Questions about learning latin from a beginner

Latin Learning Latin
1

Salvete! I wish to learn Latin because I want to learn a language to read classical literature. I feel like Latin is going to be the easiest from the ones I was thinking (greek, hebrew, latin) because my native language is Spanish, a Latin descendant language, so I already recognize some words and maybe the grammar will be similar too. But first I have two questions, I would appreciate if you can help me. I apologize if these questions are asked a lot, I’m new at the forum.

1- What learning methods do you recommend for a beginner? It can be in english or spanish, but I would like you to give me a hand to get started. I tought I could learn the grammar from a book (Don’t know which, I’d like recommendations) and learn vocabulary through something like Anki or Duolingo.

2- What is the easiest way (if there is one) to download literature in Latin? I would be very disappointed if I learned a whole language and couldn’t read in it.
This is my first post, so I don’t know if piracy is allowed here or not, but I’ve never seen Latin literature anywhere so I don’t think I could buy it even if I wanted to. I also don’t even know if it would count as “piracy” since they are texts from 2000 years ago.

Thank you for reading!

2

Welcome! Piracy (except maybe for the Blackbeard type) is not allowed on Textkit, but many books are out of copyright. Go to the “Open Forum” above and see the “Textkit Book Collection”

3

If you are an independent learner, then I would recommend you a Reading method:

You can also take a look at similar courses (both are of Spanish origin):

This method is based on graded texts, from very simple and frequent lexicon to advanced. Ørberg’s course is the most popular (and the oldest one), and completing both its parts you will be able to read the authentic Roman literature (from my experience). In recent years, a great amount of supplementary materials were produced to practice the vocabulary, so even on the beginning level you can always find what to read besides the textbook.

When I start learning a new language, I usually take 5-10 classes with a live teacher to practice pronunciation. So I recommend you.

4

There are many, many books available in Latin, both modern and ancient! In addition to the textkit collection mentioned above, you can buy books online or in bookstores. I have bought a number of Greek and Latin books in both used and new book stores and online. Recently I bought a parallel Greek-English text of Epictetus at a local big chain store.

I even have Greek and Latin translations of Harry Potter (which I’m ashamed to say I’ve never read).

So there is definitely no need for piracy. There are endless free and paid books available online and in hard copy. :slight_smile:

Have fun!

5

I agree that Orberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata is one of the best texts out there. You can find audio samples on youtube with screenshots to get the sense if it’s worth buying for you. Another good text you can find for free is the one by Fr. William Most on archive.org.

A member of this forum compiled a few useful lists of free to download texts several years ago. There is more to be found now than there was then, but this is a good start.
http://www.edonnelly.com/google.html - books for learners
http://www.edonnelly.com/loebs.html - books of ancient literature

Also, I’ve found dual language formats such as interlinears to be useful, as explained here:
https://theamericanscholar.org/the-new-old-way-of-learning-languages/

You can find a list of such texts at https://www.latinum.org.uk/shadowing/interlinear-method. Three useful ones that latinum missed are:
Fenton’s Child’s First Latin Book https://archive.org/details/childsfirstlati00fentgoog
Mortimer’s Latin Without Tears https://archive.org/details/latinwithouttea00picagoog/page/n127/mode/2up
Clark’s Practical And Progressive Latin Grammar https://archive.org/details/clark-thomas-practical-and-progressive-latin-grammar-1859/page/8/mode/2up

6

Love to know the specific copy of the parallel Epictetus book?

7

It’s this one:
https://www.amazon.ca/How-Be-Free-Ancient-Guide/dp/0691177716/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ZEL6NXLHJUZH&keywords=princeton+epictetus+how+to+be+free&qid=1704133401&sprefix=princeton+epictetus+how+to+be+fre%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-1

I have to say that I don’t love the translation, as someone who is (re)learning the language. It might be a good translation just for reading, or for someone who is more comfortable with simply reading the Greek. But for my purposes–which is wrestling with the Greek and then using the English to check/help myself–this translation is pretty tricky and I haven’t made it far. I need to improve my Greek first and then come back to it. The book itself is nice in that it’s small enough to cart around, well made, and has nice fonts. I do recommend the series as far as that goes. The store had several different books from the series, but I’ve only picked up this one so far.

8

I don’t like to disagree with klewlis but in my view this Epictetus translation is really excellent. It’s true that at first sight it may not seem to correspond word-for-word with the Greek—it succeeds in avoiding translationese—but it’s actually a brilliantly exact rendering, exemplary even. I’d say it should be just as useful for anyone struggling with ancient Greek as for more advanced readers.

And who isn’t interested in how to be free?

But it has nothing to do with learning Latin.

9

I think that Michael’s expression here may be somewhat influenced by his laudable desire to say nice things about a colleague.

From the couple of pages of Long that I have read, I see that he has taken Oldfather’s Loeb translation as a base and is mostly all right when he sticks to it – updating a word here or there – but is anything but “exact” and “exemplary” when he doesn’t. I note as a quibble, that we’d object to a modern translator producing a revision rather than a new work for a Dostoevsky translation, but this is the state of translation in 21st century classics, and Long is anything but the only offender here.

[Aside: the previewable pdf of “How to be Free” has missing sections of Greek in the initial page (I assume the print version has no such issue?).]

However, beginning from where the Greek facing text begins:

τηλικούτων οὖν ἐφιέμενος μέμνησο ὅτι οὐ δεῖ μετρίως κεκινημένον ἅπτεσθαι αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ἀφιέναι παντελῶς, τὰ δὲ ὑπερτίθεσθαι πρὸς τὸ παρόν.

Long: Keep in mind, then, that you have to be highly motivated if you want to achieve such great goals. You will have to forego some things completely, and postpone others for the present.

Oldfather: With such high aims, therefore, remember that you must bestir yourself with no slight effort to lay hold of them, but you will have to give up some things entirely, and defer others for the time being.

Long’s stylistic adjustment takes us into what I’d call fluffy language with “be highly motivated” for “οὐ … μετρίως κεκινημένον”, which Oldfather renders closely as “bestir yourself with no slight effort”. ἐφιέμενος kind of shows up in the characterization of the object of ἅπτεσθαι as “goals”, though I don’t see how a Greek newbie could see that.

I could go on, but others can find their own examples easily enough, I’d think. It is nice that Long has improved readability, though it seems to come at the price of a bit of magazinification of the language.

10

I think Joel is wrong. It’s not as if Tony Long can’t read Greek for himself. Joel’s accusation is indicative of his laudable resistance to dependence on Loebs and of his less laudable desire to stigmatize others for it.

11

Sorry guys, I did not mean to start an argument or to distract us from a Latin-focused thread.

I was only giving my first impressions, which are heavily influenced by my extremely rusty skills; my impressions may change as my skills improve. :slight_smile:

12

Don’t overlook the public library. My own public library has various Latin readers available to borrow. You might want to check out the public libraries in your own city.

13

I used to have the Greek and Latin translations of Harry Potter. I bought them when they first came out but never read them. Eventually I got rid of them (dumped them at my local Goodwill store). I figured, I’d rather spend my time on real Greek and Latin literature.