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Rating: 
Summary: Classic of Roman National Mythology
Review: Professor Luce has done an admirable service to students of ancient history with his new translation of Livy. In addition to the able and idiomatic translation, the volume possesses very helpful but not overly cumbersome explanatory notes. Students in my introductory ancient history course appreciated both the lively content of Rome's founding mythology and the quality of the edition.
Rating: 
Summary: Awful
Review: The only way to do this translation by T.J. Luce the justice it deserves is to refrain from buying it.Stylistically, this history of Rome tries to jazz up classical prose by using the worst, least pleasing of modern expressions. "Situation warranted," "He told her to clear out and fast," "He would be mighty sorry for it" are just a few examples of a translation that is really more of a pillage than an English rendition. The book is also rife with the grossest of typos--errors that a high school newspaper editor could have caught, and that the author himself has no excuse for missing on the galley proofs. On top of the above killing flaws, the book sports numerous grammatical gaffes. The writer doesn't know when to use "nor" rather than "or." Subjects are out hunting for verbs, and often come home with plurals rather than singulars, or singulars rather than plurals. You will find yourself fighting the text to get a sense of this magnificent history. But no matter how poorly translated, the brilliance of Rome's rise overmasters the translator's butchery. Livy's descriptions of the dictators, the consuls, the tribunes, and the plebeians make the characters feel incredibly authentic. The story of Rome, too, is an exciting one. As a "read" the book does get repetitive. Early Romans butchered their neighbors and then went home to haggle about local politics, and repeated this cycle for the better part of four centuries--a prescient blueprint for modern democracies. I highly recommend Livy, but suggest trying a different translator.
Rating:
Summary: most intreging
Review: Yes I am only 14 years old but listen to what I have to say.I am in 8th grade,and have always found the roman empire fasinating.So one day I asked my teacher how the roman empire started.Of corse I know the mith,Romulus and Remus were rased by wolfs and sarted rome on the 7th hill.But I wanted to know the truth.So my teacher gave me the book The Rise of Rome.It anserd all of my questions and I gained new knowledge and a better under standing of the roman empire.I was reading a review hear at amason and it said the book was awful because it had inadequet translations,like useing new age frases insted of old world words.Well DUHHHHHH!!!!! This is the new world.That is not a good enogh reason of why not to read the book.It dosnt matter how the book is transilated,as long as the meaning and story is the same.So for all of you who are intrested in the roman empire I highly recomend this book.
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