Latin 210: Latin Prose Composition
Winter 2014
Brenda Fineberg
Office: GDH 309E
Office hours: by appointment
Phone: 341-7304 (off.) 342-1858 (hm.)
Class meetings: MWF 4th period (12:00-1:10)
GDH 309B
This course reviews the fundamentals of Latin morphology, grammar, and syntax, and works toward
refined understanding of Latin idiom and structures of thought. As we work through a comprehensive
review of Latin forms and grammatical constructions, you will be asked to compose in Latin sentences
that call upon the new material in each lesson. Because Latin is not the spoken language of any modern
people (with the exception of certain precincts in the Vatican and Reginald Foster’s classroom in Rome),
composing in Latin is always, in a sense, an artificial exercise. It continues to be taught in classics
programs because it is arguably the best way to become a good reader of Latin texts.
Course requirements
This course is a workshop. Collaborative effort is essential. I assume that you will attend every class,
come to class prepared, and complete all required work. Missing class unexcused is considered one whole
absence; coming to class unprepared is considered ½ an absence. If you have three or more full absences
(in any combination of missed/unprepared), I may (and probably will) ask you to withdraw from the
course at my discretion. If an emergency should require you to miss class, contact me as soon as
possible. Satisfactory performance in the course requires the following:
 turning in all assignments when they are due
 completion of all quizzes (with score of 80% or better)
 satisfactory completion of individual project
You may retake (each time a different version of) quizzes as many times as necessary until you achieve
80% on each one. That said, you will get tired of retakes, especially if they begin to accumulate; you (and
I!) will enjoy the course more if you pay close attention to detail so that you won’t have to repeat things
too often.
Required text: Review Latin Grammar. John K. Colby. Longman 1971.
Recommended: New Latin Grammar: Allen and Greenough.
For use on individual projects (available in Seymour Library reference room):
Smith, William, and Theophilus D. Hall. 2000. Smith's English-Latin dictionary. Wauconda, Ill: BolchazyCarducci Publishers.
Schedule of assignments, due dates, and quizzes
1
2
3
4
5
6
W
1/8
Introduction; Begin Colby Lessons I and II
F
1/10
Colby: Lessons I and II (odds)
Review: Nouns declensions 1-3
M
1/13
Colby: Lessons III and IV (odds)
Review: Adjs. 1&2 and 3; and Demonstrative Pronouns (hic, ille, is)
*Turn in passage you wish to translate into Latin for your individual project
W
1/15
Quiz: Colby I-IV; Nouns 1-3; Adjs. 1 & 2, 3; Demonstrative Pronouns (hic, ille, is)
F
1/17
Colby: Lessons V-VI (odds)
Review: Noun/Adj. mixed agreement (all declensions)
M
1/120 Colby: Lesson VII (odds)
Review: Pronouns (Relative, Personal, Reflexive); Adjectives (Possessive, Reflex.)
*Turn in 5 lines (or 25%) of your individual project translated into Latin
W
1/22
Quiz: Colby V-VII (and retake of I-IV if needed); Noun/Adjective mixed
agreement (all declensions); Pronouns (Relative, Personal, Reflexive) and
Adjectives (Possessive and Reflexive); Review quiz retakes as needed
F
1/24
Colby: Lesson VIII
Review: Regular Verbs (Active forms, Conjugations 1-2)
M
1/27
Colby: Lessons IX
Review: Regular Verbs (Active forms, Conjugations 3, 3-io, 4)
W
1/29
Quiz: Colby VIII-IX; Colby retakes as needed;
Verbs (active forms Conjs. 1-4); Review quiz retakes as needed
F
1/31
Colby: Lesson X-XI
Review: Regular Verbs (Entire synopsis—active and passive, Conjugations 1-2)
*Turn in 10 lines (or 50%) of your project (first 25% a corrected draft)
M
2/3
Colby: Lesson XII
Review: Verbs (Entire synopsis—active and passive, Conjugations 3, 3-io, 4)
W
2/5
Quiz: Colby X-XII; Verbs (Entire synopsis—active & passive, Conjugations 1-4)
Colby and review retakes as needed
F
2/7
Colby: Lesson XIII
Review: Irregular verbs (sum, possum)
M
2/10
Colby: Lesson XIV
Review: Irregular verbs (eo, volo)
*Turn in 15 lines (or 75%) of project (first 50% a corrected draft)
7
8
9
10
W
2/12
Quiz: Colby XIII-XIV; Irregular verbs (sum, possum, eo, volo)
Colby and review retakes as needed
F
2/14
Colby: Lesson XV
Review: Deponent Verbs (Conjugations 1-2)
*Valentine Party: Bring to class homemade Latin valentines (enough to
give one to each classmate and one to me!). Minimum 6 words composed in
correct Latin.
M
2/17
Colby: Lesson XVI
Review: Deponent Verbs (Conjugations 3-4)
W
2/19
Quiz: Colby XV-XVI; Deponent Verbs (Conjugations 1-4)
Colby and review retakes as needed
F
2/21
Colby: Lesson XVII
Review: As needed for make-up quizzes
*Turn in draft of entire project (first 75% a corrected version)
M
2/24
Colby: Lesson XVIII
Review: As needed for make-up quizzes
W
2/26
Quiz: Colby XVII-XVIII
Colby and review retakes as needed
F
2/28
Colby: Lesson XIX
Review: As needed for make-up quizzes
*Turn in corrected draft of entire project
M
3/3
Colby: Lesson XX
Review: As needed for make-up quizzes
W
3/5
Quiz: Colby XIX-XX
Colby and review retakes as needed
F
3/7
By noon: email me final version of your composition
M
3/10
Composition party: Individual presentations of compositions