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

Troy was a city situated in the far northwest of the region known as Asia Minor, now known as Anatolia in modern Turkey, near the southwest mouth of the Dardanelles Strait and northwest of Mount Ida. There were up to 20 cities around Troy. The present-day location is known as Hissarlik. It was the setting of the Trojan War described in the Greek Epic Cycle, in particular in The Iliad, one of the two epic poems attributed to Homer. Homer is a master of narrative. He is the greatest author that has ever lived. His work is classical, but he had some things that are incredibly modern.

The Troy of Homer is Troy 7. It came to a violent end around 1270 BC; houses were burnt, and the city was sacked. The king of Troy was Priam (non-Greek). He was the... Continue reading "The Historical Significance of Troy in Greek Mythology" »

Homer: Author of Ancient Epics

Homer is the name ascribed by the Ancient Greeks to the semi-legendary author of the two epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey, central works of Greek literature. Many accounts of Homer’s life circulated in classical antiquity, the most widespread being that he was a blind bard from Ionia, a region of modern-day Turkey. However, modern scholarly consensus holds that these traditions lack historical value.

The Homeric Question & Authorship

The Homeric Question—by whom, when, where, and under what circumstances The Iliad and The Odyssey were composed—continues to be debated. Broadly speaking, modern scholarly opinion on the authorship issue falls into two main camps. One group holds that most of The Iliad... Continue reading "Homer's Enduring Legacy: Unraveling the Epic Poet" »

Literary Elements Defined

Key Literary Terms

• Plot: The main events and sequence of a story.
• Setting: The time and place in which the action of a story occurs.
• Foreshadowing: Hints or clues about what is going to happen later in the story.
• Outcome: The resolution or ending of the story.
• Tone: The author's attitude toward the subject or audience, influencing how the reader perceives the story.
• Imagery: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating mental images for the reader.

Beowulf: An Epic Poem Analysis

Beowulf Overview

• Original Language: Written in Old English (Anglo-Saxon language).
• Notable Translation: Translated by Francis Gummere in 1910.
• Author: Unknown.

Literary Elements in Beowulf

• Tone in Beowulf

  The poet is generally enthusiastic about

Essential English Vocabulary and Grammar Review

Shopping and General Vocabulary (English to Spanish)

This list includes key terms related to shopping, commerce, and general usage. Spelling and grammatical corrections have been applied, standardizing translations to Spanish.

• make up your mind → decidirse
• credit card → tarjeta de crédito
• trial period → período de prueba
• exchanged → intercambio / cambiado
• guarantee → garantía
• price tag → etiqueta de precio
• on sale → en oferta / en venta
• receipt → recibo / tique
• discount → descuento
• cashier → cajero/a
• refunded → reembolso / reembolsado
• special offers → ofertas especiales
• charged → cobrar / cargado
• reduce → reducido
• saved up → ahorrar / ahorrado
• bargains → gangas
• cash → dinero

Gulliver's Travels: Publication History

• Swift most probably had a transcribed copy of the text by the end of 1725. To keep the holograph safe (and perhaps to obscure his authorship) Swift had an additional copy made.
• This latter manuscript copy (made by an amanuensis) was sent to the printer in 1726 and was used to set the text of Gulliver's Travels.
• Swift set out for London from Dublin on 6 March 1726, bringing with him the copy for the printer. Shortly afterwards, Charles Ford arrived with the holograph.
• An approach to the publisher Benjamin Motte seems to have been made around 8 August by means of a letter from “Richard Sympson.”
• The letter was accompanied by ‘about a fourth part’ of the text of Gulliver's Travels as a sample.
• All materials

Restaurant Conversation

Host: Good evening. Do you have a reservation?

Daniel: Yes, a table for two. My name is Daniel O'Connor.

Host: Come to this table, please.

Host: Are you ready to order?

Daniel: Yes, the soup and the mushroom ravioli, please. I'd like the mozzarella salad and then the chicken, please.

Host: What would you like to drink? Just water for me. A bottle of mineral water, please.

