Homework for Week 5 (Classes March 27 & 28) -- Capitulum Secundum

First, those who missed class on March 20/21 and did not take the quiz need to be prepared to take it this week. It's crucial that, before we move too much ahead, we all see what problems from the first chapter may need to be dealt with. Each chapter will be building on the previous one(s), and we need to make sure that we are building on a foundation that is rock-solid, not shifting sand!

In class, we began reading Lectio Prima in Capitulo Secundo, "Familia Romana," in which we are introduced to the Roman family whose life we will be following through the rest of the book. As should be almost routine by now, you should:

• First, look at the illustration at the beginning of the chapter carefully, trying to understand what it is depicting. This is a visual introduction to the written narrative that follows.
• Read through the lectio (vv. 1-24) carefully, perhaps first silently but later aloud (to practice pronunciation), pausing at the end of each paragraph to take note of the new vocabulary and grammatical features that are being introduced.
• Pay attention to the marginal notations, which point out the significance of new grammatical instructions. Try to figure out what they are pointing out, and make a mental note. Re-read relevant sentences to see if the context in which new things occur helps you to understand what they mean.
• After you have digested the reading, move on to the Exercitia in the workbook for the lectio you have just finished (for this week, exercitia I-IV on p. 4). Practice these orally before writing them out. Remember that even in the exercitia, there are marginal notations are there to help you -- they indicate the possible answers for the blanks to be filled in, so that you don't completely have to guess what is being asked for. 
• Write out the exercitia after you have practiced them to the point of ease and familiarity -- write the entire sentence or, if answering a question, a complete sentence that provides a factually and grammatically correct answer. Bring your work to class.

Nota bene [Note well]: If you have time, you should also try discussing the subject material spontaneously in Latin, just summarizing or paraphrasing the information contained in the lectio. This week, you can quiz yourself on the identities of Iulius, his wife Aemilia, and their children, Marcus, Quintus, and Iulia. Be sure to use the proper word endings, especially the new endings that indicate relationship (casus genetivus or genitive case: Iulius pater MarcI, Iulia filia AemiliAE, etc.).