Rome in England       22,000 paces to London

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A water drop hollows a stone not by force, but by falling often *

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

                                                      

                                               My Approach

 

Why Latin?

 

Rome

 

Rome teaches us regularity. If you are asking the question,\'Can I do this again?\' you are thinking like a Roman. This leads to the making of rules and even whole sets of them. By far the greatest set of rules Rome itself made was the Law of the Twelve Tables, a civil code that defined the relationship between citizens, and their duties towards those who were not. The result was a citizen body that carried all before it, creating a republic that lasted over 450 years and making the Mediterranean a Roman lake. The Tables also paved the way for further legislation, which together with prior restrictions on the use of power, made Rome a shining example of the  \'rule of law\'.

 

Latin

 

Latin, the language the Romans spoke, had a lot to do with this. Latin sentences have a fluid structure, which means that the part each word plays and how it relates to other words is not determined by its position, only its form. This creates opportunities for the writer or speaker, but difficulties for the reader or listener, unless, of course, he knows grammar, another set of rules.

 

Thus learning latin introduces us to a world, where there is freedom, but also a respect for its limitations. Very like Rome itself.

 

Two Principles

 

Texts

 

An article of faith is that we start from the outset with original latin. There is plenty to choose from, as Latin authors wrote on a wide range of topics. The choice, therefore, can be tailored to individual tastes or interests. If preparing for an examination the choice will already be made by the board.

 

Reading Method

 

The way to tackle these texts is to read each sentence word by word. This worked for me and the reward is to level both with the mind of the author and with the resources at his disposal. It leads, also, to treating grammar as a means to an end rather than an end in itself.

 

 

 

D.F.Maclean                  January  2021

 

 

*gutta lapidem cavat non vi, sed saepe cadendo ( Latin original )