[lit-ideas] Downloading Theodor Mommsen's History of Rome
- From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Lit-Ideas " <Lit-Ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 7 May 2014 10:17:15 -0700
About Mommsen, Mark Twain (according to Wikipedia) wrote, "When apparently
the last eminent guest had long ago taken his place, again those three
bugle-blasts rang out, and once more the swords leaped from their scabbards.
Who might this late comer be? Nobody was interested to inquire. Still,
indolent eyes were turned toward the distant entrance, and we saw the silken
gleam and the lifted sword of a guard of honor plowing through the remote
crowds. Then we saw that end of the house rising to its feet; saw it rise
abreast the advancing guard all along like a wave. This supreme honor had
been offered to no one before. There was an excited whisper at our
table-'MOMMSEN!'-and the whole house rose. Rose and shouted and stamped and
clapped and banged the beer mugs. Just simply a storm!
"Then the little man with his long hair and Emersonian face edged his way
past us and took his seat. I could have touched him with my
hand-Mommsen!-think of it! ... I would have walked a great many miles to get
a sight of him, and here he was, without trouble or tramp or cost of any
kind. Here he was clothed in a titanic deceptive modesty which made him look
like other men."
I have had the first two volumes of Mommsen's History of Rome, in English
translated by Dickson, for several years. Periodically I check to see if
the other 3 volumes are available some place in reasonable condition and for
a reasonable price. And then just a few moments ago I learned that one can
download the entire five sets to one's Kindle from Guttenberg. I was able
to download it to my Kindle for PC (which is free), but I couldn't figure
out how to download it to my Kindle device (which cost $99). The Kindle
for PC has much more capability and I am slowly getting used to reading
things on my laptop. I have Oppenheimer's The Origins of the British on
both my PC & device. So if I lose track of my "location" on my laptop for
example (as a result of trying to check a reference and being unable to get
back to where I was reading) I can refer to my Kindle device.
Lawrence
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