Latin

The Latin language was used for millennia, literally, beginning with the first examples dating to the third century BCE, as expressed in the literature of the epic poet Ennus and dramatist, Livius Andronicus.  The language flourished with the growth and spread of the Roman Republic to the end of the first millennium BCE and continued to spread throughout the next four centuries as the so-called Roman Empire grew to its largest territory. But even with the decline of the Roman hegemony over continents of Europe, Africa and Asia, Latin continued to be used throughout the Middle Ages and well into the Renaissance, serving as the Lingua Franca, so to speak, as well as the language of the church and state. Latin, in the form of Neo-Latin continued to be used throughout the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by great thinkers such as René Descartes and Sir Isaac Newton.  Thus, an introduction to the Latin language will also serve as an introduction to literally thousands of years of human history and communication otherwise inaccessible.

Learning will take place at an accelerated pace for the purpose of reading Latin texts from a large range of time periods.  Each session will focus on fundamental aspects of Latin grammar, including both morphology and syntax. In addition, students will begin reading texts immediately and building a working vocabulary in order to increase the amount and level of Latin session by session.

 Finally, the tutor will begin to ascertain the particular genre and periods of Latin desired for proficiency per student. Thus a selection of readings will be gathered for each student to use to increase the amount of reading session by session and beyond.