In my lectures I provide added background (including lots of pictures) on the authors and their literary selections. I also point out connections between Latin vocabulary words and modern English along with their relationship to other Latin words as well. I offer examples and demonstrations of the Latin grammar lessons, especially where it differs from what we do in English. And for all of the above, I explore how it makes its way into our world today.
No Day Shall Erase You: LeGuin’s Lavinia and Aeneid VII-XII
LeGuin, through her character Lavinia, emphasizes the humanity of Aeneas. LeGuin's Lavinia is not merely a human pawn in a dynastic chess game. Her marriage to Aeneas is a true love match. She sees, and shares with us, the decent and affectionate man behind the battle-hardened hero.
A Greater Work: Vergil’s Aeneid 7-12
Homer's epics the Iliad and the Odyssey gave the Greek speaking world a sense of cultural cohesion. Vergil set out to write a Latin epic to do the same for the Romans. The point here was not just cultural cohesion, but a sense of belonging to the great project that was Rome.
Reading Latin (Jones and Sidwell): Steep Climb, Lovely View
Challenging yet rewarding are the words that come when I look at the Reading Latin Series by Keith Jones and Peter Sidwell. Challenging because, as we'll see below, it can be a rather steep climb. Rewarding, at least potentially, because in the hands of the right students it can provide a powerful pathway to a reading knowledge of the Lingua Antiqua.
Veni, Vidi, Vici: Who Hasn’t Heard It?
The statement's compression and brutal directness embodied Caesar's entire rise to the pinnacle of power. It was itself an actum. Veni, Vidi, Vici had become an incredibly potent expression of Caesar's overall mastery.
Spring Sale 2026 – 10% off all Latin Books
"Spring Sale" sounds kind of mercenary, doesn't it? Well, okay, this post is kind of mercenary. But I thought some of you would be interested. Our Spring Sale 2026 on Latin books extends from April 28th through May 31st. There is a 10% discount on all Latin book sales during that time.
Vatican Latin Academy and Starfleet Academy
All the great works of classical literature that we can enjoy today survive only because throughout the middle ages Christian monks laboriously copied them out in their scriptoria. The Latin language itself is likewise an ancestral treasure. It's a gift from our distant ancestors that the Church has kept safe for us over two millennia.
A Triple Threat: the Ablative Case
There was a time before the familiar classical era Latin in which there were more cases. Yes, even more than the five (or six, or six and a half) that we know. The classical ablative is actually a combination of three of those earlier cases. Understanding those earlier cases can help us sort out the seemingly random mass of ablatve uses.
Look, Romans! Ecce Romani Review
Ecce Romani may be a good choice for you, if you're looking for a reading-based text with a less-rigorous approach to grammar. If you're looking for something more traditional, probably not.
Fortes Fortuna Adiuvat: Good Quotes Never Die
Fortes Fortuna Adiuvat Fortes Fortuna adiuvat, "Fortune helps the brave!" A more common, if somewhat less literal translation is "Fortune favors the bold!" Well, it still captures the sense of the statement, and preserves the alliteration of the original. It also captures the swashbuckling spirit with which this sentiment was intoned in at least one … Continue reading Fortes Fortuna Adiuvat: Good Quotes Never Die