Host: Natural or sparkling? Is sparkling OK?

Daniel: Yes, sparkling.

Host: Thank you, sir.

Taxi and Travel Arrangements

Daniel: Could you call me a taxi, please?

Host: Yes, of course. Where to?

Daniel: To Paddington Station. And when would you like to go?

Daniel: Now, please. How much is it?

Driver: That's 15, please.

Daniel: Make it 15. And could I have a receipt?... Continue reading "Essential English Grammar and Conversational Phrases" »

The Dragon Awakens

When the dragon awoke, new woe was kindled. O’er the stone he snuffed. The stark heart found the footprint of a foe who so far had gone in his hidden craft by the creature’s head.

Divine Protection

So may the undoomed easily flee evils and exile, if only he gain the grace of The Wielder!

The Guardian's Search

That warden of gold o’er the ground went seeking, greedy to find the man who wrought him such wrong in sleep. Savage and burning, the barrow he circled all without; nor was any there, none in the waste.

The Discovery of Theft

Yet war he desired, was eager for battle. The barrow he entered, sought the cup, and discovered soon that some one of mortals had searched his treasure, his lordly gold. The guardian waited, ill-... Continue reading "Beowulf: The Dragon's Wrath and the Stolen Cup" »

Authors and Works of the 16th Century

Peter Seraph: Poet and painter, his date of birth is unknown, and it is known he died around 1566. His poetry still presents points of contact with March. However, he used proper poetic forms of the Renaissance, such as the sonnet, and he cites poets of Greek and Latin classics (Homer, Virgil, and Ovid) and two Italian dolce stil nuovo poets (Dante and Petrarch) plus March. He also wrote in Catalan.

18th Century Authors

Francesc Vicent Garcia: He is considered one of the most outstanding authors of three centuries. Known as the Rector of Vallfogona, he was born in Tortosa and died in Vallfogona. His reputation is based on one aspect of his work: that which emphasizes a thick, deliberately exaggerated humor,... Continue reading "Authors and Literary Movements: 16th to 19th Century" »

Numbers Written Out in English

Numbers 1 to 30

1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four
5. Five
6. Six
7. Seven
8. Eight
9. Nine
10. Ten
11. Eleven
12. Twelve
13. Thirteen
14. Fourteen
15. Fifteen
16. Sixteen
17. Seventeen
18. Eighteen
19. Nineteen
20. Twenty
21. Twenty-one
22. Twenty-two
23. Twenty-three
24. Twenty-four
25. Twenty-five
26. Twenty-six
27. Twenty-seven
28. Twenty-eight
29. Twenty-nine
30. Thirty

Numbers by Tens (40-100)

• Forty
• Fifty
• Sixty
• Seventy
• Eighty
• Ninety
• One hundred

Numbers 101 to 150

• One hundred and one
• One hundred and two
• One hundred and three
• One hundred and four
• One hundred and five
• One hundred and six
• One hundred and seven
• One hundred and eight
• One hundred and nine
• One hundred and ten
• One hundred and eleven
• One hundred and twelve
• One hundred and thirteen
• One hundred and fourteen
• One hundred and fifteen
• One hundred and sixteen
• One hundred and seventeen
• One hundred and eighteen
• One hundred and

Post-war Poetry: The 1940s

Rooted Poetry and Garcilasismo

Formalism, Garcilasismo, or Rooted Poetry: This movement was interested in the perfection of the line and expression, focusing on traditional themes such as landscape or love. The sonnet was the favorite verse form. It is often grouped with poets associated with the magazines Escorial and Garcilaso, including José García Nieto, Luis Rosales, Leopoldo Panero, Luis Felipe Vivanco, and Dionisio Ridruejo.

Uprooted and Existential Poetry

Uprooted or Existential Poetry: This trend is exemplified by Hijos de la ira (Children of Wrath, 1944) by Dámaso Alonso. It possesses an existential character, also seen in the magazine Espadaña with Victoriano Crémer and Eugenio de Nora. Another significant... Continue reading "Spanish Post-war Poetry: Movements and Key Authors" »