Category: Latin

In the Mail: Literature in Latin

I had the chance to take an intensive Latin course over the summer. After a good few months of my getting a grasp on the language, my Latin instructor felt it was time for me to go beyond the more simple readings in the Oxford Latin Course. So here are my picks:

Novum Testamentum Graece et Latine. This is a parallel Bible with Nestle-Aland’s Greek New Testament and Latin New Testament side-by-side. I am aware that the Latin here is the second edition of the New Latin Vulgate. Because of this, the Nestle-Aland Latin NT has received some criticism, but at this point it makes no difference to me.

Confessions Books I-IV. This one is published by Cambridge University Press. Although the font and typesetting of the book are a little less than perfect for me, this looks to be the best Latin Confessions I have found.

At this point and in addition to the Oxford Latin Course, I am equipped with Wheelock’s Latin (7th ed.) and Collins Latin Concise Dictionary.

Here is an Inspiration

For those of us who love languages like Latin and Greek, and for those of us who despise these languages but have to learn them anyway for graduate studies, you might find inspiration in Veronica Shi of Princeton.

Shi, a major in classical literature, was named the salutatorian of the 2011 class. She came from having no background in Latin to being awarded the first A+ in an upper-level Latin course. Shi will deliver her salutatorian (just a notch under valedictorian) speech in Latin at the Princeton commencement and will go on for a graduate degree in classics at Oxford.

None of us will probably ever go on to read Homer or Cicero, and none of us will probably even wow our professors in our Greek and Latin classes. Yet, it is possible to find passion at least to learn Greek and Latin, even if it means learning them just to pass the test. Yet, who knows—maybe one of us will wow our professors and make an important contribution to either or both languages. Also, Oxford still would not be a bad choice from which to earn a graduate degree.

Read the story on Veronica Shi here.

What are Some Good Latin Resources?

This week I began my summer Latin intensive with Donann Warren, MA (Classics). We are using Maurice Balme and James Morwood, Oxford Latin Course, 2nd ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996). We may also do things with the Vulgate so I have Nestle and Aland’s Novum Testament Graece et Latine.

I was wondering what resources have you found helpful in learning Latin, from grammars to dictionaries to texts you have translated?

Summer 2011: Latin or Classical Greek?

This summer I have the chance to delve into either Latin or Classical Greek in exchange for some Hebrew lessons. The problem is that I am having some trouble deciding. I know that classical Greek will bolster my current Koine Greek and help in the area of the church fathers, but Latin will also help in that area. Not only that, but I am fascinated with Catholic liturgy, so Latin would be helpful there.

If you could choose only one, which would you choose between Classical Greek and Latin, and why?