Objections to Caesar from the Past

Some may question whether Caesar is too easy for the AP Latin Literature course.

Throughout the 2oth century, many second year Latin books based their content upon Caesar's Gallic Wars. It is clear that for over a century, Latin teachers and professors have dealt with the question of the place of Caesar's writings in the Latin curriculum.

As early as 1916, Josiah Bethea Game wrote in Teaching High School Latin: "Classes are often not ready for Caesar at the opening of the second year...Caesar is more difficult Latin than its place in the course of study would indicate...It really ought to be given in the third year, for it is the rock on which unnumbered thousands of faithful pupils have gone to pieces utterly." (p. 76)

Moving Caesar to Advanced Placement status may at least allow teachers to finally admit that Caesar is actually quite difficult for second year students.

Another criticism of Caesar is that his material is actually fairly dry and dull.

Game spends most of his time in the chapter discussing second year Latin on how to teach Caesar effectively, admitting that "if you work under a course of study which absolutely fixes the work in Caesar, you will of course be forced to do the best you can." He notes that students don't usually learn much about Roman civilization in a Caesar course and that it is imperative that they spend time reading something other than Caesar or they may end up "feeling that Latin is of limited value." He strongly suggests that students prepare contextual themes to present to the class in order to provide coherence to the course.

Charles Bennett (perhaps the greatest champion of the grammar-based philosophy of teaching Latin) even conceded the weaknesses of Caesar while continuing to support his placement in the curriculum.

He enumerates several objections to Caesar (and especially De Bello Gallico) in The Teaching of Latin and Greek in the Secondary School (1911): "a) Caesar is undeniably difficult...b) Caesar is not interesting," and "c) the bearing of Caesar's narrative is not obvious," (pp. 112-113) summing it all up thus: "Caesar...is regarded by many as unique in its combination of difficulty, its dullness and its dearth of information." However, Bennett ultimately concludes that there is value in reading Caesar's Latin for his "purity of diction" and "accuracy of style" (p. 114.)

Non amo te, Caesar mi...

With permission from Professor Richard A. LaFleur of the University of Georgia, this seems to sum up the reaction of many secondary school Latin teachers to the announcement that Caesar will replace Cicero, Ovid, Catullus and Horace on the AP Latin Lit exam:

"..cum apologiis Martiali carissimo nostro (not least for the metrical fudge in "Caesar"--let's just call that a "systole"):

'Non amo te, Caesar mi; nec possum dicere quare.

Hoc tantum possum dicere: non amo te!'"

Translation: "With apologies to our most dear Martial...'I do not love you, my Caesar; I can't say why. I am only able to say this: I don't love you.'"

(Based upon Martial I, 32: "Non amo te, Sabidi; nec possum dicere quare. Hoc tantum possum dicere: non amo te!")

Julius Caesar Vicit!

Venit, vidit, vicit! (He came, he saw, he conquered!)

Dust off your copies of De Bello Gallico and/or De Bello Civili! (No word yet as to which of Caesar's commentaries.)

According to a recent post to the AP-Latin discussion list, the Advanced Placement Latin Development Committee has announced its plan to create a new two-author AP poetry and prose Latin Literature course. Vergil's Aeneid will remain on the syllabus, but apparently the required number of lines will be reduced. The new prose author will be Caesar.

(The previous syllabus included the poets Ovid, Catullus, Horace and the prose author Cicero in various combinations, in addition to the Vergil exam. The Ovid/Catullus/Horace/Cicero syllabus was discontinued earlier this year.)

Caesar is generally read before Vergil, and was traditionally taught in the second semester of the second year in American high schools especially during the mid-20th century. The Classical Investigation of 1924 prescribed the Caesar-Cicero-Vergil sequence. Many 21st century Latin teachers have preferred not to teach Caesar, for various reasons and many modern textbook series generally don't include very much of his writing. (Caesar tends to show up more often in grammar-based textbook series.) Some object to his focus upon war. Others find him boring. Many believe that Caesar is especially unappealing to their female students. On the other hand, Caesar's writings are definitely easier to read than Cicero's and many introductory prose composition and English-to-Latin translation courses have been based on Caesar. Teachers who want to promote spoken Latin in the classroom may find it easier to discuss Caesar's works in Latin than Cicero's. (Caesar's commentaries resemble "blog posts" from the front, while Cicero's orations often employ many rhetorical devices within a complicated sentence structure.)

Alea iacta est! (The die is cast.) Here are some resources for the teaching of Caesar for those of you who want to get a head start.

Also, check out T.J. Howell's Caesar Classroom resource for some imaginative ideas.

Macquarie University in Australia hosts an outstanding numismatic site, The Coinage of Julius Caesar.

See previous Latinteach blog entries referring to Caesar.

Statue of Caesar Courtesy VRoma.org

Bolchazy Summer Webinar Series 2009

Bolchazy-Carducci is presenting a series of eleven Webinars by and for Latin teachers this summer. Click below to see details on how to sign up.

The Thirteenth Labor of Hercules

It's Friday!  Enjoy this "news" article about the 13th Labor of Hercules brought to you by the Onion!

Cambridge Latin Summer Workshop 2009

The theme for this summer's Cambridge Summer Workshop (July 13-16) is "Training for a Championship Season in the Latin Classroom."  The workshop will take place at the Wyndham Hotel, University Place, Pittsburgh, PA, near the University of Pittsburgh. 

Session topics include: Reading Strategies at All Levels; The Planning and Teaching of Particular Stages; Varied Assessments; Vocabulary Acquisition and Derivatives, Culture; Language Activities; and Technology in the Classroom.  There will also be optional sessions on Powerpoint and audiovisual supplements to the course.  

For more information, tuition costs, registration forms, and more visit the North American Cambridge Classics Project.

SALVI Rusticatio 2009 Scholarship Announcement

Breaking news for Latin-speakers and aspiring Latin-speakers: SALVI (Septentrionale Americanum Latinitatis Vivae Institutum) (known in English as the North American Institute for Living Latin Studies) is pleased to announce the availability of three need-based scholarships, funded by the Amy High Latin Foundation of Virginia, for its general-enrollment spoken-Latin workshop Rusticatio Virginiana Omnibus Destinata 2009. Applications for scholarships to Rusticatio Omnibus will be accepted through June 10, 2009. The SALVI Scholarship Committee chair will notify applicants of the Committee’s decision via email on June 15. Please note that scholarships cover only the Rusticatio Omnibus program fees, and do not include support for travel expenses.

To compete for a scholarship, please do the following:

1. Download an application for Rusticatio Omnibus from http://www.latin.org/rusticatio.html.  Send the completed application to SALVI, c/o Jacquelyn Myers, 1252 11th Street, #107, Santa Monica, CA, 90401. (Disregard this step if you have already submitted your Rusticatio application.)

