AP Latin Syllabus 2014-2015
Hollidaysburg Area School District
Angela Letizia/angela_letizia@tigerwires.com
Textbooks/workbooks:
Vergil’s Aeneid, by Barbara Weiden Boyd (2012)
Vergil’s Aeneid Hero, War, Humanity (English) G.B. Cobbold (2005)
A Vergil Workbook, Bradley and Boyd (2012)
A Caesar Workbook, Bradley and Boyd (2012)
Caesar, Selections from his Commentarii De Bello Gallico, Hans-Friedrich Mueller (2012)
Excelability in Advanced Latin, Colakis (2003)
Over summer vacation, students will read the The Gallic Wars and The Aeneid in their entirety. They will
also complete two essays (one focused on The Aeneid and the other on the Gallic Wars). They will be
expected to read the Iliad on their own time by the end of November. This will help them put the events
and people in both selections into historical and literary perspective. As we read The Aeneid and The
Gallic Wars in Latin, students will also read required English sections. Both of these sections will be
discussed as we encounter them. Students will have quizzes in which they translate short sections from
the previous night’s work. This will help them not only with the vocabulary, but with putting sentences
together. They will also do a brief passage by sight each week. These sight passages will come from a
variety of authors including, but not limited to: Caesar, Vergil, Ovid, Cicero, Livy, Pliny, Catullus and
Horace.
Each day the students will be expected to come to class with that days lines prepared. Literal translation
will help them understand grammar and syntax. While the students may have written a translation, when
their turn to translate comes, they must be able to translate without any notes. The Latin will be projected
onto a screen. Their translation must show a grasp of the vocabulary and correct grammar.
Students will write frequent (bi weekly) essays concerning major themes of the works and their historical
relevance. Students will study pertinent Roman cultural, social and political history, which will help
them develop a sense of context for the works. Students will also study the ancient epic as a literary
genre.
Students will practice scansion indicating elision and quantities. They will discuss ways in which the
meter effects or enhances the meaning of the line. They will scan lines each week while studying Vergil.
Weekly quizzes will alternate between translation, sight translation and essays/Vocabulary. Tests will be
modified versions of actual AP exams. This will help students become accustomed to the style of the AP
exam. This ensures that the students review their material frequently.
Throughout the year, the students will practice grading each other’s essays, scoring them on the AP scale.
They will also learn to “chunk” passages and grade those accordingly. By doing this, they will become
accustomed to the grading process of the College Board.
Student Expectations
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Students are expected to have prepared assigned passages at home
Students are expected to be familiar with each word in the assigned passage
Students are expected to reread the previous day’s work as part of the preparation for the
new passage
Students are expected to be able to identify grammatical and literary forms and discuss
them using the proper terminology
Course Goals
The course is structured to allow students to complete the entire required reading list published
in the AP® Latin Curriculum Framework.
The course is designed to prepare students to complete the entire required reading list as described in the
AP Latin Course Description. Based on those requirements, the student will be able to:
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Read and translate as literally as possible the required Latin passages from Caesar’s Gallic Wars
and Vergil’s Aeneid;
Know basic Latin grammar and be familiar with poetic exceptions and special uses;
Demonstrate a knowledge of vocabulary, inflectional systems and syntax and relate their
knowledge of Latin words to English derivatives and cognates
Know the background leading up to the Civil Wars
Understand the political climate of Rome during Caesar’s life
Understand the epic genre as seen in the Aeneid;
Know the background of the story itself, characters, events and effects of the Trojan War
Know the historical framework surrounding the writing of the Aeneid;
Be familiar with the major rhetorical devices and meter (dactylic hexameter);
Be able to critically analyze the Aeneid as a work of art;
Develop the ability to sight read selected passages of literature and poetry (including but not
limited to Vergil, Catullus, Ovid and Cicero)
DAILY EXPECTATIONS: Students will must bring the required texts, a notebook, Post-It notes, and a
pen or pencil to each class. In addition to the required texts, students will receive handouts, which they
must also bring to class, and which may be kept in their notebook. These handouts will include:
vocabulary lists, articles, grammatical handouts, photocopies of the required Latin texts, additional Latin
texts for scansion practice and/or sight reading practice.
Required Reading
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The Aeneid in Latin: Bk 1.1-209, 418-440, 494-578; Bk 2.40-56, 201-249, 268-297,
559-620; Bk 4.160-218, 259-361, 659-705; Bk 6.295-332, 384-425, 450-476, 847-899.
