Students’ Welcome to DISCE LATĪNAM!
The introductory Latin course your instructor has chosen for you offers an
exciting new way to learn Latin. It combines the reading method used by courses like the
Oxford Latin Course and Ecce Romani with the traditional grammar method used by
books like Wheelock’s Latin. It also uses pedagogical techniques found in many modern
language textbooks.
The book you are using is a draft prepared specifically for field testers like you
and your teacher. The present format of this textbook is three-holed paper punch, so you
will need a large three-ring binder to hold your papers. Please note that the packet
contains not only the first twenty (of forty) chapters, but also, a complete vocabulary
(Verba Omnia) and supplementary exercises (EXERCEĀMUS!). You will also find online exercises at http://www.quia.com/pages/latin126.html. Your instructor will explain to
you how these supplementary materials will be used in your class.
Formal publication of the hardcover book in four colors is scheduled by Prentice
Hall for early in 2010. The final product will include not only the textbook and workbook
with which you have been provided free of charge but also on-line learning tools and
audio resources.
In the meanwhile we, as authors, are hoping that we will obtain from you valuable
feedback about the book and its contents. Towards the end of each semester you will be
asked to complete a survey about the book. You should also feel free to keep a diary as
you go along and comment upon individual parts. At the end of the course you are invited
to share this diary with your instructor and with us. Please keep in mind that you are
playing an important role in the development of a major Latin course for the 21st century.
In this book you will read about two multi-generational families living in Rome
ca. 9 B.C., during the reign of the emperor Augustus. One of the families, the Servilii, are
upper-class and wealthy and you will share their school experiences, love life, political
ambitions, etc. Servilius, the father of this family, hopes to be taken into the circle of
Augustus and thus further his family’s fortunes. The other family, the Valerii, is lowerclass and poor. The father of this family had died when they lived in northern Italy. The
mother moved to Rome The mother and daughter now run a snack shop near the Forum.
The man in the family is married to the daughter. He is a blacksmith and accomplished
metalworker. His wife is expecting a baby and you will learn about their financial worries
as their family grows. The brother of this family is serving in Tiberius’ army on the
German frontier. An important addition to this family is Socrates, their pet monkey.
We also encourage you to read carefully the “How to Use DISCE LATĪNAM!”
which follows this letter. It will give you some important hints on how best to use the
resources of this book.
Please keep in mind that the images currently used are intended as samples of
what might be found in the final product. Please give us feedback about these images and
how helpful they are towards your goal of learning to read Latin.
Kenneth Kitchell, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Tom Sienkewicz, Monmouth College
How to Use DISCE LATĪNAM!:
Student User Guide
Notā bene: In addition to this guide, you may want to consult the “Guide to Chapter
Sections” on pp. vi-vii in DISCE LATĪNAM!
Each chapter contains narratives (lectiōnēs) about the two families, grammatical
discussion (GRAMMATICA), exercises (EXERCEĀMUS!) and cultural background. Your
instructor will provide more specific details as to how to use this material, but here are
some general principles:
General Principles:
 The overall goal is to help you advance your ability to read and understand Latin,
chapter by chapter.
 You will do this by reading a narrative which introduces Latin grammar step-bystep.
 Latin grammar is explained in simple language. Knowledge of English grammar
is not assumed. Where appropriate, English grammar is explained before Latin
grammar is introduced.
 Exercises in the chapter (and in the workbook) are provided to help you practice
what you are learning.
 The cultural material in the sections called RŌMĀNĪ IPSĪ, MUNDUS RŌMĀNUS,
LATĪNA HODIERNA, and ORBIS TERRĀRUM RŌMĀNUS complement the story
line and grammar introduced in the chapter, provide some background on Roman
culture, and illustrate the influence of the Latin language in the modern world.
 Typically you will spend 2-3 class days on each chapter.
 Your instructor will let you know the extent to which you are responsible for
understanding the material presented in the chapter.
Vocabulary
There are two types of vocabulary in every chapter. Verba Ūtenda are words you
need to understand the story. These words are listed alphabetically in a box close to the
lectiō. Look for any words you have not seen before in this list.
The words marked in bold in the Verba Ūtenda are words you need to memorize
and are called Verba Discenda. You will also find these Verba Discenda in a separate
box towards the end of the chapter. It is very important for you to study these words
because they will not appear in the Verba Ūtenda after that chapter.
You will also find all the words used in this book in an appendix called Verba
Omnia. Here again, the Verba Discenda are marked in bold. The Roman numeral in
parentheses tells you what chapter this word became a word to be learned. If you cannot
find a word you need in the Verba Ūtenda, you can find it in the Verba Omnia.
So you do not need any other Latin dictionary to work through this book. All the
vocabulary you need is right here!
How to Read a Chapter
Here is one way to read a chapter:
 Start by skimming through the entire chapter to get a general idea of the main
points being introduced.
 Then go back and read the ANTEQUAM LEGIS (“Before You Read”) found
before the Lectiō Prīma. This section will tell you what is going to happen in the
story and give you some basic idea of the grammar you will see.
 Each ANTEQUAM LEGIS is followed by an EXERCEĀMUS! Intended as a prereading exercise. It will help you walk through the reading and note where new
grammar appears. It is very important to do this exercise before you “translate”
the lectiō.
 Once you have done this exercise, read through the lectiō again at least once and
see how well you can follow the story line. Then answer the comprehension
questions found in the POSTQUAM LĒGISTĪ.
 Look at the GRAMMATICA following the lectiō. This section will give you more
detailed information about the grammar you found in the lectiō. Your instructor
will advise you concerning the specific grammar which you must learn.
 Now do the exercise(s) following the GRAMMATICA, designed to help you learn
the grammar.
 Repeat this sequence for the second lectiō in the chapter.
 Read the cultural sections called RŌMĀNĪ IPSĪ, MUNDUS RŌMĀNUS, LATĪNA
HODIERNA, and ORBIS TERRĀRUM RŌMĀNUS and answer the comprehension
questions in the section called QUID PUTĀS? (“What Do You Think?”).
 Towards the end of the chapter you will find several exercises: a writing exercise
(SCRĪBĀMUS), a speaking exercise (COLLOQUĀMUR), and an exercise on the
Verba Discenda.
 The last two items in the chapter are optional: ANGULUS GRAMMATICUS
explains in more detail grammatical points which enhance your knowledge of
grammar but which are not necessary for being able to understand the Latin in the
readings. LEGENDA includes a list of suggestions for additional reading on topics
introduced in the chapter.
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