a. The Preliterary Period, from the earliest times down to 240 B.C., when Livius Andronicus brought out his first play.  For this period our knowledge of Latin depends almost exclusively upon the scanty inscriptions that have survived from this remote time.  Few of these are of any length.

b. The Archaic Period, from Livius Andronicus (240 B.C.) to Cicero (81 B.C.).  Even in this age the language had already become highly developed as a medium of expression.  In the hands of certain gifted writers it had even become a vehicle of power and beauty.  In its simplicity, however, it naturally marks a contrast with the more finished diction of later days.  To this period belong: 

  Livius Andronicus, about 275-204 B.C. (Translation of Homer’s Odyssey;
      Tragedies). 
  Plautus, about 250-184 B.C. (Comedies). 
  Naevius, about 270-199 B.C. ("Punic War”; Comedies). 
  Ennius, 239-169 B.C. ("Annals”; Tragedies). 
  Terence, about 190-159 B.C. (Comedies). 
  Lucilius, 180-103 B.C. (Satires). 
  Pacuvius, 220-about 130 B.C. (Tragedies). 
  Accius, 170-about 85 B.C. (Tragedies).

c. The Golden Age, from Cicero (81 B.C.) to the death of Augustus (14 A.D.).  In this period the language, especially in the hands of Cicero, reaches a high degree of stylistic perfection.  Its vocabulary, however, has not yet attained its greatest fullness and range.  Traces of the diction of the Archaic Period are often noticed, especially in the poets, who naturally sought their effects by reverting to the speech of olden times.  Literature reached its culmination in this epoch, especially in the great poets of the Augustan Age.  The following writers belong here: 

  Lucretius, about 95-55 B.C. (Poem on Epicurean Philosophy). 
  Catullus, 87-about 54 B.C. (Poet). 
  Cicero, 106-43 B.C. (Orations; Rhetorical Works; Philosophical Works;
      Letters). 
  Caesar, 102-44 B.C. (Commentaries on Gallic and Civil Wars),
  Sallust, 86-36 B.C. (Historian). 
  Nepos, about 100-about 30 B.C. (Historian). 
  Virgil, 70-19 B.C. ("Aeneid”; “Georgics”; “Bucolics"). 
  Horace, 65-8 B.C. (Odes; Satires, Epistles). 
  Tibullus, about 54-19 B.C. (Poet). 
  Propertius, about 50-about 15 B.C. (Poet). 
  Ovid, 43 B.C.-17 A.D. ("Metamorphoses” and other poems). 
  Livy. 59 B.C.-17 A.D. (Historian).

d. The Silver Latinity, from the death of Augustus (14 A.D.) to the death of Marcus Aurelius (180 A.D.), This period is marked by a certain reaction against the excessive precision of the previous age.  It had become the practice to pay too much attention to standardized forms of expression, and to leave too little play to the individual writer.  In the healthy reaction against this formalism, greater freedom of expression now manifests itself.  We note also the introduction of idioms from the colloquial language, along with many poetical words and usages.  The following authors deserve mention: