A few questions about learning to purely read Latin (not to write or speak, just read/understand) from both books I and II (as they are pretty much a continuation of each other):
1. Is it possible to get through the first book, or both books in 2 months of studying each day? How long would it took per day to get through either both or just the first? (given I will be also studying Italian intensely with a background of intermediate French)
2. What level does the finishing the first book get me to? Or is it only until finished both that one is able to read texts of Latin?
If this is impossible to say, how would, for example, one go about being able to translate each line of this into English perfectly with minimal use of a dictionary (you are given that lixa = camp-follower; proboscis, proboscidis 3 feminine = trunk; stridor = trumpeting)
"non mihi praetermittendum est de virtute veterani quintae legionis. nam cum in sinistro cornu elephas vulneratus et dolore concitatus in lixam inermem impetum fecisset, eumque genu innixus pondere suo proboscide erecta vibrantique stridore maximo premeret atque enecaret, miles hic bestiae se obtulit. quem postquam elephas ad se telo infesto venire animadvertit, relicto cadavere militem proboscide circumdat atque in sublime extollit. armatus, cum in eiusmodi periculo fortiter agendum sibi videret, gladio proboscidem qua erat circumdatus caedere coepit. quo dolore adductus elephas milite abiecto maximo cum stridore cursuque conversus ad reliquas bestias se recepit."
Would this require finishing of both the books? How long would one take using Lingua to get to reading and translating texts to that level?
Another example to what level i would hope to be reaching is parts of Aeneid with text like "ocius advertunt proras urbique propinquant. forte die sollemnem illo rex Arcas honorem Amphitryoniadae magno divisque ferebat ante urbem in luco. Pallas huic filius una, una omnes iuvenum primi pauperque senatus tura dabant, tepidusque cruor fumabat ad aras." and then answering questions like "Why has Aeneas come to this place? Who has explained to him the significance of the rites described in this passage?" and "What prayer is uttered in lines 17–18, and by what title is the deity, to whom it is made, addressed?"
Thanks & sorry for all the text!
VEXX.
To just let you know, i'd hope to come close to that Level in 2-3 months of Lingua (Dec-Feb) and then i begin final year Latin that goes for 8months, where a final exam at the end is that level (they are from one of our past exams). So hopefully i can get there
