LATIN 102 A: Introductory Latin

Winter 2026
Meeting:
MTWThF 9:30am - 10:20am
SLN:
16298
Section Type:
Lecture
Syllabus Description (from Canvas):

 

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Instructor: Guy Rahat     guyrahat@uw.edu 

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

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. Please note that the schedule may be subject to change.

 

Week 1:

M          Jan 5: Syllabus and 102 goals; Wheelock Ch. 15 - Numerals

T           Jan 6: Wheelock Ch. 15 cont. – Genitive and Ablative uses

W         Jan 7: HW Ch. 15 Ex. 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13

Th         Jan 8: 38 Latin Stories: How the Aegean Got its Name

F           Jan 9: Roman Inscriptions

Week 2:

M          Jan 12: Wheelock Ch. 16 – Third Declension Adjectives

T           Jan 13: HW Ch. 16 Ex. 4, 6, 7, 14, 15; SA 2, 3, 14

W         Jan 14: 38 Latin Stories: The Wrath of Achilles

TH        Jan 15:  In-Class Practice

F           Jan 16: Assessment 1 

Week 3:

M          Jan 19: NO CLASS

T           Jan 20: Wheelock Ch. 17 – The Relative Pronoun

W         Jan 21: HW Ch. 17 Ex.4, 5, 7, 12, 13; SA 4, 12

TH        Jan 22: 38 Latin Stories: The Myrmidons

F           Jan 23: In-Class Practice

Week 4:

M          Jan 26: Wheelock Ch. 18 – Present Passive I; Ablative of agent

T           Jan 27: HW Ch. 18 Ex. 1, 2, 11, 12, 13; SA 1, 9

W         Jan 28: 38 Latin Stories: A Wedding Invitation

TH        Jan 29: In-Class Practice

F           Jan 30: Assessment 2

Week 5:

M          Feb 2: Wheelock Ch. 19 – Perfect Passives; Interrogatives

T           Feb 3: HW Ch. 19 Ex. 3, 5, 7, 13, 14; SA 4, 5

W         Feb 4: 38 Latin Stories: The Judgement of Paris

TH        Feb 5: Wheelock Ch. 20 – Fourth Declension; More Ablatives

F           Feb 6: HW Ch. 20 Ex. 5, 6, 11, 13; SA 1, 2, 3, 7

Week 6:

M          Feb 9: 38 Latin Stories: The Labors of Hercules

T           Feb 10: Wheelock Ch. 21 – Present Passives II

W         Feb 11: HW Ch. 21 Ex. 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 16; SA 2, 5

TH        Feb 12: 38 Latin Stories: The Golden Age Returns

F           Feb 13: Assessment 3

Week 7:

M          Feb 16: NO CLASS

T           Feb 17: Introduction to Poetry

W         Feb 18: Wheelock Ch. 22 – Fifth Declension; Summary of Ablative Uses

TH        Feb 19: HW Ch. 22 Ex. 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 14, 16; SA 9

F           Feb 20: In-Class Practice

Week 8:

M          Feb 23:  Wheelock Ch. 23 - Participles

T           Feb 24: HW Ch. 23 Ex. 2, 5, 7, 10, 12; SA 2, 3, 9

W         Feb 25: 38 Latin Stories: Watching the Orator at Work

TH        Feb 26: In-Class Practice

F           Feb 27: Assessment 4

Week 9:

M          Mar 2: Wheelock Ch. 24 – Ablative Absolute

T           Mar 3: Wheelock Ch. 24 cont. – Passive Periphrastic

W         Mar 4: HW Ch. 24 Ex. 1, 3, 8, 13, 16; SA 1, 6, 7

TH        Mar 5: 38 Latin Stories: Caesar’s Camp is Attacked by Belgians

F           Mar 6: In-Class Practice

Week 10:

M          Mar 9: Wheelock Ch. 25 – Infinitives & Indirect Statements

T           Mar 10: HW Ch. 25 Ex. 7, 11, 13, 14; SA 13, 15, 16

W         Mar 11: Reading from Wheelock: The Death of Laocoon (p. 207)

TH        Mar 12: In-Class Practice

F           Mar 13: Review Day

            

Final Exam: on Wednesday, March 18th, 8:30 – 10:20 AM

Catalog Description:
An intensive study of grammar, with reading and writing of simple Latin prose. Second in a sequence of three. Prerequisite: LATIN 101. Offered: W.
GE Requirements Met:
Arts and Humanities (A&H)
Credits:
5.0
Status:
Active
Last updated:
January 13, 2026 - 2:15 pm