2. Provide a personal statement of no more than 250 words in which you:

• Briefly describe your present occupation.
  
• Explain why you believe your attendance at Rusticatio Omnibus will benefit you and/or others.
  
• Explain why receiving this scholarship is necessary for you. If you are currently employed, please explain the likelihood of receiving institutional support for program fees, travel, etc., or the circumstances which might preclude such support.
  

Please send your personal statement by email to the Scholarship Committee chair, Jacquelyn Myers, at iacoba@latin.org.

Deadline for scholarship application: June 10, 2009.

Memorial Day

Christopher Francese, Associate Professor of Classical Studies at the highly-regarded Dickinson College, has a wonderful Latin Poetry Podcast that is well worth downloading from iTunes!  You can also listen online at the Dickinson College Blog. 

In March 2008, Professor Francese read an Epitaph for a Roman Soldier (CLE 537 = CIL 5.5824), which is the lament of a mother for her fallen son, a soldier who died far from home without a proper burial.  

Today, on this Memorial Day, let us all remember the American airmen, soldiers and sailors who have died for our freedom, as well as their families.

Tarheel Reader Update!

There are now over forty free Latin stories available at the Tarheel Reader website! Latin is now listed as an available language in the sidebar menu, along with French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Italian, Swedish and Hebrew.   

Tarheel Reader began as a collection of online, illustrated books targeted toward accessibility, especially for the disabled.  (Teachers in special education will likely find this an excellent resource for creating "Social Stories.")  

Students who are visual learners will especially enjoy these stories. Photographs are available from Flickr through Creative Commons licensing.  (Photographs that permit such derivative usage are typically tagged on Flickr.)

Some of the tales are simple, such as Karen Budde's Poeta et Milites, Bob Patrick's Arbores Magicae, and AnnaPMagistra's De Lupo in Pelle Ovis.

Others are more advanced, based upon the poetry of Horace, Ovid and Catullus.

Latin language authors have started to tag their work as "easy," "beginning," "intermediate" and "advanced." This will help readers choose books at the appropriate reading level.

Many of these online books have been written by Latin teachers and professors.  Some have been written by students, with the assistance of their instructors.  

The books are viewable online or downloadable in a variety of formats (Flash, Powerpoint, etc.)

Latin Diplomas and Prayers

Christopher Francese, Associate Professor of Classics at Dickinson College, contends that the use of Latin on diplomas has got to go, while Mary Beard questions whether or not Newnham College, Cambridge, needs a new grace (and if so, how Christian should it be, and whether or not it should be written in Latin).

Ultimately the question is why Latin is being used on diplomas and in prayers said at college gatherings?  Is Latin being used to genuinely communicate in these two situations, or is Latin being used to show the elite nature of the diploma and the Formal Hall?

Cambridge University Press Announces Minimus Webinar

Cambridge University Press has just announced an invitation to classroom teachers and homeschooling families to participate in a free online webinar featuring Barbara Bell, author of the primary school Latin language series Minimus.  Barbara Bell is visiting the United States this summer from July 14th to July 25th in order to provide training to teachers using the Minimus Latin series.

The Webinar will be in session on Tuesday, July 14, 2009, from 2:00-3:00 PM, Eastern Daylight Time.   Reservations are required in order to participate.  Please visit the Barbara Bell Minimus Webinar page at the Cambridge University Press website to sign up.

If you live in the Pittsburgh or Baltimore-Washington area there will be additional events coinciding with Barbara's visit.

One Latin Teacher Speaks for Many

In this morning's Washington Post, Jane Miriam Epperson Brinley (St. Anselm's Abbey School, Washington D.C.) voices what many Latin teachers undoubtedly have been thinking since the College Board announced the discontinuation of the Advanced Placement Latin Literature Exam.   Read Et Tu, College Board.

Simple Latin Stories to Read!

The Tarheel Reader website is an online collection of free, easy-to-read, accessible books.  A joint project of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies and the Department of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel, this is a great way to create and publish simple, illustrated stories.  Laura Gibbs, author of Aesop's Fables in Latin,  creator of the LatinViaFables website and instructor at the University of Oklahoma, recently requested that Latin be added to the growing range of tagged libraries.  Laura has already written and posted a short story about lions in Latin entitled De Leone.   Be watching for more stories, or consider writing your own!    

Tarheel Reader electronic books can be downloaded in a variety of formats, including Powerpoint and Flash.

Sign up for the Dickinson Latin Workshop

Time is quickly running out to register for this year's Summer Dickinson Latin Workshop, which is focusing on Cicero's meditation on the Roman constitution, De Re Publica,

Felicem Natalem Diem, Urbs Roma!

Today is Rome's birthday. The traditional date of the founding of the eternal city is April 21, 753 B.C. and it is from this day (A.U.C. or ab urbe condita, translated "from the founding of the city") that Romans expressed their history in relation to the Roman Era. April 21st was also known as the Parilia (or Palilia), the festival that the Romans considered sacred to shepherds. Romulus and Remus, credited with the founding of Rome, were the foster sons of the shepherd Faustulus. They were considered to be the biological sons of the Roman god Mars. The story of the birth of Romulus and Remus as well as the founding of the city is told by the Roman historian Livy. The modern Latin writer, Lhomond, who wrote in the late 1700s retells the story in easier Latin in his book De Viris Illustribus Urbis Romae A Romulo ad Augustum.

Kentucky Educational Television has some activities for teachers and students who would like to celebrate Rome's birthday. Scroll down the page to find some suggestions, including raking campus grounds and planting a tree (perhaps coinciding with tomorrow's Earth Day), then celebrating with a feast! KET has a birthday song you might sing in Latin too! There are some other ideas there you might use throughout the week, as April had many holidays sacred to the Romans.

Charlotte Yonge, a Victorian author from England who wrote for children , tells the story of The Founding of Rome at Project Gutenberg.

Texas Classics Week!

Gratias tibi ago, Karen Moore of Latin Alive!, for letting us know that this week (April 21-25, 2009) has officially been proclaimed Texas Classics Week by Governor Rick Perry!

Bolchazy-Carducci Announces a Second Series of Summer Online Webinar Courses for Latin Teachers

Bolchazy-Carducci has just announced the program for their second annual series of online web-based seminars for Latin teachers. More than just an online lecture, attendees can dialogue with each other and the speakers live, view presentations, and explore teaching materials used by the speakers themselves. And you don't have to buy plane tickets, arrange for your mail to be held, put your pets in a kennel, fly across the country, or even leave the comfort of your own home!

This summer's line-up includes courses designed and presented by experienced Latin teachers covering a diverse range of topics: Vergil, Catullus, Cicero, etymology, Roman culture, and Latin 2.0. There will even be a Virtual Conventiculum featuring two sessions from expert Latinists Terence Tunberg and Milena Minkova!

