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2. Course Overview
Abstract: This advanced course marks your entry into historical Latin prose and classical epic narrative. You will develop a deeper, more intuitive understanding of complex subordinate clauses within indirect discourse, specialized uses of the dative and ablative cases, and advanced relative constructions. By engaging with the legendary histories of early Rome and the narrative of the Aeneid, you will learn to appreciate the style, rhythm, and vocabulary of classical authors as you read them.
Comprehensive Description: This module marks your entry into the second volume of the series, Rōma Aeterna. The focus shifts from the domestic, everyday life of the early chapters to the broader landscape of Roman history and myth—guiding you through the geography of the ancient city, the fall of Troy, and the early wanderings of Aeneas. You will see firsthand how the language shifts to accommodate historical reporting and epic poetry, learning to navigate complex indirect speech, noun clauses of result, and subtle temporal particles. Instead of treating advanced grammar like a checklist of cold formulas, you will use these structures as keys to understand the deliberate choices of Roman authors. Through a balanced blend of clear prose adaptations and original verses, you will build the reading stamina you need to listen directly to the genuine voice of Latin literature.
3. Methodology & General Description
This course utilizes Hans Ørberg's Lingua Latina per se Illustrata: ROMA AETERNA. Each twelve-week term consists of bi-weekly sessions comprising two academic hours (90 minutes total).
As we enter historical prose, our immersive approach continues to treat Latin as a living, active language. Students prepare for each class by reading and analyzing the assigned historical or mythological text. During the live sessions, these narratives form the basis for targeted active exercises that reinforce comprehension and expression.
Through active structural analysis, you will discuss historical events and character motives entirely in Latin, learning how to shift statements from direct speech into complex indirect discourse, while topographical and visual exploration incorporates archaeological maps, architectural models of the Roman Forum, and historical layouts of the city to ground the text's descriptions in physical reality. You will also engage in stylistic paraphrase, working through advanced sentences to identify literary features—such as the historical present or the accumulation of genitives—and exploring alternative ways to express those same ideas in natural Latin, alongside rhythmic integration exercises where you practice reading aloud integrated poetic verses, paying close attention to vowel quantities, pauses, and the natural flow of epic storytelling. Through these consistent practices, you will gain both a practical command over advanced syntax and the specialized vocabulary required to discuss literature and history within the language itself.
4. Proficiency & Requirements
Language Level:
Framework Reference: Advanced — Level 5 (Rōma Aeterna, Capitula XXXVI–XL).
General Description: Intended for students who have successfully completed Level 4 or its equivalent, possessing a comfortable command over regular and deponent verb paradigms, the basic uses of the subjunctive, non-finite verb forms, and continuous narrative reading.
Estimated Self-Study Time:
Time Commitment: Approximately 3–4 hours per week (including a mandatory 20 minutes of daily retention review).
Preparation: Independent reading, vocabulary tracing, and structural parsing of the assigned pages are essential prior to each live session to ensure active participation.
5. Thematic Extensions & Classical Intertextuality
The chapters in this module explore the foundational stories, monuments, and dynamic struggles that defined the Roman memory of their origins. For students who wish to expand their reading or explore parallel literary traditions on these historical topics, the following classical works offer excellent avenues for deeper study:
The Topography and Monuments of Rome:
Eutropius, Cornelius Nepos, & Cicero: The descriptions of the physical city of Rome, its hills, and its early civic landmarks create a wonderful opportunity to explore Roman historical writing. Students looking to see how the Romans recorded their own political past can explore the straightforward summaries of Eutropius, the biographies of Nepos, or the deeper political reflections found in Cicero’s Dē rē pūblicā.The Fall of Troy & The Epic Journey:
Virgil (Aeneid, Books I & IV — Annotated Edition by Hans Ørberg): The dramatic accounts of the fall of Troy (Troia Capta) and the journeys of Aeneas introduce you to the elevated language of Roman epic poetry. If you are interested in experiencing these legendary events in their full poetic form, the specialized student editions of Virgil’s Aeneid provide an ideal parallel reading path, using marginal notes to guide you through the original verse.Roman Rituals, Legends, & Calendars:
Ovid (Fasti): The historical events and early myths surrounding the legendary figures of Rome often appear alongside religious traditions and festivals. Ovid’s Fasti serves as a fascinating literary parallel, allowing you to see how the same legends handled in prose were transformed into elegiac poetry tied to the days of the Roman calendar.The Poetry of Relationships and Customs:
Ovid (Ars Amatoria — Selected Edition): The complex human interactions and emotional dynamics touched upon in the tragedy of Dido offer a backdrop for exploring broader Roman views on relationships and urban social customs. Ovid's Ars Amatoria provides a witty, lighthearted look at the social manners and courtship traditions of Augustan Rome, serving as an enjoyable stylistic contrast to epic gravity.
6. Materials & Bibliography
Required Textbooks:
Hans H. Ørberg, Lingua Latina per se Illustrata, Pars II: Rōma Aeterna (Hackett Publishing).
Hans H. Ørberg, Indices (Hackett Publishing).
Recommended Auxiliary Materials:
Hans H. Ørberg, Sermones Romāni.
Publius Vergilius Maro, Aeneis, Libri I & IV (Annotated by Hans Ørberg).
Publius Ovidius Naso, Ars Amātōria (Selected and annotated by Hans Ørberg).
7. Grammatical Syllabus
Morphology: Refinement of pronominal suffixes (-cumque, -met); review and expansion of regular and irregular comparison of adjectives and adverbs; analysis of Greek nominal declensions in Latin text; recognition of historical syncopated forms and alternate second-person singular endings (-re instead of -ris).
Syntax: Comprehensive study of subordinate clauses in indirect discourse; advanced deployment of the dative case (Dative of purpose/datīvus fīnālis, dative of separation/disadvantage, and dative with compound verbs); systematic review of the ablative case (Ablative of separation/ablātīvus sēparātiōnis, origin, cause, respect, and comparison). Advanced relative clauses with the subjunctive (Relative clauses of purpose, causal relative clauses, and descriptive relative clauses); functional mastery of temporal conjunctions (dum, ubi, ut, priusquam, antequam, cum); noun clauses of result; impersonal passive constructions of intransitive verbs; syntax of quīn and nōn dubitō quīn clauses.
Stylistics & Metrical Foundations: Introduction to historical prose style, including the historical present and the accumulation of genitives; structural analysis of the dactylic hexameter within narrative transitions; identifying noun-adjective positioning in poetic frameworks.
8. Chapter Coverage & Readings
This module covers the opening core of Rōma Aeterna, guiding students through historical prose narratives and integrated original epic verse (~70 verses/lines per instruction unit):
XXXVI. Rōma Aeterna: Exploration of the architecture and topography of the ancient city, introducing subordinate clauses in indirect discourse and the dative of purpose.
XXXVII. Trōia capta: The historical narrative of the fall of Troy, focusing on the use of the historical present, the ablative of origin, and advanced temporal conjunction clauses.
XXXVIII. Pius Aenēas: The legendary wanderings of Aeneas, highlighting reflexive pronouns in indirect questions and the dative of separation.
XXXIX. Karthāgō: The arrival in North Africa, focusing on relative clauses taking the subjunctive (purpose, causal, and descriptive) and exclamatory accusatives.
XL. Infēlīx Dīdō: The dramatic relationship between Aeneas and the Carthaginian queen, focusing on impersonal verbs, clauses introduced by quīn, and the parsing of integrated original poetic structures.
