La giovinezza di Cesare: an Italian book for intermediate learners (B2)
Giuseppe Rovani · adapted by Alessio Insegnante · CEFR level B2
Giuseppe Rovani's classic (1873), rewritten for learners of Italian at level B2: calibrated sentences, footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions in every chapter.
Ebook free with Kindle Unlimited · $4.99 · also in 6×9 paperback
The plot of La giovinezza di Cesare
Rome, first century BC. While the dictator Sulla fills the city with proscriptions and fear, a young patrician refuses to submit and to repudiate his wife: his name is Gaius Julius Caesar, and his ambition is only beginning.
Through conspiracies, love affairs and political battles in the Forum, Rovani reconstructs the formative years of the man who would change the history of Rome. A historical novel rich in intrigue, for readers who want to combine language and ancient history.
Why read La giovinezza di Cesare to learn Italian
The Roman history you already know acts as a safety net for comprehension: you know who Caesar is, which frees up energy for the language. The political and military vocabulary is rich, and the speeches in the Forum are a small course in Italian rhetoric.
Inside this reader
CEFR adaptation
The text is fully rewritten for level B2, with controlled vocabulary and syntax, while staying faithful to the original plot.
Footnotes and glossary
Footnotes on difficult words and a final glossary, so you can read independently without a dictionary.
Comprehension questions
Every chapter ends with questions to check understanding, just like in class.
Paperback and ebook
6×9 paperback on cream paper, or Kindle ebook. The same text also lives in the ti app.
Language focus: what you practise
In this level-B2 edition you mainly practise the imperfect and past subjunctive, hypothetical clauses of possibility, the passive and indirect speech. The vocabulary revolves around politics, Roman history and power: the key words, with translations, are in the glossary below and recur throughout the text, so you learn them in context.
Essential glossary (Italian · English · Dutch)
| Italian | English | Dutch |
|---|---|---|
| il dittatore | dictator | de dictator |
| la congiura | conspiracy | de samenzwering |
| il patrizio | patrician | de patriciër |
| il foro | forum | het forum |
| l'ambizione | ambition | de ambitie |
| la proscrizione | proscription | de verbanning |
| il console | consul | de consul |
| il potere | power | de macht |
About the author: Giuseppe Rovani
Giuseppe Rovani (1818–1874), from Milan, was among the fathers of the Scapigliatura movement and a master of the historical novel after Manzoni. His masterpiece Cento anni influenced generations of Lombard writers.
Details and difficulty level
B2 is upper-intermediate Italian: complex syntax, subjunctive and conditional structures, shades of register. This reader suits learners who already read in Italian and want to tackle the great classics with structured support. Format: 6×9 paperback on cream paper or Kindle ebook; 20 chapters with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions. All level B2 books →
Frequently asked questions
What level of Italian do I need to read La giovinezza di Cesare?
This edition of La giovinezza di Cesare is rewritten for CEFR level B2. B2 is upper-intermediate Italian: complex syntax, subjunctive and conditional structures, shades of register. This reader suits learners who already read in Italian and want to tackle the great classics with structured support.
Is this Giuseppe Rovani's original text?
No, it is an adaptation: the plot and spirit of Giuseppe Rovani's original remain, but vocabulary and syntax are rewritten for level B2, with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions at the end of every chapter.
Which formats is it available in?
Paperback (6×9, cream paper) and Kindle ebook on Amazon. The ebook is free to read with Kindle Unlimited. The same text also lives in the ti app, with vocabulary translated into 14 languages.
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