These courses are suitable for the newly-minted Latin teacher as well as the experienced veteran seeking professional development. (You may be eligible for credit hours towards recertification; be sure to check with your school, district, or state to confirm.)

June 9:
Ronnie Ancona
— New Ways of Teaching Vergil's Aeneid*

June 17:
Helena Dettmer
— The Agony and the Ecstasy of Catullus' Love Affair with Lesbia

June 23:
Anna Andresian
— Using Oral Latin in Your Classroom

July 9:
Bill Dominik
— Exploring Etymology in Your Latin Classes

July 16:
Rose Williams
— Oral Latin via Readings in Roman History

July 21:
Jayne Reinhard
— Roman Art and Archaeology for Latin Teachers

July 23:
Jayne Reinhard
— Daily Life in Ancient Rome

July 30:
Laura Gibbs
— Latin 2.0: Personal Learning Networks

August 6:
Rose Williams
— Learning Latin Pronouns via Roman Mythology

August 13:
Jon Hall
— Latin Oral Interpretation and Performance via Cicero

September 23:
Terry Tunberg & Milena Minkova
--Training Techniques for Spoken Latin Expression (beginners)

September 30:
Terry Tunberg & Milena Minkova
— Virtual Conventiculum (advanced -- no English will be used)

For more detailed descriptions and to sign up online, please visit http://www.bolchazy.com/webinars.html

The cost for each individual webinars is $99.00. You may select any three for $249.00, or take all 12 for $749.00. Register online at the above web address, or phone 847.526.4344.

Class size is limited to 30. Minimum enrollment is set at five participants unless otherwise noted with a (*) which requires a minimum enrollment of 10. If a webinar is cancelled due to low enrollment, participants can choose to take a different webinar or may opt for a refund.

But Did They Have An Oprah's Book Club?

Classicist, author and blogger Mary Beard describes the glitzy, superficial publishing world of Ancient Rome in this weekend's New York Times Sunday Book Review. Or is she talking about London and New York City, with all the "money-­making booksellers, exploited and impoverished authors, celebrity book launches and career-making prizes." Not to mention the bookstore employees working for slave wages!

"Scrolling Down the Ages" (April 16, 2009) is a must-read!

The Books That Got Away!

Littera scripta manet, sometimes.... ("The written word endures.")

Today's Wall Street Journal has a fascinating article about the books that got away.

"Longing for Great Lost Works: From Shakespeare's 'Cardenio' to Ovid's Getic poetry, missing texts hold tantalizing possibilities." (April 18, 2009)

Resquiescat in Pace, David Parsons 1937-2009

David Parsons, who taught Latin, Greek and Classical Civilization in England for nearly 25 years, and in his retirement managed the ARLTBlog (the Association foR Latin Teaching, UK) as well as his own Classics Teaching Resources website (see, especially, the Teaching Aids, for ideas on active learning through music and drama), passed away on Tuesday, April 14, 2009. His son has written a very moving final entry on David's personal blog, View from the Street. (View from the Street includes many videos and recordings of classical and religious music (see the sidebar), theological musings (a continuous theme), Latin prayers and poetry, as well as some Classics teaching tips!)

Beatum Festum Diem Paschalem!

Happy Easter!

You can read Pope Benedict XVI's Easter Greeting in many different languages on the Urbi et Orbi ("To the City and World") page at the Official Vatican website. The 2009 message in Latin is "Resurrectio Domini, spes nostra," which is translated, "The Resurrection of our Lord, our hope."

The Vatican's Liturgical Calendar page has a selection of Easter Music, much of it in Latin, which you can enjoy. You'll also find links to past Holy Weeks, along with the Easter Greetings from past years.

Today's Albany Times-Union (New York) has a wonderful feature entitled Enduring Symbol (April 12, 2009) about the different types of Christian crosses. In this article, you can read about the different types of crosses and view some very lovely images. On some of the crosses, you'll see IHS, which are taken from the first three letters of the name of Jesus (Ιηςυσ) in Greek. Other crosses include the Chi Ro, (X Ρ) which are the first two letters of Christ (Χριςτοσ), also from the Greek alphabet.

Does Grammar Help Shape How We Experience the World?

Listen to the most recent broadcast of National Public Radio's Krulwich on Science ("Shakespeare Had Roses All Wrong," April 6, 2009) for a fascinating discussion of how grammar affects how we experience the world. Do speakers of languages with grammatical gender may perceive their environment differently depending upon the gender assigned to specific words? You'll have to listen to the broadcast to find out the answer.

BBC News Explains the Geology of the Italian Earthquake

The BBC News explains How the Italy Quake Happened

Central Italy Devastated by Powerful Earthquake

Rescue efforts are continuing in the central Italian towns located in the Appenine mountain range. The current death toll of 150 is expected to rise and tens of thousands of people are now homeless.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

More video is available from the New York Times: "Deadly Earthquake Shakes Central Italy."

The Guardian (UK) news site has an interactive map which shows the proximity of L'Aquila, the epicenter of the quake, to the City of Rome, as well as Naples, where Mount Vesuvius, Italy's active volcano, is located.

The tremors were powerful enough to be felt in Rome and the Telegraph (UK) and New York Times both report that the Baths of Caracalla, near the Aventine Hill, have suffered damage.

Renewed Promotion of the Classics at the Ivy Colleges

Boston.com reports that Harvard is encouraging the study of the Classics, astronomy, and other undersubscribed majors by increasing the number of freshman seminars taught by highly regarded professors. Other Ivy League schools are also increasing their efforts to sell the Classics, Near Eastern, and Islamic studies.

With the stratospheric cost of tuition these days, this article points out that choosing a major in an uncommon field very often comes with the benefit of small, personalized classes and more individualized attention.

Majoring in Classics doesn't necessarily lead to genteel poverty. Check out the National Committee for Latin and Greek's website out for a list of famous Classics majors who found gainful and sometimes even lucrative employment!

Latin Inscription Disputes Popularity of Robin Hood

The March 2009 issue of the Journal of Medieval History reports the discovery at Eton College of An English Chronicle Entry on Robin Hood (Volume 35, Issue 1) by Professor Julian Luxford of St. Andrew's University.  There have been numerous stories in the press regarding this story, including the Daily Mail which includes images from the 13th century Polychronicon where the Latin inscription was made in the margins sometime ca. 1460 A.D. by an anonymous monk.  

Diogenes and his Lamp in the NYT

An op-ed piece in today's New York Times calls to mind Diogenes, his lamp, and Greek philosophy in Cynicism We Can Believe In.

Felicem festum diem anniversarium, Strunk and White!

Gaudeamus, Grammar Geeks! (Let's party, Word Nerds!) This April marks the 50th anniversary of the college classic Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White!

