In the first two years of Latin, students develop a thorough knowledge of English and Latin grammar, learn to read easy Latin passages, and discover the Latin derivations of many English words and thus increase their vocabulary. Those who continue beyond the second year read the works of a number of Latin authors with an eye to their social or political significance and for pure enjoyment. They learn a great deal about classical civilization as well as about the language itself. All students who have successfully completed the second year of Latin may elect term courses in either the LA321/322 or the LA421/422 series, although the latter is only recommended for exceptional Latin students. School Year Abroad offers a yearlong Latin program in Italy for Juniors and Seniors. The school is located in Viterbo, 60 miles north of Rome. The program includes a homestay with a local Italian family as well as instruction in Italian and Roman history. Preference is given to students who have completed two years of Latin, though students without a Latin background may apply.
Course ID
Course Title (click on title for course description)
Term
LA120
Latin I
Y
This course serves three functions. First, it provides a sound foundation in the forms, grammar, and vocabulary of the Latin language so that students can go on to read Roman authors with some skill and ease. Second, in occasional lectures and class discussions, students learn of the history and culture of ancient Rome and its people. And third, it stresses such skills as memorizing and the development of English vocabulary and grammar by emphasizing the influence of Latin on our own language. The text is Cobb & Oscarson, First Year Latin. Students recite often, prepare their work consistently, take frequent quizzes and occasional tests, and have semester examinations. Open to all students.
LA220
Latin II
Y
Latin students who have not yet thoroughly examined the subjunctive mood spend the first month of this course reviewing basic grammatical structures before moving on to study the variations of indirect discourse, the subjunctive, and the ablative absolute. Memorizing skills are emphasized as students learn forms, syntax, and vocabulary. Throughout the year, as they expand their knowledge of the fundamentals of Latin, students translate increasingly more difficult Latin sentences and paragraphs as they prepare to read original Latin in LA321. The text is Cobb & Oscarson, Second Year Latin. There are frequent quizzes and major semester examinations. Open to students who have completed LA120 or the equivalent.
LA230
Honors Latin II
Y
Capable students who have completed a year of Latin may elect this study of Latin grammar and literature that covers approximately a year and a half of work in one. After initial grammar review and examination of the subjunctive mood, they devote the rest of the year to reading Caesar, with emphasis on the historical, political, and cultural significance of this author, to whom some lectures and class discussions are devoted. The texts include Cobb & Oscarson, Second Year Latin, and selected readings from Book I of Caesar's Gallic Wars. There are quizzes, period tests, and semester examinations. Open to students who have completed LA120, or the equivalent, and have permission of the Department.
LA321
Caesar in Britain
1
Students learn of Julius Caesar's historical and literary importance and improve their skills in translation through a close study of his military campaigns in Britain in 55 and 54 B.C.E. Lectures and class discussions provide additional insights into Caesar's military leadership, the history of those times, and the geography of both Britain and Gaul. The text is D.A.S. John, Caesar -- 55 & 54 B.C. Expeditions to Britain. There is daily sight and prepared translation in class, and all students participate in interpreting the material. In evaluation, class preparation and participation count significantly; there are also several lengthy quizzes and a final examination. Open to students who have completed LA220 or the equivalent.
LA322
Roman Comedy
2
Reading Plautus' Menaechmi in full offers students opportunities to study Latin in a new light. They get their first look at the language early in its development; they act out a scene in class; they write stage directions; and from lectures they gain insights into the social situation of Rome in the 3rd century B.C.E. But primarily they read the play for its slapstick humor. There are lengthy quizzes and a comprehensive semester examination. Open to students who have completed LA220 or the equivalent.
LA421
Early Roman Empire
1
This course is concerned with social and political conditions in the Rome of 63 B.C.E. to 14 C.E., and especially with Augustus. Slides of extant structures illustrate the appearance and location of major Roman structures, and students learn to identify a number of contemporary writers by their methods and prejudices. There is daily translation, study of grammar, and consideration of the history as the readings are interpreted in the classroom. The basic texts, Res Gestae Divi Augusti and Suetonius' Life of Augustus, are supplemented with works read in English. There are short tests and a final examination. Open to students who have completed LA220 or the equivalent. Students who have completed the second year of Latin successfully may elect term courses in either the LA321/LA322 or the LA421/LA422 series, but it is strongly recommended that only exceptional Latin students choose courses from the LA421/LA422 series.
LA422
Latin Poetry
2
In this course students read selections from the first century B.C.E. Roman poets Catullus and Horace. During the winter they translate several of the shorter poems of Catullus and in the spring they read a number of Horace’s Odes and his Satire I.9. They learn how to recognize and define numerous poetic devices used by both authors and they decipher the many mythological and historical references in their poetry. The texts are Merrill, Catullus, and Shorey and Laing, Horace –Odes and Epodes. There are period tests and a semester examination. Open to students who have completed LA421 or the equivalent.
LA591
Independent Tutorial in Latin
1
This course is an opportunity for an individual or a small group of students to work with a member of the Department on a project in which they share a common interest. Open to students by permission of the Department Head and the Dean of Academic Affairs.
LA592
Independent Tutorial in Latin
2
This course is an opportunity for an individual or a small group of students to work with a member of the Department on a project in which they share a common interest. Open to students by permission of the Department Head and the Dean of Academic Affairs.
LA830
AP Latin: Vergil
Y
This course prepares students to take the Advanced Placement Examination on Vergil’s Aeneid. Students will translate literally large portions of the epic poem and they will also read the entire work in translation. Special attention will be paid to syntactical details as well as the effects of meter, imagery, and figures of speech. There are class discussions about the larger themes and motifs as they pertain to the historical and cultural significance of the Aeneid. The texts are La Fleur and McKay, A Song of War, and Cobbold, Vergil’s Aeneid. There are period tests and semester examinations. Open to students who have had four years of Latin, or the equivalent, and have permission of the Department.
LA991
Post-AP Latin
1
This course is for students who have already successfully completed AP Latin; teacher and student work together to construct a syllabus which is both appropriately challenging and also reflective of the student's interests.
LA992
Post-AP Latin
2
This course is for students who have already successfully completed AP Latin; teacher and student work together to construct a syllabus which is both appropriately challenging and also reflective of the student's interests.
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