Next Steps after Wheelock

[MOVERLY]

Regardless of your opion of Wheelock, I am just finishing up a year of independent study using this text and am asking for your guidance on next steps. What would the other members of this group recommend as a next step text? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Carola]

Moverly, you have just asked my next question! I haven't been using Wheelock but I am getting to the stage where I need to know the finer points of Latin. Any recommendations for a good textbook? This is one case where I am prepared to do the dreaded overseas book order (pay money and wait in hope for about 2 3 4 months). Anyone out there who knows a book which covers some of the constructions used in poetry and the nitty gritty of subjunctives, absolute ablatives and so on? Most of the beginner textbooks start to get a bit vague about this point and don't give enough examples. Perhaps someone is teaching advanced students or is at that stage themselves?

[Dean]

I just thought I would let you know that when I was in college after you finished your first year of Latin your next course was Cicero and we read his Orations against Cataline. Then next course was Vergil and after that Horace. So don't be afraid to try some Cicero. It's more interesting than Caeser and the Gallic Wars.<br /><br />Dean

[brandonmason]

I would suggest not bothering with a textbook, but instead going to raw, unadulterated latin. Wheelock's has taught you everything you need to know in terms of grammar, declensions, conjugations, etc. Now, you just need to expand your vocabulary and get experience applying these things.<br /><br />If you haven't done so already, I'd work through the LA and LI in the back of the book. This is a good introduction to real Latin.<br /><br />After that, just get a good Latin dictionary and start working your way through Latin texts. The Vulgate is one that is really easy, so might be a good place to begin. After that, just pick whatever interests you: the poems of Catullus, the orations of Cicero, the letters of Pliny.<br /><br />If you haven't already, I'd check out the LatinStudy group that includes people who are learning Latin independently. They have a number of post-wheelock groups working together to learn Latin.

[jmcquill]

I just finished my second year of college Latin. The textbook we used in our second year was Oxford, vol III, which picks up about where Wheelock leaves off, but like other repliers, we also translated Cicero, Catullus, and Vergil straight from the Latin. It is trial by fire, but it gets the job done. Oxford was pretty good and if you are interested in understanding the finer points of grammar, Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar is always helpful.

[Milito]

The second text that I used in learning Latin was North and Hilliard, (in conjunction with reading Caesar's Gallic Wars) and the text after that was Bennett (in conjunction with reading Vergil). Bennett is posted on Textkit (thanks, Jeff!)<br /><br />I find that Bennett is a good reference when I am working through a Latin text, and am trying to figure out why a word is in some form or other. Bennett goes into a lot more fine detail than Wheelock does, and he also uses examples taken directly from both Caesar and Cicero. (I can't add anything about North and Hilliard, because I used it.... about .... 8 years ago now, and don't remember much.......)<br /><br />In any event, the "just jump in and read" approach seems to work pretty well after the basics are in place, and I suppose that's why I find Bennett a useful reference - it does go into the extra details. I'd recommend at least giving it a look.<br /><br />All that being said, I'm also thoroughly sold on Moreland and Fleischer, too. As its title says, it's set up as a course, so does duplicate Wheelock, but it also provides a second explanation, which is also useful. <br /><br />Kilmeny<br /><br />

[vinobrien]

My Moreland and Fleischer arrived just this morn and it's the best twenty quid I've spent in a long time. ;D<br /><br />It has really convinced me that "read one grammar, read 'em all" is just nor true and, even though you might have devoured Wheelock, it's not the only dish on the menu. Mind you, my wife keeps asking how many different Latins are there as I seem to have so many grammars on the shelf.<br /><br />As a follow up to Wheelock's Grammar, might I suggest Wheelock's Reader, it contains among many things, large bits of Cicero's In Verrem, the good bits of Pliny and even some medieval Latin! As I have said elsewhere, the edition I used had excellent facing-page notes thereby removing the need to read with one finger stuck in the back of the book.

[Carola]

Oh Vin - where did you get that lovely picture! Back to the topic, I have also been stocking up on books and bought Woodcock's "New Latin Syntax" , which seems to answer all those tricksy little questions that have been plaguing me. What a pity I didn't have the book before the Latin exam last week! However, I might check out the Moreland and Fleischer if I see it around. <br />As for books - I have had to start a special section for Classics related stuff, not easy when I already have 4 very large bookshelves already overflowing with various books (and boxes of older stuff that "might come in handy one day"). But very outdone by another family member who has an entire large room filled with books, leaving barely enough space to get in and out of the room. Unfortunately she live about 400 km north of here so we can't use each other's libraries easily!