Resquiescat in Pace, Latina Lingua

CBS News reports on The Death of Latin.



Gratias tibi ago, ArLTBlog!

Boston Latin Faces Drastic Budget Cuts!

Boston Latin School, founded in 1635 and the oldest public school in America, is facing drastic budget cuts. While the required study of Latin is not in danger, other courses (including Chinese, calculus and music) may be dropped. Read more in Boston Latin School Budge Puts Squeeze on Harvard-Bound Pupils (Bloomberg, March 25, 2009).

Who Invented Spring Break? The Romans, of course!

As it turns out, students in Ancient Rome went on school holiday in March too! The Quinquatrus was a festival celebrated on the 19th of March, five days after the Ides. The Quinquatrus started out as a one day celebration, but as William Smith points out in his Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (3rd edition, Revised and Enlarged, 1891), "a false etymology led to its being afterwards regarded as a five-days festival."

Therefore, the Quinquatria (now pluralized) became a five day long spring festival, lasting from March 19th to the 23rd. At some point, the Quinquatria became associated with Minerva, as the Romans chose this time to dedicate the temple of Minerva on the Aventine. The Quinquatria became a time to celebrate trades and arts. As a five day holiday, schools were in recess. The first day was reserved for making offerings at the Temple of Minerva, and the other four days were marked by gladiator shows and "a season of general merrymaking." The fifth day of the Quinquatria was called the Tubilustrium, or the sounding of the trumpets.

If the Romans in Britain had 31 Flavors of Ice Cream...

In fact, if the Romans in Britain had ice cream at all, they would have enjoyed apple and cinnamon, cherry and honey flavors. Modern day Britons who live near Vindolanda and Hadrian's Wall can now enjoy Roman Britain Ice Cream from the Doddington Dairy in Northumberland, UK. You can read all about it in A Taste of Roman Times (The Berwick Advertiser newspaper, 18 March 2009) as well as checking out the official Doddington Dairy Roman Britain Ice Cream webpage.

Thanks to the Association for Latin Teaching's outstanding weblog for pointing this one out!

Visit Hadrian's Wall Country to find out even more about Roman Vindolanda. Also see Oxford University's Vindolanda Tablets Online site to view images of the actual Vindolanda Tablets, which were excavated from the Romano-British fort and are referenced in the Berwick article. (Those of you who teach using Minimus will definitely find these pages interesting, as the course is set in Vindolanda.)

New York State Latin Teachers in the News

Latin Roots Take Hold for Students (Albany Times Union, March 19, 2009) in Upstate New York. Read about the growing enrollments in Latin courses in the Capital region of New York State, where Todd Hutson and Barbara Sugarman teach.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Hodie est dies festus sancti Patricii!

Today is the feast day of St. Patrick!

Kelly Henry writes to let us know that University College Cork has a nice collection of online Irish Latin manuscripts including St. Patrick's Confession. Enjoy! (The Classical Christian Ethereal Library has an English translation.)

Another Irish saint who has left us a written legacy is Brendan, whose story recounts the seven year Atlantic voyage of a band of sixth-century Irish monks. This work is considered one of the most important Irish contributions to the literature of the middle ages. CANEPress has recently published a selection of passages from Navigatio Sancti Brendani, in a book suitable for second year students and intermediate readers of Latin. This collection includes vocabulary hints and comprehension questions.

English readers can find a translation of the Voyage of St. Brendan online at the University of Lampeter's Celtic Christianity site.

The Ides of the Rest of the Months

National Public Radio (NPR.org) is very good about remembering the Ides of March. This year, they ask the question why we never hear about the Ides of any other month...though listeners wondered if the question was answered sufficiently as the expert consulted mistakenly identifies the Ides as occuring on the 15th day of each month. (Edited to add: As it turns out, the expert did discuss how the Ides can be on either the 13th or 15th, but that part ended up "on the cutting room floor" and not in the portion that was broadcast on air.)

The Romans expressed their dates using the Kalends, Nones and Ides. The first day of each month was called the Kalend. In March, July, October and May, the seventh day was called the Nonae and the fifteenth, the Idus. In other months, the Nonae fell on the fifth day, the Idus on the thirteenth. To give dates, the Romans would count backward from these dates. Most Latin grammars (George Lane; Gildersleeve and Lodge; Charles Bennett) include a section on Roman calendar dating. To find out how the Romans would express a date that didn't fall on a Kalend, Nonae or Idus, consult one of these aforementioned reference grammars for more information. It's a bit complex, but not impossible to understand, and these grammars often include quick reference charts for determining dates. The point here is, however, that the Ides don't always fall on the fifteenth.

According to this rhyme from the 19th century grammarians Basil L. Gildersleeve and Gonzalez Lodge:

"In March, July, October, May,
The Ides are on the fifteenth day,
The Nones the seventh; but all besides
Have two days less for Nones and Ides."

Listen to Beware: It's the Ides of March on Npr.org to see what you think.

Since it's the Ides of March, and we're still thinking about Caesar and calendars, it's also worth mentioning that Caesar reformed the Roman calendar, by fixing the number of days in a year at 365, adding a leap day every four years. The Julian Calendar (named, of course, for Julius Caesar) was eventually itself reformed by Pope Gregory XIII in the 15th century. The calendar we use today is called the Gregorian Calendar.

Click here for links to previous NPR radio presentations referencing the Ides of March.

If you have a blog, you can add a Roman calendar to it. Visit Laura Gibb's Schoolhouse Widgets for details.

Happy Pi Day!

The Ides of March are coming tomorrow, but today is Pi Day! The Greek letter π is of course the symbol for the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle, equivalent to 3.1415926535...

We can't let the mathematicians have all the fun. Classicists love the number π because it's also a Greek consonant letter!

Pi day is celebrated every March 14, the fourteenth day of the third month, or 3/14.

To find out more about Pi Day, visit the Official Pi Day website, where you can find out all about the history of pi, discuss the number pi, send an e-card, buy pi stuff, get ideas for your own pi party, and much more! There are also some great lesson ideas at the Teach Pi website.

You can also listen to a wonderful BBC Radio 4 program all about Pi.

A lesser known, and less-often celebrated mathematical holiday is Square Root Day.

The First Illustrated Latin-English Encyclopedia Can Now Be Yours

Project Gutenberg has just released a public domain HTML version of the Orbis Pictus ("The Visible World, or a Nomenclature, and Pictures of All the Chief Things That Are in the World, and of Mens Employments Therein") by John Amos Comenius. Today we have the Kingfisher illustrated children's encyclopedias, but this "was for a century the most popular text-book in Europe," first published in 1658. This 1887 reprint includes black and white woodcut illustrations and facing Latin-English text. It was originally written for young Latin students.

The Gutenberg Project edition includes an appended clickable index.

