Fourth Year Latin

My oldest daughter, Madeleine (the Russian and Latin scholar), has just taken a job as a Latin teacher.  When she was a student of Latin in middle school and high school I started to pick up vintage Latin books that I would find at the thrift store and used bookshops.  You'd be surprised how useful they ended up being!  Now Madeleine is in her own apartment with her own bookshelves (full of course!) and I was helping her unpack when she pulled this one out.  I don't remember where I got it but I immediately recognized Gordon Laite's engaging artwork.   This is why book collecting is such a treasure hunt!

Fourth Year Latin

illustrated by Gordon Laite

Two Roman Mice

In May Madeleine was off to the Latin Convention held at Penn State.  She always comes home with fun stories.  We are fortunate that her school has such a robust Latin program and a couple dedicated teachers.  She's been taking Latin since 7th grade and will be teaching it in the elementary schools this year.  I picked up this book with her in mind.

Two Roman Mice

Horace

retold and illustrated by Marilynne K. Roach 1975

I had no idea that the original Country Mouse/City Mouse was a fable told by Horace at the end of his poem Satire II (the original Latin is in the back of this book).  Even the illustrations add to the translation- the decorative borders are based off of Roman frescos, the folding doors in one picture are similar to ones in Herculaneum, the watchdogs are Molossian hounds.  And I liked the mouse names of 'Rusticus' and 'Urbanus'.