AP Latin

Elaine Zhou, Copy Editor

Prerequisites

  • ≥ C in previous level (Latin 3 or Latin 4)

Teacher

  • Mr. Michalak

Description

  • In AP Latin, the bulk of your studies will be on literature such as Vergil’s Aeneid and Caesar’s Gallic Wars. Part of the curriculum is a rigorous extension of Latin 3 as you will be focusing on analyzing poetry stylistically as well as translating and interpreting the significance of Latin passages.
  • The course is not solely focused on analyzing poetry and literature. AP Latin is designed to teach the literature in the context of Roman history and culture.

How to Study for them

  • It may be helpful to re-translate your translations. Your Latin dictionary is your greatest friend.
  • It will be necessary to understand the background and reasoning behind the literature, so make sure to read up on Roman history/Greek mythology and consider the ideals of the time period in which the literature was written

Resources

  • LaFleur (the textbooks) and the back of the packets help explain and translate weird words or phrases. They also offer helpful literary/mythological clarifications
  • Whitaker’s Words makes translation much faster than looking it up in dictionary and grammar chart. You still need to figure out the structure and put the words together, but it’ll get you the definition of anything you don’t recognize and help with the case of anything you don’t understand.