Recreate Caesar's Legion in Your Classroom!

T.J. Howell has some imaginative suggestions for teaching Caesar, including setting up seating charts to resemble Roman battle lines! There are also suggestions for bulletin boards and props, as well as a bibliography. T.J. has also written two lesson plans, based upon Caesar's Gallic Wars: Decision at Alesia, which explores Caesar's perspectives of the motivations of the Gauls; and Roman Heroics, which is based upon Caesar's only campaign in Gaul that fails.

Remember, the Ides of March are approaching! See past blog entries keyed to Caesar for some interesting resources.

Stephen Colbert, Latin Scholar

Stephen Colbert interviewed Carl Wilson, author of the book Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste last week, about the concept of "good" and "bad" taste in popular culture. Stephen manages to work in an apt Latin proverb!

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Carl Wilson

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Political Humor

Rap Battle
Joke of the Day

You can also listen to Stephen sing Felicem Natalem Diem (Happy Birthday, in Latin) to Pope Benedict XVI in a clip from a previous show.

Minimus is Coming to America!

Barbara Bell, creator and author of Minimus, "the mouse who made Latin cool," will be spending two weeks in the United States (New York, Pittsburgh, and the Baltimore-Washington area) participating in children's events, teacher-training meetings, book-signings, events in conjunction with the Excellence Through Classics organization, and an online webinar!

Minimus: Starting Out in Latin is a popular course for elementary-age students (ages 7-10), which introduces the Latin language, Roman culture and Classical mythology using stories, dialogues and comic strips. The second volume, Minimus Secundus, continues the course through the middle school level (up to age 13). The Minimus series is published by Cambridge University Press. The author resides in the United Kingdom.

Minimus in the U.S.A.: July 12-26, 2009

New York City: The main event will be an “Online Webinar” from the US offices of Cambridge University Press on Tuesday, July 14. From 2-2:30pm Eastern, Barbara will do a Powerpoint presentation on the story of Minimus, followed by a question and answer session. Anyone who wants to take part in the webinar should sign up by contacting Jim Harmon, the Classics specialist at CUP in New York. The webinar makes it possible for teachers nation-wide to participate without having to leave home.

Baltimore-Washington, DC: On Friday, July 17, Barbara will be holding another teacher-training event at St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel from 9:30 am-1:00 pm. Plans are also being firmed up for two activities for families: the first one will be held in Takoma Park from 10-11:30 am on Saturday and the second is on Sunday at the Laurel library from 1-3 pm. On both of these days, Barbara will be participating in a children’s celebration of Latin, Roman mythology, and Roman history. For more information, to volunteer or register, contact rabesse17ATgmail.com.

Pittsburgh: In the summer of 2009, the Excellence Through Classics Committee of the American Classical League will celebrate its 20th anniversary for promoting the study of Classics at the elementary and middle school levels. In conjunction with Barbara Bell's visit to the USA, several events are being planned in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, July 22 - Saturday, July 25th. Highlights include a Welcome TEA Party on Wednesday, a teacher training workshop on Thursday at St. Louise de Marillac Parish Center, a book signing on Friday at Barnes & Noble at South Hills Village Mall, and an event at the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh on Saturday. Details will follow in the next two months. These events will be a collaboration of local, state, national, and international Classics organizations. For more information, contact Zee Ann Poerio, pastchairATetclassics.org, Immediate Past Chair of ETC.


You can find out even more about Minimus by visiting the Official Minimus blog.

Cambridge Latin As Viewed from Space!

Latin teachers who would like to teach across the curriculum and make connections between science and the ancient world during this International Year of Astronomy 2009 may wish to take a look at David Parson's compilation of NASA Photos for Classics Lessons. David has listed links to a number of space shuttle photographs of particular interest to Cambridge Latin Course students.

Be sure to check out the rest of Classics Teaching Resources, as you'll find a treasure trove of teaching aids here, plus excerpts from the still relevant writings of W.H.D. Rouse, founder of the Association foR Latin Teaching (including sample chapters from Latin on the Direct Method and a terrific collection of Latin Chanties to sing in your classroom!)

Latin Immersion Summer Program at Christendom College

Christendom College is offering two one-week, intensive, active-Latin immersion courses for high school aged students designed to introduce aspiring Latinists to the beauty and power of the ancient language of the Church. Classes will be conducted primarily in Latin. The magistri are Dr. Mark Clark, Christendom's Associate Professor of Classical and Early Christian Studies and Dr. David Morgan of Furman University.

National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week

Zee Ann Poerio's third grade students celebrated National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week this week!

Zee Ann writes: It's National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week (NLTRW) and I am answering the call from Sherwin Little, President of the American Classical League, to celebrate the week with my third grade students! Yesterday coincided with a national reading event called Read Across America which marks Dr. Seuss' birthday on March 2th.

My third graders were amazed to learn that there was a Latin translation of The Cat In the Hat – Cattus Petasatus, (Dr. Seuss' classic was translated by Jennifer Morrish Tunberg, Ph.D. and Terence O. Tunberg, Ph.D. and published by Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers,Inc.)

Each year, I encourage my students to memorize the first page in Latin and some of them challenge their parents to do the same.

You can download an animated ENGLISH version of The Cat In the Hat FREE through KID THING, a program on the NEA website.

My students viewed the English version on a screen and listened to parts of it in Latin from a podcast made possible by Bolchazy –Carducci Publishers, Inc., read by Rose Williams and produced by Andrew Reinhard. Thanks to everyone for your help!

Today we practiced Latin greetings from Chapter 1 of Dr. Traupman's Conversational Latin for Oral Proficiency. Dr. Traupman is a familiar name in my class since students who join the Latin Club use his dictionary. Thanks for all of your help too, Dr. Traupman!

Tomorrow...more fun!

For more information on National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week, visit the National Committee for Latin and Greek's official website.

Remembering the Present Subjunctive

In a recent Latinteach discussion, teachers shared the following memory tricks for remember the signature vowels used for the present subjunctive (E, EA, A, and IA):

• shE wEArs A dIAmond...
• hE hEArs A pIAno...
• wE fEAr All lIArs...
• wE fEAr A lIAr... (used in Wheelock's Latin)
• lEt's bEAt thAt gIAnt... (used in Latin for Americans)
• lEt's EAt cAvIAr...
• wE EAt cAvIAr...
• wE fEAr A trIAl...
  
• wE bEAt All lIArs...
• hE chEAts A lIAr...
  
• wE bEAt A frIAr...
• shE rEAds A dIAry
• shE wEArs A tIAra...
• clEm StEAms ClAms in SIAm ...
• wE bEAt A gIAnt lIAr...(All the rest take into account the 3rd-io conjugation.)
• shE wEArs A dIAmond tIAra...
  
