Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Latin

The Colloquium and Josep Bernat i Baldoví

Colloquium: A festive fabric of dialogue, characterized by very flat language, representing a collective of col·loquiers outdoors for a popular public.

Josep Bernat i Baldoví (19th Century): He wrote the first known falla libretto, "El fadrí de l'Almodí" (1855), and published several short pieces of comic theater. Among them are "La Verge i l'alcalde", "Vicenteta la de Favara", and "Parlar bé no costa un patxo" (1845).

Artistic Works

Notable works include: "La de Favara", "Pasqualo i Vicenteta", "Els col·loquis de Colau", "Pataques i caragols", and "Un fandanguet a Paiporta".

The Valencian Sainete

Sainete: These are primitive forms of theater derived from the colloquia. They consist of short pieces... Continue reading "Valencian Literary Movements and Theatrical History" »

Antonio Machado

Early Life and Education

Antonio Machado was born in Seville in 1875. He came from a learned, liberal family that moved to Madrid in 1883. He studied at the Free Institution of Education. His secular, progressive, and tolerant spirit forever marked his character. In 1907, he obtained a full professorship of French at the Institute of Soria, and there he met Leonor Izquierdo, whom he married in 1909. In 1911, he traveled to Paris and attended philosophy classes by the admired Henri Bergson. When his wife fell ill, he returned to Soria. She died in 1912, and he moved to Baeza, deeply hurt.

Career and Relationships

He continued to publish poetry, studied philosophy, and developed a radical political consciousness in contact with the... Continue reading "Antonio Machado: Life and Poetic Works" »

The Voyages of Christopher Columbus

First Voyage (1492-1493)

On his first voyage, Columbus departed from Palos de la Frontera with two caravels, the Pinta and the Niña, and the nao Santa Maria. After calling at La Gomera, ostensibly to repair a rudder while awaiting the trade winds that would facilitate navigation to the west, he set sail. After two months at sea and facing mutiny attempts from the crew, he reached land on October 12, 1492, which he named San Salvador. He skirted the islands of the Bahamas and visited Cuba and Haiti, which he christened La Española (Hispaniola). Off its coast, the Santa Maria ran aground, and its remnants were used to build Fort Navidad. Columbus befriended the natives and their chief. He returned to Spain... Continue reading "Christopher Columbus: The Four Voyages to the New World" »

Relative Pronouns in Latin

Singular and Plural Forms

Five Declensions Overview

Vocabulary Lists (Pages 16-21)

Page 16

• agmen, agminis (n.): column of troops
• confertus, -a, -um (adj.): tight, crowded
• confirmo, -as, -are (v.): to ratify, confirm
• expeditus, -a, -um (adj.): without baggage
• impetus, -ūs (m.): violence, attack
• implacabilis, -e (adj.): implacable, inexorable
• necessarius,

Cantar de Mio Cid

Cantar de Mio Cid is the most significant epic poem in Spanish literature and the only one that has survived almost in its entirety. It was written by two minstrels from Soria: the first focused on historical truth, while the second incorporated more romantic elements. The work is divided into three parts: the Cantar del Destierro (Exile), the Cantar de las Bodas (Weddings), and the Afrenta de Corpes (Affront of Corpes). It features irregular verses, predominantly Alexandrine, with assonant rhyme.

Mester de Clerecía

Emerging in the 13th century, the Mester de Clerecía represents a stream of cultured poetry. Key authors include Gonzalo de Berceo (Vida de Santo Domingo de Silos and Milagros de Nuestra Señora) and anonymous works... Continue reading "Key Works and Authors of Medieval Spanish Literature" »

The 17th Century in Spain: A Period of Transformation

Economic and Political Landscape

The 17th century in Spain, under the rule of the Austrias (Philip III, Philip IV, and Charles II), was a period marked by significant decline and continuous military conflicts with other European powers. Monarchs inherited a country teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. By the end of the century, Spain had lost its hegemony and experienced population stagnation.

Economically, Spain was predominantly rural (approximately 80%). The largely illiterate peasant population faced widespread disappointment and discontent. A powerful and dominant noble class further exacerbated social inequalities. The era was also plagued by devastating epidemics, including the plague,... Continue reading "Spanish Golden Age: 17th Century Society, Art, and Literature" »

Romantic Poetry: Nostalgia and Personal Uprooting

Romanticism in this period focused on the recreation of a more robust and heroic past, utilizing stanzas influenced by both classical and popular structures.

Àngel Guimerà: Master of the Jocs Florals

In 1877, with Summer Flower, Àngel Guimerà won three awards and became a master of the Jocs Florals. His poetry is characterized by a declamatory and effect-driven tone, focusing on epic and lyrical exaltation of the nation, religious themes, and the idealization of rural life.

Jacint Verdaguer: The Nineteenth Century's Leading Poet

Jacint Verdaguer is the most significant poet of the nineteenth century. His work is divided into two distinct styles: one rich in imagination and artistic resources,... Continue reading "Jacint Verdaguer and the Renaissance of Catalan Romantic Poetry" »

La Llegada a Barcelona y la Inseguridad

Andra nos cuenta que, a su llegada a la calle Aribau (Barcelona), donde se hospeda en la casa, todo es publicado en sus boletines. Se nota un parque extraño. Recibe la lacasa de la abuela. Nadie la confunde con Gloria, y sus tallos dicen "no". Comienzan a aparecer los ángeles y tíos de la buena Andrea. Juan se hace cargo de la situación en Gloria, con la criada yendo con vestimentas negras y un perro negro, y Angustias la recibe con desprecio.

Una cansada Andra acepta las comodidades que le ofrece la criada (viajes en lanzadera a su habitación), toma una ducha donde se da cuenta de que la casa ya le inspira inseguridad.

Al amanecer, Andra mantenía esa sensación de inseguridad que la había impregnado... Continue reading "La Llegada de Andrea: Conflicto y Juventud en la Calle Aribau" »

Spanish theater faced significant restrictions due to the new socio-political situation following the Civil War. Many intellectuals went into exile, and a rigid censorship was established on all performances, though it softened over time. The rise of cinema, and later television, drew the public, primarily the bourgeoisie, away from the theaters, leading to what is often referred to as the 'crisis of theater'.

The 1940s and Early 1950s

The initial years following the Civil War were characterized by low literary production. Writers largely kept themselves apart from overt political and ideological influence, focusing instead on human themes. Three main currents emerged:

• Bourgeois Comedy: These plays featured elaborate theatrical constructions,

Latin Verb Conjugation

Verbs are categorized by their conjugation:

• 1st Conjugation: amo, amare (Topic: love)
• 2nd Conjugation: habeo, habere (Topic: have)
• 3rd Conjugation: mitto, mittere (Topic: send)
• 4th Conjugation: audio, audire (Topic: hear)

The present tense is formed with the Item + o / s / t / mus / tis / nt.

Conjugation Rules

• 1st Conj: In the first person, the "a" is dropped.
• 2nd Conj: No changes.
• 3rd Conj: Changes in all but the first person. From 2nd to 5th person, an "i" is inserted between the item and the termination. In the 6th person, the "i" becomes a "u".
• 4th Conj: Only the third person plural changes, adding a "u" between the item and the ending.

Irregular Verbs

• To be (sum): sum, es, est, sumus, estis, sunt. Compounds include adsum (to