(Clyde Pharr text)
The Gallic Wars in Latin: Bk 1.1-7; Bk 4.24-35; Bk 5.24-48; Bk 6.13-20 (Caesar:
Selections from his Commentarii De Bello Gallico, by Hans-Friedrich Mueller)
The Aeneid in its entirety in English
Recommended Translations: Allen Mandelbaum, Robert Fagels, Robert Fitzgerald
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The Gallic Wars in English Bks 1, 6, and 7
Recommended Translation: Carolyn Hammond
Course Schedule First Quarter
WEEK 1. Discuss important background information on Caesar and the
Gallic Wars; Read De Bello Gallico Book 1: Chapter 1(wkbk exercises)/Cases and Uses: Excelability in
Latin Grammar exercises
WEEK 2. Read De Bello Gallico Book 1: Chapters 2-3 (wkbk exercises)/Pronouns: Excelability in
Advanced Latin
WEEK 3. Read De Bello Gallico Book 1: Chapters 4-5 (wkbk exercises)/Noun/Adjective Agreement &
Adverbs: Excelability in Advanced Latin
WEEK 4. Read De Bello Gallico Book 1: Chapters 6-7 (wkbk exercises)/Verbs: Excelability in Advanced
Latin
Review Book 1
Test Book 1
WEEK 5. Read De Bello Gallico Book Book 4: Chapters 24-26 (wkbk exercises) Infinitives and Indirect
Statements: Excelability in Advanced Latin
WEEK 6. Read De Bello Gallico Book Book 4: Chapters 27-30 (wkbk exercises) Participles: Excelability
in Advanced Latin
WEEK 7. Read De Bello Gallico Book Book 4: Chapters 31-34 (wkbk exercises) Subjunctive
Uses/Forms: Excelability in Advanced Latin
WEEK 8. Read De Bello Gallico Book Book 4: Chapter 35 and the first sentence of Chapter
36 (Eodem die legati . . . venerunt.) 4 (wkbk exercises) More Subjunctive Uses: Excelability in Advanced
Latin
WEEK 9. Review and Comprehensive Test on Gallic Wars, Books 1 and 4
Second Quarter
WEEK 1. Read De Bello Gallico Book 5: Chapters 24-29 (wkbk exercises) Gerund, Gerundive, Passive
Periphrastic, Supine: Excelability in Advanced Latin
WEEK 2. Read De Bello Gallico Book 5: Chapters 30-35 (wkbk exercises)Figures of Speech
WEEK 3. Read De Bello Gallico Book 5: Chapters 36-41 (wkbk exercises)Impersonal Verbs
WEEK 4. Read De Bello Gallico Book 5: Chapters 42-48 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 5. Test on Book 5
WEEK 6. Read De Bello Gallico Book 6: Chapters 13-14 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 7. Read De Bello Gallico Book 6: Chapters 15-16 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 8. Read De Bello Gallico Book 6: Chapters 17-18 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 9. Read De Bello Gallico Book 6: Chapters 19-20 (wkbk exercises)
Review and take Exam on the Gallic Wars, Books 1, 4, 5, 6
Third Quarter
WEEK 1. Introductory Materials for the Aeneid, Vergil, and the historical context; Read:
Aeneid Book 1: 1-60 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 2. Read Aeneid Book 1: 61-120 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 3. Read Aeneid Book 1: 121-181 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 4. Read Aeneid Book 1: 182-209, 418-440 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 5. Read Aeneid Book 1: 494-578 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 6. Test on Aeneid Book 1
Discuss background information on Book 2
Read Aeneid Book 2: 40-56, 201-249 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 7. Read Aeneid Book 2: 268-297, 559-589 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 8. Read Aeneid Book 2: 590-620 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 9. Review and take Unit Exam on Aeneid Books 1 and 2 (exam includes material read in English
[Aeneid Books 1-6] and covers content, characters, and themes, especially as they illuminate and enrich
understanding of the material read in Latin)
Fourth Quarter
WEEK 1. Discuss background information on Book 4
Read Aeneid Book 4: 160-218 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 2. Read Aeneid Book 4: 259-309 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 3. Read Aeneid Book 4: 310-361 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 4. Read Aeneid Book 4: 659-705 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 5. Test on Aeneid Book 4
Discuss background information on Book 6
Read Aeneid Book 6: 295-332, 384-404 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 6. Read Aeneid Book 6: 405-425 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 7. Read Aeneid Book 6: 450-476, 847-877 (wkbk exercises)
WEEK 8. Read Aeneid Book 6: 878-899 (wkbk exercises)
-- Review and Test: Aeneid Books 1, 2, 4 ,6 (LATIN), and Books 1-12 (ENGLISH)AP Exam (2nd week in
May)
Summer Assignment AP Latin
The objective of this assignment is mainly to read the English
version of Vergil’s “The Aeneid” and Caesar’s “De Bello
Gallico” and understand them.
They can be difficult reads, therefore, you must pace yourself.
Do not begin reading them in August. You should begin in
June.
You may find yourself going back to reread sections and this is
normal.
There will be essays due at the beginning of August. These
essays will cover several key concepts in the Aeneid as well as
in De Bello Gallico. You will not be able to simply read
summaries or cliff notes, etc., in order to complete the essays.
Don’t procrastinate! Just read the book!
For Vergil’s “Aeneid” you have a choice of one of these 2
essays:
Essay # 1
Must be at least 2 typed pages, double-spaced, 12 font with
regular margins. You must specifically illustrate which
gods/goddesses are on the side of Aeneas and which
gods/goddesses are not and why. You must cite specific
examples from the book to support your findings (at least 4
different quotes). You must have a works cited page.
Essay # 2
Must be at least 2 typed pages, double-spaced, 12 font with
regular margins and a works cited page. Identify what Dido and
Turnus have in common and cite at least 4 examples from the
poem. Discuss the role of destiny/fate in this poem in relation to
Dido and Turnus.
For Cicero’s De Bello Gallico you have a choice of one of these
2 essays:
Essay #1: Discuss and illustrate in a well-organized essay the
justification for “Atrocities” committed by the Romans in De
Bello Gallico (How does Caesar justify the actions of his men?)
Essay #2: Information and intelligence gathering in De Bello
Gallico (How do people find out what they need to know?)
How long should these essays be? They should be at least 2
pages with proper usage of all mechanics, margins etc., and
typed.
Please cite specific examples from the text to back up your
information. These are your first 2 grades and are each 100
points.