• shE wEArs A gIAnt dIAmond...
  
• lEt's bEAt thAt gIAnt gIAnt... (And these two are hortatory subjunctive sentences.)
  
• lEt's bEAt A lIAr, frIAr...
  

Felicem natalem diem, Dr. Seuss!

Susan Larson, a columnist in the Gwinnett Daily Post, writes a birthday tribute to the creator of the Cat in the Hat (March 1, 2009, There's No Excuse Not to Know Dr. Seuss) which leads her into the classroom of Latin teacher, Robert Patrick, who teaches the ancient language as a living, spoken tongue.

Conventiculum Bostoniense Full Immersion Latin Language Seminar

The Conventiculum Bostoniense is a total immersion residential seminar designed and run professors of Latin with the cooperation of a research professor in the field of Second Language Acquisition. In addition, the Conventiculum Bostoniense is the venue for two full-fledged graduate-level courses with academic credit offered by UMass Boston.

This seminar is specifically designed for teachers in schools and universities, who want to gain some ability to communicate ex-tempore in correct Latin on a wide range of subjects. Participants will enhance and develop their own abilities to express themselves in Latin, both in speaking and writing, and at the same time will explore various ways to employ active Latin in the classroom to enhance the learning experience of their students. After the first evening’s arrival and orientation session, participants will speak Latin exclusively with one another and the faculty for seven days. Two different graduate level courses are offered during the Conventiculum, one for first time attendees and one for returning participants as described below. Days are filled with instructional activities, including sessions focused on oral expression or prose composition, opportunities for social interaction (particularly at meals and in the dormitories), and excursions to the beach and local attractions, including museums and a brewery or winery.

For many more details, please visit this website: http://www.conventiculum.org/

Lingua Latina Resurgens

There's an interesting essay entitled Latin Rising, explaining the resurgence of Latin and and the popularity of the Latin Mass (especially among young families) as a reconnection to unity and universality on The Catholic Thing.

New England Classical Newsletter - February 2009 Issue Now Online!

Be sure to visit the Classical Assocation of New England site to download a free copy of Canens, the New England Classical Newsletter. Even if you don't live in New England and even if you don't belong to CANE, you're sure to enjoy the feature article on Podcasting and the Classics (accompanied by a nice list of podcasts available to download free from iTunes) as well as a classroom activity, the old Roman game Rota, complete with rules and 2 reproducible game boards, plus some scanned clip art! The editors of Canens hope that you'll consider joining CANE and receiving the New England Classical Journal.

Dorothy Sayers and the Teaching of Latin

Those of you who are familiar with Dorothy Sayers and her essay "The Lost Tools of Learning" will enjoy reading the transcript of her Summer 1952 presentation to the Association foR Latin Teaching at the Ley's School in Cambridge, UK, entitled "Ignorance and Dissatisfaction" which ArLT has recently made available.

In this address, Ms. Sayers relates her many years of study of the the Latin language. She shares her own experiences learning Latin grammar and attempting to read the Classical authors and wonders what might have been if only her teachers had been more imaginative and if she'd had the opportunity to read medieval works. She concludes with some "constructive suggestions" regarding methodology and materials. You may not agree with everything she has to say, but it is a thought-provoking article and well worth reading.

Excellence Through Classics for Elementary and Middle School Students

The Excellence Through Classics Committee of the American Classical League has created a new Yahoo email discussion group, ETClassics to focus discussion and ideas on teaching Classics to middle school and elementary school students. This new list is dedicated to exploring methodologies, activities, and theories that can be applied to Classics-related courses at the middle school and elementary levels.

Topics will include articulation of Latin and Greek through the grades, activities for mythology, culture, and language acquisition, language and general teaching methodologies, Classics promotion, and general teaching support for and from peers.

The goal of this group is open sharing of ideas and thoughts related to teaching the Classics in the lower grades.

If you are interested in joining ETC: Classics in Middle and Elementary, please use the following address: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/etclassics/join

Draft Standards for Latin Teacher Training and Certification

The American Classical League and American Philological Association have released a draft copy of the new Standards for Latin Teaching and Certification. You may find a copy of this document on the front page of the ACL Website. The ACL and APA hope that these standards will eventually be used by state and local certification authorities and school boards as well as by schools of education and teacher training programs as they develop programs to train Latin teachers for certification. The ACL and APA plan to present a revised document at the 2009 ACL Institute, which will be held from June 26-28, 2009, at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California.

Pompeiiana Vivit...Online!

Euge! Pompeiiana Vivit...online!

Many Latin teachers and students fondly remember the Pompeiiana Newsletter, which was published by Professor Bernard Barcio of Butler University, Indiana, from 1974-2003. Each issue featured news, comics, artwork, stories, games and puzzles in Latin, written by and for junior and senior high school Latin students.

The rights to all 227 issues of Pompeiiana have been granted by Professor Barcio to Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, who are now presenting one issue per day for the next 227 days at the Pompeiiana Newsletter blog!

Buffalo Spoken Latin Workshop

Conventiculum Buffaloniense will take place at the University of Buffalo, SUNY, from June 26-28, 2009. This spoken Latin workshop has two goals: to supplement the previous year's program by increasing participants’ familiarity with spoken Latin while continuing to offer an experience suitable for newcomers, as well as providing a forum for the discussion of spoken Latin pedagogy. More details are available at the Classical Association of Western New York website.

See the sidebar of this blog for other Conventicula to be held throughout the United States in 2009.

Podcasting and the Classics 2009 Now Available for Listening

Podcasting and the Classics, a collection of recorded panel talks from the 2009 American Philological Association's annual meeting, are now available online for download. Podcasting and the Classics is sponsored by the outreach committee of the APA.

This series of talks is available as a free download from Itunes. You will need to have the free iTunes software from Apple, which is available for both PCs and Macs. You may download each episode individually or subscribe to the full series. There is no charge.

For more information, visit the Podcasting and the Classics Blog.

Need Some Ideas for Valentine's Day?

Visit the Kentucky Educational Television Latin Distance Learning website! There you'll find Valentine's expressions in Latin, perfect for creating cards to share and exchange, as well as love myths from Greek, Roman and world mythology (most in English, but one in Latin, with vocabulary key and English translation), some Valentine's day trivia, links to some clip art, and a crossword puzzle! This is definitely a site that you must bookmark!

Also be sure to visit Rosa Latina, where Rose Williams has placed a collection of her holiday material. Here you'll find the Roman origins of Valentine's Day, a spring song of Love in Latin, as well as one of Catullus' famous poems.

Not Latin or Classics-related, but too cute are these do-it-yourself Heart-shaped Paper Clips! Get yourself a cheap multi-pack of colored clips at your favorite, local office supply store.

