Customer Reviews

Cato and Varro: On Agriculture (Loeb Classical Library No. 283)

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If you are interested in the history of agriculture this is a fine book. Varro and Cato are engaging and chatty writers. They also offer practical advice for farm management. It's easy to see why these books have survived for so long.

It's somewhat of a strange sensation to read this translated text, by two authors dead for over 2100 years. The narrative is presented in both Latin and English. With the book being open at some location, the left page is in Latin, the right in English.

The details of farming might still be familiar to present day farmers. Some are timeless maxims about animal husbandry. Like raising pigs or sheep. The cultivation of numerous crops is also described. Grapes. Apples. Etc. There is also careful attention to the need for manure, to keep the soil fertile. Crop rotation does not seem to be mentioned. It may have been unknown to the Romans.

If you are looking for a book on Agriculture, this is one that is a good resource for learning about agriculture. Cato and Varro both lived a life of simplicity and did follow the principle of "hard-work". They were both satisfied with their accomplishments and were teaching the basics of agriculture in their writings. In Cato's writing, he imparts medical and cooking advice, which the recipes he shares are his homemade remedies. In Varro's writing, he teaches farm managment and the care of livestock. In the writings of both authors, they both shed light on the ancient Roman religion, which is very important in understanding what life was like in ancient Rome. Overall, I like this book for historical purporses and I do like the fact that the book contains Latin and English.