Cambridge School Classics Project

Wonderfully laid out, meticulously edited. A fantastic volume for working with students using the Cambridge Latin Course, and even I suppose if you're learning yourself!

Each chapter of the course is accompanied by extensive commentaries of every page of the textbook, guidance on discussing the text and potential sensitivities, useful information for teaching the cultural material, suggestions for further work with students, as well as exercises, quizzes and additional passages for student show more comprehension. This is followed by some discussion of the language appendix in each volume to discuss new words and concepts, ideas for cutting sections if in a speedy course, and a bibliography with both items for students and for the teacher. show less

Volume 3B of the Cambridge Latin Course takes us, at last, to Rome itself. The grand old lady. Here, under the Emperor Domitian, a contractor named Haterius decides to rise up and get his due from our long-running villain Salvius. A female philosopher from Greece arrives in Rome, only to discover things here are not quite like at home. And plots and plans continue to swirl.

Grammatical concepts in volume 3B are now becoming more complex (students from here should be able to move into other show more texts, such as Reading Latin by Peter Jones if they so wish). They include the passive indicative, further uses of the ablative, purpose clauses, deponent verbs, the future tense, and uses of the gerundive. Cultural material is largely related to Rome: the forum, engineering, patronage, social hierarchy, and the lives of Christians and freed slaves. The text is clearly focused on the concepts but does so within a thoroughly-realised long-running narrative. Also, wonderfully, it doesn't take the student for granted. Especially the chapter in which the story of the mass Jewish suicide at Masada is recounted, and contrasted with the dedication of the Arch in honour of the late Emperor Titus. This is a volume to be accompanied by study of ancient history.
Highly recommended with the accompanying Teacher's Handbook show less

I really enjoyed translating from this book when I was in high school. The stories were simple but kept my attention, and often made me forget I was doing work.

Volume 2A (which can also be found in a double volume with 2B) takes us to Roman Britain (now Fishbourne) in the year 82. Here, a local judge named Salvius manages his horrible life horribly, quarreling with his wife and abusing his slaves. The local King, Cogidubnus, is now a subject of the Emperor Claudius. A boat race ends in tragedy and violence. And finally, one of our old favourites appears, to tell the story of their lengthy journey from the ruins of Pompeii to the outer reaches of show more the Empire.

Grammatical concepts in volume 2A include infinitives, some use of passive tense, the ablative, prepositions, relative clauses, the pluperfect, and variations on use of questions. Cultural material includes the conquest and Romanisation of Britain, the use of the farms, analysis of the historical figures herein, and a greater look at archaeology and modern discovery via the Palace at Fishbourne. An appendix summarises all of the grammar thus far learned.

Highly recommended with the accompanying Teacher's Handbook show less