Difficult transition: Lingua Latina to De Bello Gallico

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Bretonus
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Difficult transition: Lingua Latina to De Bello Gallico

Post by Bretonus »

Hello, I am just looking for some suggestions to help me get moving through this book.

I can read through LL, any chapter, and know with certainty what it is saying, with the exception of a little of the poetry in chapter 34.

I find myself completely unprepared for De Bello Gallico. Is it a difficult transition to make? I mean I have been progressing very slowly, but still have made some progress. I find I have to read up on the history of every little thing before I read it in Latin or I will be lost, is that to be expected?

My study plan is to read a 2 or 3 previously read pages, hoping to have a stronger grasp on them, then proceed two further, afterwards continuing another chapter through Lingua Latina which I have simultaneously started over to sharpen my skills.

timeodanaos
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Post by timeodanaos »

Give it a try. Caesar takes a little while to get used to, but as soon as you know his peculiarities, he is a breeze. And even quite amusing at times.

Twpsyn
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Post by Twpsyn »

Maybe use a student edition or some other annotated edition, if you aren't already? It's such a popular text in schools that there must be plenty such out there. That would help you with the background, which, if I understand you aright, is what is giving you trouble.

modus.irrealis
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Post by modus.irrealis »

Have you seen this Commentary on Caesar's Gallic War? I'm currently reading it and I was using these notes as a guide at the start and I found them extremely helpful in helping me get over the hump and be able to read it more comfortably, since the notes are geared towards people starting out.

Tertius Robertus
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Post by Tertius Robertus »

Hello, I am just looking for some suggestions to help me get moving through this book.

I can read through LL, any chapter, and know with certainty what it is saying, with the exception of a little of the poetry in chapter 34.
Any chapter? Even those of the second volume? Have you finish volume 2? If you have finished volume II, you may easily read Caesar. If you are still on volume I, you either should read the abridged version, as Modus suggests, or move into volume II.
I find myself completely unprepared for De Bello Gallico. Is it a difficult transition to make?
Adding to what I said supra, Volume I is not complete enough that would allow you to read caesar without help: for your vocabulary is still small and your knowledge of grammar is not complete.

I mean I have been progressing very slowly, but still have made some progress. I find I have to read up on the history of every little thing before I read it in Latin or I will be lost, is that to be expected?
no.
My study plan is to read a 2 or 3 previously read pages, hoping to have a stronger grasp on them, then proceed two further, afterwards continuing another chapter through Lingua Latina which I have simultaneously started over to sharpen my skills.
Finish LL first, later try to be more ambitious.

Gonzalo
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Post by Gonzalo »

Tertius Robertus wrote:
Hello, I am just looking for some suggestions to help me get moving through this book.

I can read through LL, any chapter, and know with certainty what it is saying, with the exception of a little of the poetry in chapter 34.
Any chapter? Even those of the second volume? Have you finish volume 2? If you have finished volume II, you may easily read Caesar. If you are still on volume I, you either should read the abridged version, as Modus suggests, or move into volume II.
I find myself completely unprepared for De Bello Gallico. Is it a difficult transition to make?
Adding to what I said supra, Volume I is not complete enough that would allow you to read caesar without help: for your vocabulary is still small and your knowledge of grammar is not complete.

I mean I have been progressing very slowly, but still have made some progress. I find I have to read up on the history of every little thing before I read it in Latin or I will be lost, is that to be expected?
no.
My study plan is to read a 2 or 3 previously read pages, hoping to have a stronger grasp on them, then proceed two further, afterwards continuing another chapter through Lingua Latina which I have simultaneously started over to sharpen my skills.
Finish LL first, later try to be more ambitious.
I think he's talking about LLPSI. If you cannot actually read those extracts of poetry with ease I should recommend to read again LLPSI, which is what I am doing right now and you'll get marvelled with the results.
I've made mention of Sermones Romani several times. It's a fairly good reader if you've gone through LLPSI without much troubles and you want to read Classical authors as well as acquire vocabulary.
http://www.focusbookstore.com/browsepro ... omani.html
http://www.amazon.com/Lingua-Latina-Ser ... 8790696077
Plautus, Cato, Cicero, Phaedrus, Horace, Tacitus, Martial, Pliny, Aulus Gellius, and Lucas
I did find Gellius a bit complicated... but now I understand it quite well.

Gonzalo
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Post by Gonzalo »


Banana tree
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Post by Banana tree »

Great, I didn't know one could find it online. I haven't sought for it on the other hand...

*printing* :D

Edit: oh, it wasn't the whole book, but I can still use this till I can afford to buy Lingua Latina.

Bretonus
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Post by Bretonus »

I only read Pars 1 of Lingua Latina. I am using their annotated De Bello Gallico, and I would much rather read Roma Aeterna, but since Amazon has felt it necessary to delay their shipment of it four times, I have to work with what I'm given.

Fabellae Latinae was a nice supplement, but aside from a few words, I really didn't get much out of it grammatically.

I'll probably order Sermones Romani if they feel like they should again delay the time they established for next week's delivery.

Essorant
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Post by Essorant »

I would much rather read Roma Aeterna, but since Amazon has felt it necessary to delay their shipment of it four times, I have to work with what I'm given.
That is strange. I ordered Roma Aeterna from Amazon.com about two weeks ago and it arrived last week!<pre> </pre>

Bretonus
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Post by Bretonus »

28th of April. :(

Edit: Strangely I ordered De Bello Gallico the next week, and was going to order Sermones Romani but they were out of stock and they estimated it would be a long time before it shipped.

Yet another edit: Wow, I never noticed the Fabellae Latinae had a version which was just a giant exercise. Something to do! :)

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