In your opinion, what are the most essential Latin concepts to understand in order to read original Latin? Most Latin text books begin by teaching students nouns forms and indicative verb forms, both active and passive, while also including information about pronouns, and adjectives/adverbs. In your experience with reading Latin, are these a sufficient foundation with which to begin or ought a student also have a solid understanding of the subjunctive mood, participles, periphrastics, infinitives, and different uses of the ablative/dative/gentitive cases?
Well, put it this way. The more you underſtand, the better. I would alſo pay cloſe attention to the AcI (accuſativus cum infinitivo) conſtruction, as it fundamental in Latin ſyntax, but that is juſt one point out of maaaany.
Put it another way. A fundamental underſtanding of grammar is eßential to a full, appreciative reading of claßical texts. It’s a tool to help one interpret the texts, to underſtand the Ancients. Therefore, it is only the beginning.