Announcing the Iris Festival, London (UK), June 2009

Coming this summer, the Iris Festival is a free, three-day festival celebrating the Classics and Greek drama! It will be held 17-19 June 2009 at the Scoop, City Hall, London, UK. Plays and performances will be presented by students from six inner London state-funded schools. The tentative schedule includes a double bill of Greek comedy by Aristophanes (the Birds and the Clouds), readings of classical poetry in translation and in Latin, and a Classical tragedy (possibly Euripides' Bacchae) performed by sixth form (equivalent to junior and senior level in the American high school system).

In addition, there will be activities (mosaic and mask making, storyboarding myths, etc.) for families to enjoy in the area alongside the venue.

To find out more, please visit the Iris Project to find out more about the different initiatives this wonderful organization sponsors in order to promote Classics for all students, regardless of background. The director of the Iris Project is Lorna Robinson, who has just published a new book, Cave Canem, a delightful compendium and commentary featuring Latin words and phrases.

Medusa Mythology Exam Registration Deadline Very Soon!

Just a reminder that Medusa Mythology Exam registrations are due Friday, February 14. The Medusa Exam is open to all students in grades 6-12. The format is a multiple-choice format with 50 questions (in English), and students have 40 minutes to complete the exam. The exam is administered during the week of March 23-27, with some alternative dates possible if there are conflicts with school schedules. Teachers may administer this exam to their own students.

This year's theme is Adventures on the High Seas featuring questions about the voyages of Jason and the Argonauts, Theseus, Odysseus and Aeneas. Questions will focus specifically on the events that take place during the sea voyage part of the myths.

A full syllabus is posted on the Medusa Mythology Exam website.

CICERO Competition 2009 in Europe

The third annual CICERO Competition (Certamen in Concordiam Europae Regionum Omnium) for European Sixth Form Classics students will take place on Saturday, March 21, 2009 in France and the United Kingdom, and on Friday, March 27, 2009, in the nations of Italy, Spain, Andorra, Belgium and Hungary. For full details provided in a variety of languages, visit the official homepage at http://www.ciceroeuropa.eu/.

Inauguration Day

THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD INAUGURATION

C.T. Lewis defines the Latin verb inauguro, -are, -avi, atus in An Elementary Latin Dictionary as meaning "to take omens from the flight of birds, practice augury, divine" or "to hallow by augury, consecrate, inaugurate, install." The ancient Romans believed that the will of the gods was shown to mortals through signs, such as strikes of lightning or the appearance of certain birds or animals . Augurs were the interpreters of these signs in ancient Rome and determined whether these portents were favourable or foreboding. The Romans consulted augurs before important political events, such as the appointment of magistrates, before the seating of the Senate, or the installation of consuls, as well as before military battles. According to William Smith's Concise Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, by the time of the Roman Republic, augurs were primarily considered ceremonial. We see the influence of the Romans in the inauguration of the U.S. President in the ritual and prayers that take place as a President assumes his office.

BARACK OBAMA AND ANCIENT ORATORY

Those of you who are fascinated by rhetoric and oratory may be interested in an article that appeared in today's Washington Post entitled "His Way With Words: Cadence and Credibility." Henry Allen discusses the new president's use of cadence, tone and metrics, obviously influenced by African American clergy, and based in the ancient Greek and Roman oratorical tradition. Allen shows how Barack Obama and other great modern speakers have made use of the rhetorical devices of asyndeton, litotes, epistrophe, anaphora, alliteration and chiasmus.

Inauguration Day Approaches

On January 20th, Inauguration Day, President-elect Barack Obama will take the oath of office and become the 44th president of the United States.

The Romans did not elect presidents, but citizens did vote at times during their history.

From 753 B.C. to 510 B.C., Rome was a monarchy. There were seven kings of Rome: Romulus, Numa Pompilius, Tullius Hostilius, Ancus Marcus, L. Tarquinius Priscus, Servius Tullius, and L. Tarquinius Superbus. The Romans grew tired of their kings and overthrew Tarquinius Superbus (otherwise known as "Tarquin the Proud.") As the Romans were wary of once again concentrating too much power in the hands of one person, they agreed to name two consuls, elected to one year terms. In times of war, if the consuls could not agree, there was provision for a single-man dictatorship. This emergency power was limited to six months only.

Rome was considered a Republic from 509 B.C. to 27 B.C.

According to William Smith, in his School Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, the consuls originally began their duties in October. The official inauguration date was then moved to different times of the year (August, then the Ides of December, often the Ides of March) until finally in 153 B.C., the Romans settled on January and this month remained permanent until the end of the Republic.

Smith points out some features of the Roman inauguration celebration. There was a parade of the senators, knights and citizens from the home of the consuls to the capitol. The consuls offered up sacrifices and then went to the Curia, the place where the Senate met, where each gave a speech about matters important to the Republic. The consuls took a solemn oath and promised to keep the law of the Republic. There was typically a banquet, to which the new leaders invited friends and colleagues.

In 27 B.C., the Augustan Age began and Rome became an empire. The Roman Empire lasted until around 535 B.C.

Pompeii and the Roman Villa for Latin Students

The National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. is currently hosting an extremely popular exhibition entitled Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture in the Bay of Naples. This exhibit began last October and runs until March 20, 2009.

According to Lorena Baines, an Education Assistant who works in the Education Department of the National Gallery of Art, a large number of Latin students have enjoyed this exhibit. She recently pointed out some great online resources that are likely to be of use to Latin classes, even if you can't make it to the Gallery.

• Pompeii and the Roman Villa: A Guide for Latin Classes Several versions of this guide are available, in PDF and Word formats. In order to accommodate students at various levels, the National Gallery of Art has made this guide available in form that is easily customizable.
• Pompeii and the Roman Villa Classroom Guides Two PDF format guides are available. One for children at the elementary and middle school level and another for high school students.
• Pompeii and the Roman Villa DVD Exhibition There is a 30 minute long DVD of the exhibition available which can be borrowed for free! Classroom teachers and homeschoolers are among those eligible to borrow materials from the National Gallery of Art's Division of Education.

Rosetta Stone Seeking Latin Speakers

Rosetta Stone, maker of the award-winning language learning software, is seeking Latin speakers to record language data online. This data will be used to help enhance speech recognition technology and to better understand the sounds a learner of Latin produces. It takes about one hour to complete the recordings and each person will be compensated with a $25 payment sent via PayPal. Participants must be at least 18 years old (or have parental approval). Anyone who is interested should visit https://speech.rosettastone.com, create an account and do the recordings online. It’s best to use a headset with a microphone to record.

Meagan Sills, Rosetta Stone Language Resource Manager, states that the project could use as many intermediate/advanced level Latin speakers as possible. Ms. Sills would be happy to answer any questions about this data collection effort as well as inquiries regarding the research that Rosetta Stone is doing. She may be reached at msills@rosettastone.com

7th Annual National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week

March 2-6, 2009, the first full week of the month.

