How would you compare Wheelock to say: Henle or Cambridge Latin texts?
Hi LatinBookjunky,
IMHO:
Wheelock is a bulky ‘traditional’ course that stresses grammar at the expense of reading. Fine if that’s what you like.
The Henle books have a mild Christian bias (they include some biblical texts alongside predominantly classical reading material) but they have a stronger focus on reading – and a pleasant lay-out.
The Cambridge Latin Course is based on a powerful story-line (set in Roman Britain) and uses cartoon-strips very effectively. As does the Oxford Latin Course which is very similar (life of Horace, during which Roman Republic mutates to Roman Empire).
These last two publications tend to reproduce themselves every few years, spawning ever glossier and uglier versions of themselves. The Oxford completely loses the plot in later editions ‘in response to teacher feedback’ – ruining the initial flow of the storyline. Best version is 1st Edition (1987-1992). Best version of the Cambridge is the North American 3rd Edition (1988-1997).
A similar more ‘modern’ reading-based course that manages to retain its freshness despite inevitable ‘enhancements’ is Ecce Romani. A good version is Ecce Romani 1, 2 & 3 Combined (1986-1990) and Ecce Romani 4 & 5 Combined (1985)
Naturally, your own learning style will decide the issue.
Cheers,
Int
One might add, of course, Lingua Latina.
Also, a question about the Henle series: isn’t it wholly appropriate to include some representative ecclesiastical texts? After all, the work of scholars like Bede, Jerome, and Boethius ranks close in cultural and historical importance (if not literary) to most of the classical writers. Bias is itself a biased word. I’m not trying to pick a fight here - nor am I indeed primed to the slightest slight against the church, not being much of a Christian myself - but I did find your qualification curious.
avec sincerité
David
Hi BP&,
Sorry I gave the wrong impression. It was certainly unintentional. I was using ‘bias’ in what I thought was a neutral and descriptive sense, as in these Google examples: “Please also keep in mind that Lawrence and I are most definitely not vegetarians, and our choices will reflect a bias towards red meat?, “Blue will carry a bias towards Green or Violet, Red will be biased towards Violet or Orange, and Yellow will carry a bias towards Orange or Green? [referring to a Color Wheel], etc, etc.
Over recent years, I may myself have developed something of a bias (prejudice) against religions, being constantly reminded of some of their nastier outcomes, but I have absolutely no bias against Bach, Praxiteles, the alHambra or the Bagavadh Gita. I confess I may have had an initial bias against ecclesiastical Latin (after all, it’s easier to keep it simple if you’re a stupid beginner) but I’ve outgrown that.
To anyone whisked off by exhausted parents to Sunday School and Church when a child, reading biblical extracts in Latin is like studying with a cheat sheet (in a positive sense, I hasten to add!). At the very least, it’s an easy vocabulary builder. I recommend IESUS NAZARENUS, VITA DOMINI IMAGINIBUS ILLUSTRATA, from the European Language Institute (1984), for those with a suitable cultural background.
While on the subject of illustrated ‘comic books’ in Latin, there are also: Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Caesar’s Bellum Helveticum and a whole horde of Asterix adventures – all done into Latin by one Rubricastellanus. No mental cheat sheets for these.
I agree with you about Lingua Latina. It’s in a class of its own. Love it!
Cheers,
Int
Henle was killing me with the grammer. I backed up and picked up a Cambridge book and am enjoying it a lot so far.
Hello Interaxus,
Thank you for your very thoughtful and thorough response! I probably was a bit hasty in giving your “bias” a bias, since - and you’re indeed right - it can be used in a neutral sense.
Many thanks for your recommendations on the Latin comic books. I’ll try to find those, especially the Asterix, when I get the chance. (Though that might be hard to do in Korea.)
-David
Hi David,
I’m afraid I can’t help you with the Asterix volumes but I happen to have two copies of the Caesar. If you let me have your address, I’ll gladly post the spare one to you.
Cheers,
Int
Interaxus,
There is a private message waiting for you.
Regards,
David
Hi W&P,
Ceasar hodie ad Asiam profectus est.
I’ve no idea how long it will take him to reach you, but given his usual determination, he should make Korea eventually.
