LATIN.
The Latin units are construed in accordance with the following Report of
the Commission on College Entrance Requirements in Latin:
I. AMOUNT AND RANGE OF THE READING REQUIRED.
1. The Latin reading required of candidates for admission to college, without
regard to the prescription of particular authors and works, shall be not less
in amount than Cæsar, Gallic War, I-IV; Cicero, the orations against Catiline,
for the Manilian Law, and for Archias; Virgil, Æneid, I-VI.
2. The amount of reading specified shall be selected by the schools from
the following authors and works: Cæsar (Gallic War and Civil War) and
Nepos (Lives); Cicero (Orations, Letters, and De Senectute) and Sallust
(Catiline and Jugurthine War); Virgil (Bucolics, Georgics, and Æneid) and
Ovid (Metamorphoses, Fasti, and Tristia).
II. SUBJECTS AND SCOPE OF THE EXAMINATIONS.
1. Translation at Sight. Candidates will be examined in translation at
sight of both prose and verse. The vocabulary, constructions, and range of
ideas of the passages set will be suited to the preparation secured by the reading
indicated above.
2. Prescribed Reading. Candidates will be examined also upon the following
prescribed reading: Cicero, orations for the Manilian Law and for
Archias, and Virgil, Æneid, I, II, and either IV or VI at the option of the
candidate, with questions on subject-matter, literary and historical allusions, and
prosody. Every paper in which passages from the prescribed reading are set
for translation will contain also one or more passages for translation at sight;
and candidates must deal satisfactorily with both these parts of the paper, or
they will not be given credit for either part.
3. Grammar and Composition. The examinations in grammar and composition
will demand thorough knowledge of all regular inflections, all common
irregular forms, and the ordinary syntax and vocabulary of the prose authors
read in school, with ability to use this knowledge in writing simple Latin prose.
The words, constructions, and range of ideas called for in the examinations in
composition will be such as are common in the reading of the year, or years,
covered by the particular examination.
Note.—The examinations in grammar and composition may be either in separate papers or
combined with other parts of the Latin examination, at the option of each individual institution;
and nothing in any of the above definitions of the requirements shall be taken to prevent any college
from asking questions on the grammar, prosody, or subject-matter of any of the passages set for
translation, if it so desires.
SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING PREPARATION.
Exercises in translation at sight should begin in school with the first
lessons in which Latin sentences of any length occur, and should continue
throughout the course with sufficient frequency to insure correct methods of
work on the part of the student. From the outset particular attention should
be given to developing the ability to take in the meaning of each word—and so,
gradually, of the whole sentence—just as it stands; the sentence should be read
and understood in the order of the original, with full appreciation of the force
of each word as it comes, so far as this can be known or inferred from that
which has preceded and from the form and the position of the word itself. The
habit of reading in this way should be encouraged and cultivated as the best
preparation for all the translating that the student has to do. No translation,
however, should be a mechanical metaphrase. Nor should it be a mere loose
paraphrase. The full meaning of the passage to be translated, gathered in the
way described above, should finally be expressed in clear and natural English.
A written examination cannot test the ear or tongue, but proper instruction
in any language will necessarily include the training of both. The school work
in Latin, therefore, should include much reading aloud, writing from dictation,
and translation from the teacher's reading. Learning suitable passages by heart
is also very useful, and should be more practiced.
The work in composition should give the student a better understanding
of the Latin he is reading at the time, if it is prose, and greater facility in
reading. It is desirable, however, that there should be systematic and regular
work in composition during the time in which poetry is read as well; for this
work the prose authors already studied should be used as models.
In accordance with the above report, the following detailed description
of the four units of Latin is given:
Latin A. Grammar, Composition and Translation.—The Roman pronunciation;
habitual observance of accent and quantity; thorough mastery of
the regular forms; the simple rules of word-formation and derivation; syntax
of the cases, tenses, and modes; accusative and infinitive, relative and conditional
sentences, indirect discourse, and the subjunctive. Translation into Latin
of easy detached sentences illustrating grammatical principles, and of very easy
continuous prose based upon the vocabulary of Cæsar and Cicero. (One unit.)
Latin B. Caesar's Gallic War, Books I-IV, Grammar, Composition.—
A reasonable acquaintance with the time and purpose of the author; intelligent
grasp of the thought; ability to summarize the narrative as a whole;
ready comprehension of the normal forms and construction; a reasonable
facility in reading at sight passages of like vocabulary and construction. As
much as one book of Cæsar may be substituted by an equivalent amount of
Viri Romæ, or other Latin prose. In connection with all of the reading there
must be constant practice in prose composition, as well as in sight translation.
(One unit.)
Latin C. Cicero's Orations against Catiline, and Two Others, Grammar,
Composition.—A reasonable acquaintance with the time and circumstances
of the Catilinarian conspiracy; intelligent appreciation of the orator's
thought and purpose; ability to summarize the oration as a whole; readiness
in explaining normal forms and constructions; reasonable facility in reading
at sight passages of like vocabulary and structure. As much as two orations
may be substituted by an equivalent amount of Nepos, or other Latin prose.
In connection with all of the reading there must be constant practice in prose
composition, as well as in sight translation. (One unit.)
Latin D. Virgil's Æneid, Books I-VI, Grammar, Composition.—A
reasonable acquaintance with the time and purpose of the poet; intelligent appreciation
of the poet's thought and art; ability to summarize the story as
a whole; acquaintance with the typical forms and constructions of poetry;
practical mastery of the heroic hexameter; reasonable facility in reading at
sight passages of like vocabulary and difficulty. The third and fifth books of
the Æneid may be substituted by an equivalent amount of Ovid or other Latin
epic poetry. In connection with all reading there should be constant practice
in prose composition, as well as in sight translation. (One unit.)
