In this Latin course you will have the opportunity to learn the language of gladiators, emperors, soldiers, and slaves from ancient Roman times. But Latin didn’t stop being used when the Roman Empire fell.
For well over two millenia, Latin has been the vehicle of culture, literature, philosophy, law, religion, medicine, the sciences, and much more in the Western world. Through most of European history, whenever authors wrote something they wanted the whole world to be able to read and, more importantly, they wanted to remain permanent forever, they wrote in Latin. Examples include Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica, Sepulveda's account of Columbus' voyages to the New World (yes--only written in Latin!), and Copernicus' De Revolutionibus Orbius Coelestium.
The Latin language is currently an international bond, not just among Western countries but among all countries. At biological conferences, for example, even in places like Japan, Latin vocabulary is seen and used everywhere. In addition, though the active use of Latin was neglected during much of the 20th century, people are starting to speak and write Latin again.
We think it would be a shame to let the Latin tradition die out. Except for Sanskrit, all languages are changing; but Latin stays the same, which means that if you can read Latin, you can pick up a book written yesterday or two hundred years ago or in the Middle Ages or in ancient times and just read it! Despite the greatness of works, most people nowadays have trouble understanding Shakespeare, because the English language has changed so much. And because English will continue to change, in another century his writing will be incomprehensible to almost everyone. Latin is the language that can ultimately hold our civilization together.
Link to the essay, "Efficacy of Latin Studies In the Information Age"
Link to Bloomberg article describing how taking Latin helps students get into highly selective colleges
Link to an essay about the value of studying languages in general
