Filiae Morris: Tuesday, VII December

(ante diem septimum Idus Decembres: Faunalia Rustica)

In the College Companion, review the new grammatical constructions introduced in lectio prima of Capitulum XIII, Annus et Menses. Then go back through lectio prima in the reader carefully, making sure that you understand the new vocabulary and grammar in context. Then prepare the exercitia that correspond to lectio prima (I-IV).

Filiae Morris: For Friday, 19 November

On Friday, we will run through the Pensa at the end of Cap. XII and the Colloquium Duodecimum in the blue book.

For Sunday Class, 21 November

On Sunday, 14 November, since we were lacking several students, we did some review over the third declension nouns, rather than moving ahead in the reading. Therefore, next Sunday, we will work our way through Lectio tertia (III) in Cap. X.

To make sure you are getting familiar with the forms of third declension nouns (first introduced in Cap. IX), you should review the grammatica latina at the end of C121apitulum IX, and practice making the different case forms by completing Exercitia 9-11 in the workbook:

• Ex. 9 has you producing the forms of the first declension (feminine words like insula), 
• Ex. 10 -- the forms of the second declension (masculine and neuter words like servus and oppidum), 
• And ex. 11 -- the third declension nouns (which may be masculine, feminine, or neuter).

Blog updates! New gadgets!

I've added a couple of doodads to this blog, a new template and some Latin widgets. Take a little time to look around and see what you think.

In the left sidebar, you'll find:

• The Roman Kalendar, which gives you the current date as Romans would have numbered it, along with the (pagan) holiday associated with that date in ancient times. (We'll be learning about the Roman calendar in Capitulum XIII.)
• Below that, a Latin motto that changes each day, along with its English translation. These mottoes will give you a little insight into conventional Roman attitudes.
• Then there is a Latin word of the day, with a little audio gadget that will pronounce it for you and the equivalent English expressions.
• Below this are links to web resources and Latin-related websites that you might like to explore.

In the right sidebar is mostly course-related stuff, including links to "follow" or "subscribe" to the blog -- if you become a follower or subscriber, you will receive notices by email whenever I post something new.

Let me know if you have any questions about anything on the blog, have trouble reading the new color scheme, etc.

Filiae Morris: For Tuesday, 16 November

The first thing to do is to go back carefully through lectiones I et II in Capitulum XII. As you read, pause occasionally to parse a single sentence -- i.e., make sure you know what each word is doing in the sentence, see where the phrases and clauses are, understand which case a given noun is (and why it needs to be that case). Get familiar with any new vocabulary that shows up in the reading, and try to recognize the different cases of third declension nouns when you see them. Take note of the marginalia (marginal notations) and make sure you understand what they are pointing out. You might want to read aloud at least part of the reading and, once you are comfortable with the contents, practice using natural vocal intonation.

Then you may wish to go through the discussion in the College Companion of any new grammatical and syntactical forms in the reading. You'll notice tables that show the case endings for the newly introduced fourth declension nouns, and for adjectives of comparison, which follow the third declension.

Once you are familiar with the new vocabulary and grammar, you are ready to try your hand at the Exercitia 1-4 for the lectio prima of Cap. XII (write these out to hand in, in lieu of a quiz). Here is an overview of what each exercitium requires:

1. The first exercise has you transforming a transitive statement of possession (e.g., Marcus unam sororem habet) into an equivalent statement using the newly-introduced dative of possession construction (Marco una soror est.). Note that what is possessed goes from being a direct object to being the nominative subject, while the one doing the possessing changes from nominative into dative case.
2. The second exercise simply has you giving the third declension nouns that indicate family relationships (pater, mater, frater, soror) the correct case endings, depending on their function in the sentence.
3. The third exercise is an opportunity to start using some of the new vocabulary. The words to select from are given in the margin, but keep in mind that you will need to to put them in the correct form, according to their use in the sentence.

Filiae Morris: For Tuesday, 9 November

Review lectio altera and then read lectio tertia of Capitulum XI. Look for more instances of indirect discourse (poor old Syra is still trying to keep up with what's being said!) and look for new verbs that describe the further horrors that the medicus will visit on poor Quintus.

Prepare for a quiz over the first and second declension nouns introduced in Cap. IX and X. You will need to be able to give both conjugated and infinitive forms, in the passive and active voices.

Filiae Morris: For Friday, 5 November

Salvete, puellae! Don't forget we will have a vocabulary quiz on Friday, covering the new nouns introduced in capitulo decimo. You should prepare exercitia VII & IX in capitulo X, and read lectionem primam in capitulo XI.