Seeking advice: returning to Latin

[egbert]

I have some small background in Latin, but haven't touched it for years, with a few exceptions.

I never really read any of the classical authors well, though we sort of went through some Catullus and Cicero.

I remember the declensions fine, and the basic (to me, basic) tenses. I think I never had a great grasp of the full verbal system. Mostly passive knowledge of the passive voice. Big holes in vocabulary.

So, I can read some medieval stuff slowly. The older authors are just closed to me. My only strong modern languages are English and Russian.

And now I want to get my Latin going again, with a solid foundation. Someone I met recently is taking First-Year college Latin this fall, and they're using Wheelock and 38 Latin Stories. I pulled 38 LS from the library and the first few are totally readable. I think I can get through the rest fairly easily, too.

I see in 38 LS a set of "transitional readers" for Ovid, Caesar, and such from Bolchazy.

So...do you experienced folks think it would be reasonable to go through 38 Latin Stories and then hit up such a transitional reader? Or go straight into working slowly through some Caesar or something?

I feel like I should know how to design a self-study course, but I'm not too sure. Any advice anyone can offer I would really value. Thank you!

By the way, I'm working on flirting with Homeric Greek, too, with which I have no experience. I may make a separate post about that, but if anyone has has any warnings or advice about working or not working on both at the same time, please share that as well.

[adrianus]

So...do you experienced folks think it would be reasonable to go through 38 Latin Stories and then hit up such a transitional reader? Or go straight into working slowly through some Caesar or something?

I for one can't advise you. Do either or both but hope to find pleasure and satisfaction in what you do so you can keep on doing it.
Ego meâ parte te monere non possum. Alterutrum fac quod oblectamen expletionemque dat ut accendaris ad studium continuum.

[Iacobus de Indianius]

I think it's a good idea to start with the 38 LS, which, as you said, are all basic and easy to get through. This will likely help you brush up on the basic grammar, as well as point out any weaknesses. You can use a beginner text like Wheelock's to explain anything that you find is lacking in your reading of 38 LS.

After this, I would say skip the transitional readers and go straight for Caesar or someone manageable. The quicker you're away from the crutch of edited Latin the better, I say, but you need to refresh so that you have a strong foundation before you wade through unedited texts.

Or another route would be to skip 38 LS and try Orberg's LLPSI rather than the 38 LS. It would be a lot of basic review at first, but is pleasurable to read and really builds vocab.

Best of luck.