Oxford Latin Course, Vol. 2

By James Morwood and Maurice Balme

Book Overview

Designed for North American students, this special version of the Oxford Latin Course combines the best features of both modern and traditional methods of Latin teaching, providing an exciting, stimulating introduction and approach to Latin based on the reading of original texts.In this four-volume North American edition, the order of declensions corresponds to customary U.S. usage, and the spelling has been Americanized. In addition, it offers full-color illustrations and photographs throughout Parts I and II and an expanded Teacher's Book with translations for each part. Parts I-III (now available in hardcover editions) are built around a narrative detailing the life of Horace, now based more closely on historical sources, which helps students to get to know real Romans--with their daily activities, concerns, and habits--and to develop an understanding of Roman civilization during the time of Cicero and Augustus. Part IV (paperback) is a reader consisting of extracts from Caesar, Cicero, Catullus, Virgil, Livy, and Ovid.The second edition of the Oxford Latin Course has been carefully designed to maximize student interest, understanding, and competence. It features a clearer presentation of grammar, revised narrative passages, new background sections, more emphasis on daily life and on the role of women, a greater number and variety of exercises, and review chapters and tests. Each chapter opens with a set of cartoons with Latin captions that illustrate new grammar points. A Latin reading follows, with new vocabulary highlighted in the margins and follow-up exercises that focus on reading comprehension and grammatical analysis. A background essay in English concludes each chapter. Covering a variety of topics--from history to food, from slavery to travel, these engaging essays present a well-rounded picture of Augustan Rome.The Oxford Latin Course, Second Edition offers today's students and teachers an exceptionally engaging and attractive introduction to the language, literature, and culture of Rome--one that builds skills effectively and is exciting to use.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0199120846
• ISBN13: 9780199120840
• Release Date: December 1988
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.6" x 0.6" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Pretty Good Text

I use this book for may Elementary Latin 2 course. The professor teaches straight out of this workbook. I enjoy the cultural section of each chapter, as it gives a bit of history of Rome as it pertains to the latin vocabulary and concepts just learned in the section. The illustrations are terrible, but kind of funny because they are so bad. One has to assume that they are intentionally drawn badly.

This book is great for children learning Latin.

I am a historian who uses Latin on a daily basis -- I learned it the old-fashioned way -- with Wheelock. My son is learning Latin at the sixth-grade level and has made great progress using this series -- which seems to me to be the age level they are best for. If I were teaching high school or college Latin this would NOT be my series of choice. But my son has just finished the first book (I'm buying the second one today for summer study) and has a pretty good knowledge of nouns, adjectives, all four conjugations in the present, future and imperfect tense, some present tense irregular verbs, and knows to be careful with prepositions. He's also got a pretty good understanding of Roman mythology, and domestic life thanks to this series.

Great for even young Latin students

We are using the Oxford series for homeschooling. My eight-year-old twins enjoy the stories and have easily learned to read and translate Latin with the series. They particularly like the focus on Horace as a child and the historical lessons that are attached. As a teacher I found it easy to use, but a background in language and a working knowledge of Latin helps if you are going to use it to teach younger students.

addendum to the "seductive" review

To use this course for independent study, one really needs the corresponding series of teachers guides (Oxford Latin Course: Teacher's Book (part one, two, etc.) for comments, explanations, keys to exercises.

seductive curriculum, beautifully organized

I had never had any interest in learning Latin, although languages and grammar come easily to me and are enjoyable. I picked up the first part of the Oxford First Latin Course and flipped through it only because its design was so appealing. I found the curriculum so well organized and accessible that it seduced me into learning Latin, a hobby I'm continuing to pursue through the whole excellent series. It's so well designed that one can slide through it almost effortlessly. Wonderful.