursue holiness through separation and devotion to Christian teachings.

This book is designed as a useful cost-efficient tool for students learning Late Latin or studying the text. The book immerses the reader in the text in order to build confidence reading it as quickly as possible. To achieve this, all uncommon words that occur 8 times or fewer in the book are glossed as footnotes. This enables the reader to continue reading every passage unhindered. Therefore, the book complements traditional language grammars and is especially ideal for beginner and intermediate students learning to read Late Latin. However, even advanced readers will appreciate the glossing of the rare words, since it saves time reading the text.

Other features include:

• Map of Tertullian’s world in Latin
• Introduction to Tertullian and this book
• Paradigm charts of noun and verbs
• Glossary of all the words not glossed below the text
• Wide margins

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