Using Authentic Latin Poetry in Lower Level
Language Classes

by Mary English, Montclair State University
Original Text © 2002 Mary English. All rights reserved

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TECHNIQUE #5: REWRITE DIFFICULT POEMS INTO LATIN PROSE. ALWAYS LEAVE ENOUGH TIME TO RETRANSLATE THE ORIGINAL LATIN VERSE.

In the next few sections, I have selected as examples various poems of Catullus that frequently appear on the syllabi of advanced Latin courses. It is often useful to introduce students early on to the authors they will encounter after they finish their basic grammatical text. However, teachers can also apply these same techniques to the works of another poet.

When “rewriting” the Latin poem, I suggest trying to imitate the style of the adapted prose found in the student’s elementary Latin text. In the following selection, I have underlined the noun and adjective combinations that my students often find difficult. By placing these sets of words next to one another, teachers can review with their students the “often elusive” rules of noun-adjective agreement.

Catullus 46 Iam ver egelidos refert tepores, iam caeli furor aequinoctialis iucundis Zephyri silescit auris. Linquantur Phrygii, Catulle, campi Nicaeaeque ager uber aestuosae: ad claras Asiae volemus urbes. Iam mens praetrepidans avet vagari, iam laeti studio pedes vigescunt. O dulces comitum valete coetus, longe quos simul a domo profectos diversae varie viae reportant.

Worksheet/Overhead Version Iam ver egelidos tepores refert, iam furor caeli aequinoctialis iucundis auris Zephyri silescit. Catulle, Phrygii campi -que ager uber Nicaeae aestuosae linquantur: volemus ad claras urbes Asiae. Iam mens praetrepidans avet vagari iam laeti pedes studio vigescunt. O valete dulces coetus comitum, quos simul longe a domo profectos diversae viae varie reportant.

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