Why Should I Learn Latin? |
Books discussed: Wheelock's Latin by Frederic Wheelock (2011), Lingua Latina: Pars I: Familia Romana by Hans Orberg (2005), Confessions by Augustine (c.397), Gallic War by Julius Caesar (c.50 BC), The Aeneid by Virgil (c.20 BC)
"Gaul is divided into three parts," begins Julius Caesar's Gallic War. Caesar goes into great detail describing the tribes of the Celtic world in which he conquers, ironically providing an ethnographical treasure-trove of information about the indigenous peoples of modern France and Belgium. For many Latin students (and ex-Latin students), Gallic War represents a fond memory of enrichment and discovery, or it is a recall of unpleasant tedium derived from declensions and conjugations. Whether you got Latin the easy way or the hard way, it was worth it. And if you haven't had the opportunity, there has never been a better time than now to start. Here's why.
"It's a dead language," is the most common reason a person makes for not studying Latin, Greek, or another classical language. Nothing could be further from the truth. Classical languages and their cultures are alive today. Latin, in particular, represent the default vocabularies of legal and medical terminology; Greco-Roman architecture is the model of the buildings at the centers of our cities; our free society is based on the principles of the Roman republic. Latin is the key to the Romance languages. A solid foundation in Latin lays bricks in Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian, connecting you instantly to a giant part of the modern world. Whole continents suddenly become accessible. What is otherwise a mad mixture of languages to many people crystalizes into a single family. Much of the world speaks a modern dialect of Latin. Latin is also alive in the thousands of Latin cognates used today in the English language.
It's no secret that Latin improves English vocabulary. You know the difference between a superlative and a comparative. You know that a "manuscript" is something that is--technically--written by hand, and that something as otherwordly as "Transylvania" simply means "across the forest." You know that the constellation Ursus Major is a big bear. You can identify which verb in a sentence is the infinitive. Knowledge is power; Latin makes you more powerful.
Some of the most important works of civilization are in Latin. The great struggle between Empire and Republic is found in the real events as viewed by Caesar (the imperialist) and Cicero (the Republican). The famous Bayeux Tapestry, which illustrates the Battle of Hastings, is sewn in Latin. The poetry of Virgil's Aeneid--Trojan horse and all--is still used in popular works. Augustine's Confessions has shaped western thinking for centuries. Nothing gives you access to a culture like learning the language. Latin is no exception. Latin gives you access to a civilization that began as a city state. That city state, early in its history, overthrew a monarchy and replaced with it with a republic. The Republic expanded into the Mediterranean world, slowing gaining a foothold among much older civilizations. Then, in one year, 146 BC, Rome conquered both Carthage and Corinth, crystalizing its control over the Mediterranean. In the following century, Julius Caesar conquered Gaul, crossed the English Channel and landed in Britain, defeated General Pompey in a civil war, and brought Rome to a climactic struggle between Empire and Republic that unfolds like a real-life plot structure of Star Wars. Christianity spread along Roman roads in the first century. And when the Roman Empire finally fell to Germanic tribes, Latin was reborn again at Aachen in Charlemagne's court; in Ireland and Britain, monks preserved classical learning, copying Latin texts; and in Italy one thousand years after her fall, Italians rediscovered their Latin-speaking heritage and the Renaissance began in full earnest. Scholar statesmen in the American colonies like Thomas Jefferson were students of Latin, and the ideals of republic kindled anew in America. All of these examples show that when Latin is rediscovered, civilization gets better. We should all learn some Latin.
Latin can seem intimidating. However, learning Latin is no different than learning Spanish or French; afterall, Spanish and French both come from Latin. The difference is that Latin is an ancient language, so almost all of the learning material on the market is print media. A classic work is Wheelock's Latin. Although it looks like a textbook, this handy guide is actually quite conversational. It's been around for generations, and it is bascially the standard. Another great option is Familia Romana in the Lingua Latina series. This series is quite unique. Hans Orberg goes entirely alternative here: there really is not much exposition. The whole book is in Latin, and the student learns in a natural method way. The book follows a narrative that slowly becomes more complicated as the reader gains more vocabulary and grammar. It starts easy. "Roma in Italia est" is, well, "Rome is in Italy." The student will be challenged to use clues and context--aided by illustrations--to grow in Latin. Very unique and highly recommended. If you would like to hear Latin, Nuntii Latini is a Finnish radio program that has broadcast many programs in Latin. These programs can be found here.
"Seize the day!" The more Latin that you learn, the more you will cultivate yourself. Latin primes other intellectual pursuits, and you may find that you yourself have a personal Renaissance with Latin. "Valete omnes et bona fortuna!" Updated August 2019 Back to the top of the page Return to Front Page