LATIN 103 A: Introductory Latin

Spring 2026
Meeting:
MTWThF 9:30am - 10:20am
SLN:
15756
Section Type:
Lecture
Syllabus Description (from Canvas):

 

Latin 103 A 

Instructor: Guy Rahat     guyrahat@uw.edu 

Office Hours: Mondays 10:30 - 12:00; Wednesdays 10:30 - 11:30; or by appointment

Class Location: Smith 107

OH Location: Denny 400K

First year Latin courses give you direct access to the thoughts and writings of the ancient Romans and allow you to explore the dynamic and often dangerous cultural, social and political world in which they wrote. Learning to interpret and use an ancient language requires you to explore unknown areas and think in new ways. Our focus is on Latin as a literary language. Course activities are designed to foster a collegial and collaborative atmosphere and to encourage you to make strong connections between the ancient language and literature we are exploring together and your other interests, passions and pursuits. 

This course counts for A&H if you are not using it to meet the foreign language proficiency requirement.

Course Goals:

Through your work in the course this term you will demonstrate that you can: 

  • Read and translate short selections from ancient Roman authors and compose simple sentences in Latin
  • Understand and explain the literary, historical and cultural context of texts by ancient Roman authors
  • Analyze and explain Latin grammar and syntax, including subordinate clauses and the uses of the subjunctive
  • Analyze and describe the influence of the Latin language on subsequent languages and literatures

By completing the first year sequence (101-102-103) you equip yourself to read any Latin author. In our second year courses (304, 305, 306, 307) students read selections of Caesar, Horace, Catullus (305), Cicero and Ovid (306), and Virgil (307), and other authors (304). 

Textbooks:

Wheelock's Latin; Groton and May, 38 Stories

Schedule of Assignments

Wheelock Assignments and chapter readings are to be completed before class on the date listed; Passages from 38 Latin stories will be due for homework this quarter. As the schedule may be subject to change, please regularly view the syllabus page on Canvas for an up-to-date schedule.

 

Week 1:

M         Mar 30: Syllabus; Wheelock Ch. 26 – Comparison of Adjectives

T          Mar 31: HW Ch. 26 – Ex. 3, 4, 7, 8, 15, 16; SA 3, 4, 8

W         Apr 1: Wheelock Ch.. 27 – Irregular Comparatives

Th        Apr 2: HW Ch. 27 – Ex. 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 13, 14; SA 3, 12

F          Apr 3: 38 Latin Stories: Old Age is Not a Time for Despair

Week 2:

M         Apr 6: Wheelock Ch. 28 – Subjunctive Mood; Purpose Clauses

T          Apr 7: HW Ch. 28 – Ex. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 14, 15; SA 2, 6

W         Apr 8: 38 Latin Stories: Two Love Poems by Catullus

TH       Apr 9: Wheelock Ch. 29 – Imperfect Subjunctives; Result Clauses

F          Apr 10: HW Ch. 29 – Ex. 1, 3, 7, 9, 12, 13; SA 1, 9, 10

Week 3:

M         Apr 13: Reading: Who Will Put the Bell on the Cat’s Neck?

T          Apr 14: Wheelock Ch. 30 – Perfect Subjunctive; Indirect Questions

W         Apr 15: HW Ch. 30 – Ex. 1, 2, 6, 11, 13, 15; SA 8, 12, 13

TH       Apr 16: 38 Latin Stories: Pliny Writes to his Friends

F          Apr 17: Assessment 1 

Week 4:

M         Apr 20: Wheelock Ch. 31 – Cum Clauses; Ferō

T          Apr 21: HW Ch. 31 – Ex. 3, 6, 8, 12, 13, 16; SA 3, 8, 9

W         Apr 22: 38 Latin Stories: Lucretia: Paragon of Virtue

TH       Apr 23: Wheelock Ch. 32 – Adverbs; Volō, Nōlō, Malō

F          Apr 24: HW Ch. 32 – Ex. 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 17

Week 5:

M         Apr 27: 38 Latin Stories: Vergil Praises the Rustic Life

T          Apr 28: Wheelock Ch. 33 - Conditions

W         Apr 29: HW Ch. 33 – Ex. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 14; SA 1, 5, 8

TH       Apr 30: Ch 33. Readings: BYOB, Aristotle

F          May 1: Assessment 2

Week 6:

M         May 4: Wheelock Ch. 34 – Deponent Verbs

T          May 5: HW Ch. 34 – Ex. 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 15, 17; SA 3, 14

W         May 6: 38 Latin Stories: Sallust’s View of Human Nature

TH       May 7: Wheelock Ch. 35 – Uses of the Dative

F          May 8: HW Ch. 35 – Ex. 3, 4, 7, 12, 14, 15; SA 1, 3, 17

Week 7:

M         May 11: 38 Latin Stories: A Conversation from Roman Comedy

T          May 12: Wheelock Ch. 36 – Jussive Noun Clauses; Fīō

W         May 13: HW Ch. 36 – Ex. 1, 3, 6, 10, 13, 15, 16; SA 1, 2, 7

TH       May 14: 38 Latin Stories: A Crisis in Roman Education

F          May 15: Assessment 3

Week 8:

M         May 18:  Wheelock Ch. 37 – ; Place and Time Constructions

T          May 19: HW Ch. 37 -  Ex. 2, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16; SA 2, 3, 12

W         May 20: 38 Latin Stories: Horace Meets a Boorish Fellow

TH       May 21: No Class (tentative)

F          May 22: No Class (tentative)

Week 9:

M         May 25: Memorial Day (No Class)

T          May 26: Wheelock Ch. 38 – Relative Clauses of Characteristic; Supines

W         May 27: HW Ch. 38 – Ex. 2, 4, 7, 13, 14, 16; SA 4, 9, 14

TH       May 28: Reading: The Sword of Damocles

F          May 29: Assessment 4

Week 10:

M         June 1: Wheelock Ch. 39 – Gerund and Gerundive

T          June 2: HW Ch. 39 – Ex. 3, 5, 8, 9, 14, 15; SA 6, 10

W         June 3: Wheelock Ch. 40 – Questions; Fear Clauses

TH       June 4: HW Ch. 40 -  Ex. 1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 14, 16; SA 9, 11

F          June 5: Review Day

Final Exam: on Wednesday, June 10th, 8:30 – 10:20 AM

Catalog Description:
Reading of selections from classical Latin literature. Third in a sequence of three. Prerequisite: LATIN 102 or LATIN 300. Offered: SpS.
GE Requirements Met:
Arts and Humanities (A&H)
Credits:
5.0
Status:
Active
Last updated:
April 14, 2026 - 11:24 pm