Salvete omnes,

In universitate linguam latinam studeo. Ciceronis Caesarisque verba nunc lego - Comentariis C.Iuli Caesaris De Bello Gallico Liber II, atque Ciceronis oratio prima in L. Catilinam.

Solus sum?

Non solus. Studebam latinam universitate abhinc annos 15.

Nunc paululum legere possum.

Arma virumque said:

Ahhhh, bene, bene!

I figured that there were likely other people here with an interest in classics, and perhaps Latin language.

Are you interested in ancient Roman and Greek history as well? Did you take any other classics courses?

My degree was in classics, with an emphasis on Roman history at the end of the Republic. I actually enjoyed the history quite a bit more than the languages.

Now I work in Silicon Valley (go figure). I used to get teased occasionally about my choice of major, usually by some computer science keyboard jockey, so I would respond in my most puffed-up, pompous voice, " Unlike yours, my degree is no less relevant today than it was the day I graduated! " Once they figured out the joke, that usually earned a laugh. But it also started them thinking about how quickly their own degree had become obsolete....

Arma virumque said:

Excellent! You and I could talk for days I am sure! I myself am not a Classics major, I am studying Psychology. But, I have always loved ancient history, and I lament the decline of classical studies in contemporary culture. I am in intermediate Latin prose now, and in the spring I will start reading Virgil in Latin, which I am very excited about.

For all of my electives, and for every space in my schedule that is not required to be Psychology related, I have taken classics courses. I have went through courses on Roman History, Greek and Roman Epic Poetry, Greek and Roman art and architecture, the whole run of Latin grammar courses, among others.

Classics should be manditory, not only at the college level, but it should start as early as grade school. Whatever one chooses to study, it should be that AND classics. Everything should just be considered a double major along side Classics.

Have you read Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rom e series ( The First Man in Rome et al.)? There's enough material there to keep any classicsophile happy for many weeks.