So, in the end, the big question is this: do the strengths of the exclusive focus on Ovid outweigh the drawbacks? On the whole, I think they do . . . with conditions.
Eternity is Now: “Of the Father’s Love Begotten”
Every time we sing it or listen to "Of the Father's Love Begotten," we stand with the previous sixty-odd generations of forebears who sang the same song. Eternity is now.
A Poetic Shock Absorber: Phaedrus’s Fabulae
Phaedrus, it seems, had high expectations for children's literary understanding. Or maybe, as A.A. Milne does in his Winnie the Pooh stories, he wanted to throw in a little something for the benefit of the adults who do the actual reading.
A Go-To Text for Latin III: Jenney’s 2nd Year Latin
And what, you may wonder, are the strongest features? Glad you asked. As is the case with the first book in this series, clarity and thoroughness are the strengths of Jenney's Second Year Latin.
Caesar as Teacher
With Caesar as teacher, we can be his co-teachers. We can help our students see and feel the drama in his narrative.
Caesar as Storyteller
Julius Caesar as Storyteller? Well, yes. We remember Caesar as many things: general, tyrant, reformer of the calendar and, yes, author. But how often do we give him credit for his virtuosity in spinning yarns?
Pluck the Day
Now, I can't deny that "seize the day" sounds a lot more inspiring than "pluck the day." How does one pluck a day, anyway? Here's where it pays to go to the source. What exactly is Horace getting at in the eleventh poem in his first book of odes?
A Five Tool Player: Latin for the New Millennium
The bottom line is that Latin for the New Millennium does at least reasonably well in all five categories, and better than reasonably well in most. It's a five tool player.
In Praise of Old Books
And if holding a century-old book in your hand can give a sense of a tangible connection to its readers over the past hundred years, what about reading the same words that have fired the imaginations of countless readers over the past hundred generations?
I’d Rather be in an Apple Tree
We can't understand what we don't even know. We can't draw valid conclusions if we don't have the facts. Memorization gives us the matter to feed our cogitations.