Cheers,
Int
Interaxus,
I’m much obliged to you! gratias tibi maximas perpetuasque!
Let’s hope that Caesar’s crossing of the Pacific is less eventful than his crossingof the English Channel.
I really only have experience with a handful of Latin Books: Wheelock’s, Lingua Latina, Oxford, and Cambridge.
If you want to learn Latin for the sole purpose of reading latin for personal enjoyment, the latter three and LL in particular are the way to go. All of them have a simple presentation and focus on reading short (or long in the case of LL) passages with some grammar instruction to support the readings.
If you want to make a career in the classics you will likely at some point have to teach the language and thus a concise knowledge of the grammar and its terms are neccessary. This is where Wheelock’s come in. Wheelock’s teaches you how to dissect a Latin sentence and describe it grammatically. This is not a neccessary skill for reading latin. In fact, some might say that it forces the student to put off gaining the skill of truly reading latin until he masters the grammar.
I personally have taken a mixed approach.
In summation:
Like linguistics/grammar and want to teach? → Wheelock’s
Want to sit down in a nice chair and just read → Lingua Latina, et al.
Charles
Wheelock’s does focus on the grammar/translation model of Latin learning, but there’s another book that cranks the heat up even higher: Moreland and Fleischer’s Intensive Latin. You can read more about it in the forum dedicated to the book (on this site). It’s rough going, but it is much more comprehensive than Wheelock’s, and it has a lot more practice sentences, to boot.
carissime Interaxus,
I received a splendid package at my office yesterday, addressed from Sweden, which contained a certain comic book. I must confess that I was so excited about the prospect of reading an illustrated Caesar that I squandered my preparation time in the perusing of the book! And after work I took it home and finished it. That is to say: there are passages that I did not fully understand, and words I did not know, but the engaging comic strips and the flow of the narrative were lively enough to keep me going despite my incomprehension.
Many thanks to you for your kind gift. plurimas gratias tibi agito!
Fac me certiorem quomodo tempore futuro auxilium gaudiumue tibi offerre possim!
cura ut ualeas
David
BP&,
Your delight in the book is reward enough for me.
Int 
hey all. I’m a raw beginner using Wheelocks’s, which I enjoy immensely…even the rigorous grammar. I find it fun to be able to map out the syntax of a sentence…maybe in a sick way. 
Anyway, its certainly something I can take with me when learning either other ancient languages or contemporary ones…I frequently use the syntax method taught in Wheelock’s in studying ancient Greek, for instance.
Salvete!
My issue is that I have a copy of Wheelock’s 3rd edition, which I find superior to the current 6th.
The current edition, with it’s larger print and more fluff text seems “dumbed down” to me. By comparison, the 3rd edition is half the thickness.
I wish I could find a 3rd ed answer key - even many of the S.A. are different.
Wow. Am I the only sick-o who enjoys the grammar aspect of language acquisition?
I personally feel that to know how /anything/ works, you have to know its basic parts. In language, that means grammar. True mastery requires lots of work. Sorry, can’t escape the work…lol
nope - you are not the only one - I am really enjoying Wheelock’s - 6th edition, cannot compare with any other editions. But I am also using the marvellous “Latin Made Simple” which really does make it easy to acquire the grammar in a pleasant manner. Using the two side-by-side does it for me. Even though I am still very much at the beginnings, I have made more progress than I ever did at school.
I am thinking of picking up the Wheelock book to re-start my Latin studies after a 30-year hiatus. Iâ€:trade_mark:ve looked at some of the other books, especially PDF files of old texts, but I get eyestrain reading for extended periods of time online. 
I want something I can put in my backpack and pull out when I want it.
How much material do you cover in a day or week? I am working full time and taking college classes, so I don’t want to overload. But, I don’t want to drag it out so long that I never make progress. I know it’s individual, but what is a comfortable rate?
this may be a little late in the conversation, but how does wheelock’s compare with the oxford latin course, second edition. I am taking a class in january that requires the oxford course, but i checked Wheelock’s out from the library, just in case i am confused and one or the other explains a certain area better.
any advice? thank you.