Latin Language: History, Literature, and Influence

Latin Language: A Historical Overview

Indo-European languages derive from a primitive language spoken by European peoples five thousand years ago. This mother tongue branched into several groups, including Greek and Italic. The tribe who spoke Latin settled in Latium, central Italy, where Rome later emerged. Latin is the ancestor of Spanish and other Romance languages. It is known for its clarity, precision, and elegance, serving as a literary model for many languages of culture. It experienced a resurgence during the Renaissance, becoming the language of science, the church, and various socio-cultural aspects.

Periods of Latin

• Archaic Latin: From its origins to the third century BC, exemplified by the comedies of Plautus and Terence.
• Classical Latin: 1st century AD, the era of great Latin writers like Virgil, Horace, and Ovid.
• Post-Classical Latin: 3rd century BC and AD.
• Late Latin: Until the emergence of the Romance languages, notable for the works of Saint Augustine.
• Romance Languages: As the Roman Empire disintegrated, Latin evolved into the Romance languages.

Latin Literature

Key features of Latin literature include:

• Dependence on Greek Literature: Following Greek models, though with its own quality and greatness.
• Long Duration: Lasting throughout the Middle Ages and even into the Renaissance.
• Preference for Didactic Genres: Emphasizing the useful over the purely beautiful, with a sober and austere language.

Comedy in Latin Literature

Among the Etruscans, there was likely a popular, unwritten theater. Playwrights adopted arguments, structures, and characters from Greek works, introducing Latinized versions. The two most celebrated playwrights were Plautus and Terence, who wrote comedies in the third and second centuries BC. Plautus aimed to amuse the people with characters like the braggart soldier. His most famous comedy is Greeter. Its themes and characters reappear in comic works of all time, such as those by Shakespeare or Moliere.

Terence, similar to Plautus, created works featuring misunderstandings, loving parents, and the intransigence of parents regarding their children's weddings. He aspired to please a more cultured and refined audience.