Aimed especially at ‘the reader who has little or no knowledge of the ancient world, or of ancient languages’ this book seeks to convey ‘a feeling for’ different ways of thinking, feeling and expression in Latin verse. But absolute beginners may well struggle. For, although explanations are offered for some basic linguistic features (ablative absolutes as late as p. 153), none is offered for other simple terminology such as dative or participle. For learners who do not yet read with fluency there is plenty here to inspire them to progress. But I suspect that it will appeal to a different audience too: those who recall the pleasures of Latin from schooldays will undoubtedly find this a most agreeable reintroduction to the world of Latin poetry. If the title of this volume were something like ‘How to Read Latin Poetry: a Beginners’ Guide', it might not be so enticing (that italicised ‘yet’ is a confident come-on), but it would perhaps give a better impression of the contents and how it succeeds.

For succeed it does in introducing such fundamentals as genres, metre, the possibilities of word order, wordplay and the differences between Latin and English modes of expression. Although not arranged as a literary history it pays due attention to the cultural background of authors (Augustan and Neronian are sharply distinguished) and sets their works within the literary tradition. Amid the discussion of longer works, passages are selected for closer analysis but it is with short poems that the qualities of the Latin can be most easily demonstrated. Among the most obvious choices is Horace, Odes 1.5 which F. uses to good effect: he is particularly good on enjambment and other metrical effects both here and elsewhere. But the Pyrrha ode is not only exploited for its Latin, but also to make a contrast with the poetic voice of Sulpicia, his perhaps surprising, but effective choice as the opening of Chapter 2 on love poetry, especially elegy. Other chapters cover abuse, invective and filth (Catull. 97's last line is aptly ‘disgusting’), Horace, Virgil, Lucan and Seneca, Lucretius and Ovid's Metamorphoses, and finally a glimpse of the medieval world beyond Hadrian's animula.

There are a few irritating mistakes which should have been corrected at proof stage, most annoyingly: ou for au (as in now) in the pronunciation guide, quoque for quotque (Catull. 49.2), fine (pronounce feenay ) on imperium sine fine. The writing in one or two places seems rushed: Dido falling in love with a little help from the gods is both cliché and understatement, and the comparison of Horace's ‘cultural imperialism’ in stealing Greek metres to plundering Greek works of art just does not work. By using Greek metres, Horace does not deprive the Greeks of anything. To state that English has no diminutives is to ignore duckling, cigarette, booklet, manikin, and dear old Maggie among other pet names. But these are minor blemishes in an otherwise stimulating book.