Elementary Latin Course

Traditionally, a liberal arts education in Western civilization has included the study of three arts (or intellectual disciplines) which are fundamental to the development of clear thought and communication. These arts are known as the trivium (Lt., ‘three crossroads’), consisting of: logic, or the art of correct thinking; grammar, or the art of inventing and combining meaningful linguistic symbols; and rhetoric, or the art of persuasive communication. A natural aid to learning these liberal arts is the study of a foreign language, such as Latin.

Besides the self-evident intellectual virtue of learning another language, the study of Latin has several central benefits. First, such study enables one to read and translate the sizable body of Latin writings, which spans over two millennia. Second, Latin is a language of fundamental importance to the development of Western civilization; familiarity with Latin enables one both to study other languages and to recognize Latin’s cultural, societal, and historical influence with greater facility. Third, study of Latin helps a student to learn, in terms of the trivium, the general principles of grammar and rhetoric.

To learn more about the course, download the syllabus. The live instruction portion of the course runs Thursdays from 6:00-7:00pm Eastern Time (US), starting 15 July 2021.

This course is available to all Lyceum Members. Enroll today and join in!