Kicking Roman Butt

[P. Lilius Frugius Simius]

Ah, it's for a novel!

Yup!

I want to write a historical novel telling the Visigoths deeds from Adrianople to Ataulf's death, concentrating on Alaric's figure, but also in the whole dramma involved in all sides: Visigoths and other barbarian populi, Romans, and "collateral" damages, as Germanic invasions after the battle of the Frigidus river, onto Gallia and Hispania (gotta check if they also entered into Britannia during this timeframe). Ever read Hannibal, by Gisbert Haefs? That's my reference, and my ideal. I know, I know, but you gotta aspire to something, so it better is good, uh? ;-) )

OTOH, I have a truly hoplological, linguistical and historical, overall, interest. But only from the amateurishm, not from a scientific or professional POV.

And, lastly, I fimly believe in the educative value and potential of historical novelling/fiction. I want to move people, to entertain them, but also to make them feel the History, the forces, feelings and thoughts of our forefathers, and how they can, if they work on it, translate the teachins of our ancients to nowadays, most of it is still 100% valid and current... Thus, I want to be as precise and true as I can w/o getting crazy or paralyzed. So it's historical, hoplological, humane, but also educative interests...

I think I can get most of Kortlandt's reference works in the nearby Utrecht University Library, but much of it is in German...is that a problem?

Unfortunately, it is. I tried German years ago, either the method wasn't good, or the language generates too long words for my memory :-P -) )

Might Manczak's articles be useful? I could look them up and copy them... 8) (almost all of the publications are present in Utrecht) though right now I don't have much time for that...

I dunno, let me check what they are about, and I'll let you know. I really appreciate your offer, and there's no rush, I'm planning on start writing this year's NaNoWriMo, November 1st. The truth is, my budget is really bleeding, I've already invested well over €200 in books (and all those I have had to leave behind!!!!). For an amateur writer with just The Itch, but no hope of being publised in the next decade (at least), it's starting to become a problem (with my spouse :-P P it's hard to justify yet another book about the Visigoths or the Late Roman Empire! And don't start me talking about the 7 grammar and syntax and translation books of Latin (and more that I need to really learn it), and the modern and ancient books in latin that I have bought to practice, just to be able to get access to some ancient sources I annot get in english or spanish or french or italian (maybe I could if I travelled, dunno...)

I'd reimburse any expense, of course... (but let me first check them!)

Ah, btw, one of the books quoted by Kortlandt is Dennis Howard Green's "Language and history in the early Germanic world" (look here: http://www.cambridge.org/uk/catalogue/c ... 0521794234 ).
It's available through Amazon, has a chapter on the goths, and doesn't cost and arm and a leg...(£21).

Another recent book is Ingemar Nordgren's "The Well Spring of the Goths: About the Gothic Peoples in the Nordic Countries and on the Continent. Based on his PhD thesis, about the same price as Green's book and even available as an E-book for a paltry $6 here:
http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/cgi-bin/item/059578450X

Couldn't find a review, but I suspect it makes a (partly corrective?) case for re-establishing some sort of Scandinavian link for the Goths.

I'll have a look, thanks!

I assume you're also aware of Peter Heather's "The Goths"?

Valete,

Chariovalda

No, not yet, at least... I'll hunt for it (I have just got Wolfram's Goths book, I got a smaller one by him, in a different collection, but it's not the same, of course...)

thanks a lot!
ave atque vale!

PS- I hope nobody's in London, or has any relative/friend/... affected in London... Today I revived a small version of Madrid's March 11th... It was pretty hard by then (not affected, but almost!) and it hasn't been easier today. Kallisti!