National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week is sponsored by the American Classical League, the American Philological Assocation, as well as regional and state Classics associations. For more details, visit the Official NLTRW Website. Updated for 2009 are free printable posters (scroll down to find "I Want You to Be a Latin Teacher," "Gladiatrices" and "The Top Ten Reasons to Teach Latin"). There are also several new brochures.

This year Ginny Lindzey, who runs the Anima Altera Cafe Press Shop, has created a wide range of NTLRW 2009 items: professional-quality t-shirts, mini-buttons, mugs, greeting cards, posters, and even yard signs available for purchase at cost, with no additional price mark-up. NLTRW's site has provided links to coupon codes to keep the cost of these items affordable.

IRIS Project Latin Activities

If you're looking for some creative, educational yet diversionary Latin language activities, Lorna Robinson describes several on the IRIS Project website, including how to design your own Latin passport and time traveller postcard as well as create your own Latin SNAP and Bingo games. Each activity includes a cartoon as well as a list of suggested Latin vocabulary words to get you started.

The IRIS Project promotes literacy through the Classics and hosts Latin in the Parks initiatives in inner city London and Oxford, UK, as well as publishing an educationally enriching magazine by and for students.

Conventiculum Bostoniense 2009 Speaking Latin

The Conventiculum Bostoniense (Latin by the Sea) is a full-immersion residential experience offered by UMass Boston. It is specifically designed for teachers in schools and universities, who want to gain some ability to communicate ex-tempore in correct Latin on a wide range of subjects. Two different graduate level courses are offered during the Conventiculum, one for first time attendees and one for returning participants as described below. Days are filled with instructional activities, opportunities for social interaction and excursions to the beach and local attractions.

Latin 570 – Active Learning Methodologies for Teachers of Latin (3 graduate credits) Designed as the first-year experience at the Conventiculum Bostoniense, this course introduces teachers of Latin to theories of second language acquisition and engages them intensively in speaking and writing Latin.

Latin 575 – Living Text: Vergil’s Ecologues (3 graduate credits)
Designed for repeat attendees of the Conventiculum Bostoniense or other spoken Latin programs, this course engages the participants in intensive study of Vergil’s Eclogues.

Audit Option - This option is designed for international attendees, school teachers over the age of 60 or college faculty who would like to attend the Conventiculum but who do not need graduate credit for their participation.

Costs for 2009 have not yet been announced. 2008 fees were $1500 for credit/$800 for auditors, which includes room, materials, all entrance fees and several meals.

For further information, please visit Conventiculum Bostoniense, where you can view videos and projects from the 2008 Conventiculum, get answers to questions, and download application materials.

Podcasting and the Classics

Chris Ann Matteo and Ed DeHoratius will be chairing a panel entitled Podcasting and the Classics at this weekend's meeting of the American Philological Association in Philadelphia, PA.

This panel will present four podcasters describing their experience with podcasting, both from the production standpoint and the consumer standpoint of their students. There will also be a respondent. The panel hopes to initiate a discussion, both immediate and long-term, on the advantages and disadvantages of this quickly-burgeoning technology. The session will meet from Saturday morning at 11.15 in Grand Ballroom L.

For those attending APA, there will be a listening lounge in the exhibit area with 10 iPods loaded to the gills with classics-related materials, both those of the presenters and others.

For those unable to attend, the presenters will be posting a podcast (of course!) of the session to the following website: http://podcasting-apa2009.blogspot.com.

Classics and the International year of Astronomy 2009

Today is the first day of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. IYA2009 is being coordinated by the International Astronomical Union and promoted by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). According to the official website, the aim of IYA2009 is to promote "worldwide interest, especially among young people, in astronomy and science under the central theme 'The Universe, Yours to Discover.'"

Teachers of Latin and Greek can help students make connections between Classics and astronomy by emphasizing:

• the contributions made by ancient, medieval and Renaissance scientists, who wrote about their discoveries in Greek and Latin (eg., the Greek astronomers Archimedes, Democritus, Hipparchus, Pythagoras and Thales, just to name a few. Also, Galileo Galilei's Siderius Nuncius and Johannes Kepler's Astronomia Nova, both written in Latin and published 400 years ago).
  
• the mythological origins of the names of the planets and constellations (eg. Orion, Draco, Andromeda, Canis Major, etc.) and the allusions and references made to these in literature throughout the centuries.
  
• the Latin and Greek etymological roots of the scientific and technological terminology used by astronomers. An understanding of technological terminology enables scientists to speak and write about what they are studying with precision and accuracy.
  

The US National Node for IYA2009 has a wealth of projects, videos, photographs, ideas, resources and links that are definitely worth checking out. Classics teachers will be particularly interested in the Projects Related to Arts, Culture and Society. (For example, see the Deanspace blog, where an astronomer from the Cincinnati Observatory writes a weekly article about mythology and the constellations.)

Coincidentally, the most recent issue of Prima, the print newsletter for Excellence Through Classics has a wonderful article entitled Starry, Starry Night: Latin Class Makes Connections with Constellations, in which Sherri Madden of the Master's Academy (Charlotte, NC) describes a Stargazing Night that her Latin students recently enjoyed. ETC is a standing committee of the American Classical League.

Interested in hosting your own Constellation Party? The NASA AfterSchoolAstronomy website has a treasure trove of ideas!

Happy New Year!

Novum Annum Laetum Omnibus Exopto!

(Happy New Year, Everyone!)

Ianuarius is the first month of our year, but the ancient Romans originally celebrated the New Year in March. In 153 B.C., they decided to move the beginning of the year to January because that was the month in which the consuls, their leaders, took office. Of course, on January 20th, our new President-elect, Barack Obama, will take the oath of office.

According to Murray's Manual of Mythology, Ianuarius was named for the ancient god Ianus, because "the beginning of everything was a matter of great importance to them, and Ianus was the god of a 'good beginning.'" Accordingly, the first day of January was an major holiday for the Romans.

The gates of temple which the Romans built in honor of Ianus held deep significance to his worshippers. The gates stood open when Rome was at war and were closed only in times of peace. There were only three times in the first 700 years that temple gates were closed: during the reign of Numa Pompilius, after the first Punic War, and during the reign of Augustus Caesar.

At first, the Roman year had only ten months, but this didn't work out too well with the solar calendar. In 46 BC, Julius Caesar added two new months. He named one after himself, Iulius. The other new month was eventually named for the previously mentioned Augustus. The full list of the months (menses) of the year (annus) in Latin are as follows: Ianuarius, Februarius, Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Iunius, Iulius, Augustus, September, October, November, December.

To find out more about how the Ancient Romans celebrated the New Year, here's a classic NPR.org feature Roman New Year.