About the Latin
The Strategemata is organised by theme, with each anecdote a few lines long. That makes it easy to read a little at a time and to stop and start.
The Latin is more formal than Nepos's and denser than the plots suggest, so it works well as a step up once biography feels easy.
How hard is it?
Difficulty 7.7 to 7.9, advanced.
Every reading in the library has a difficulty score, on a scale that runs from about 1 to 11. Beginner texts sit below 3.5 and Advanced texts above 6.8.
Most demanding here: Sentence length, Rare vocabulary, Very rare vocabulary, Unseen vocabulary, Proper names, Subordination, Vocabulary variety, Nonfinite constructions.
What you can read
3 readings, each with help on every word.
Librorum Capsula currently offers three selections from the Strategemata, on secrecy and deception, on morale, and on discipline and character. The catalog notes that the authorship of Book IV has long been disputed.
Strategemata I: De occultandis consiliis
Thirteen razor-sharp stories of Roman commanders show how conflicts are won not just by force, but by secrecy, deception, and perfect timing.
Leadership, Discipline, and Character
Drawing on discipline, justice, courage, and the character that holds armies, states, and organizations together, with famous historical examples.
Strategemata I: Psychological Maneuvers & Morale
Frontinus explains how commanders from Cyrus to Caesar stirred courage, dispelled fear, turned bad omens into assets, and used psychology as a weapon of war.
Where to start
Strategemata I: De occultandis consiliis
It is the shortest of the three and the first thematic selection. Open it and the reader gives you the Latin with a definition for every word, so you can read at the pace that suits you and look up only what you need.
Start reading