Oxford Latin Reader

by Maurice Balme and James Morwood

Book Overview

Completely revised and restructured in light of a nationwide survey of high school and college instructors, and for the first time available in a special version for North American students, the Oxford Latin Course, Second Edition 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. The new part four is a reader...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195212096
• ISBN13: 9780195212099
• Release Date: July 1997
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.7" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Finally real literature in this series

It is at this point in the Balme and Morwood series that we finally can break away from the children's books. Up until this point the users have been forced to deal with cartoons, which are disgustingly badly drawn, and end chapter questions fit for a monkey. Now, however, real literature is set forth and we may all rejoice. Ceasar, Cicero, Catullus, Virgil, Livy, and Ovid now replace the story of Quintus, which surely had become dear to our hearts. One problem with this freedom, though, is that it is quite the leap of knowledge. As I had said, we jump from children's tales to literature and it is not without great effort that we may do so successfully. Be aware that this book is like the prior book squared. Buy a dictionary and make sure it is a good one. Also, in this book you will realize that though you thought you could read Latin by sight, you are now proven wrong. But, it is worth the hard work and this realization to get through this book.(P.S. the teachers' book is no help!)

Gives a solid basis for reading unadapted Latin.

In their preface, the authors say, "The transition from adapted Latin to unadapted Latin texts is always traumatic and many courses fail at this point." They surely succeed in this difficult task. The accompanying Teacher's Book is indispensable in self study.