Ancient Roman Word Theory. M. Terenzius Varro (116–27 BC), from Rieti, was distinguished for his immense knowledge as an archaeologist, historian, philologist, student of the sciences, farmer, and poet. He was a Republican who reconciled with Julius Caesar and was chosen by him to oversee a planned national library. Of the more than seventy works he produced, which included hundreds of volumes, only his treatise "On Agriculture" (LCL 283) and part of his monumental work "On the Latin Language," a work characteristic of the author's interest not only in archaeological subjects but also in the collection of scientific data, have survived.

Initially, the work consisted of twenty-five books divided into three parts: the etymology of Latin words (Books 1–7); their inflections and other changes (Books 8–13); and syntax (Books 14–25). From the entirety of the work, (somewhat incomplete) Books 5–10 survive. These derive from the section (Books 4–6) that applies etymology to words of time and place, as well as to poetic expressions; the section (Books 7–9) regarding analogy as it pertains to the creation of words; and the section (Books 10–12) that applies analogy to the origin of words. Varro's work contains many valuable insights for the study of the Latin language.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of "On the Latin Language" is in two volumes. Pages: 432