Day 49 was yesterday, August 17, 2012. The last instructional day of the Summer Latin Institute. At last, the end is nearly here.
For morning drill, we read Horace’s Odes 1.37 (Nunc est bibendum), 3.25 (Quo me rapis), and 3.30 (Exegi monumentum).
After morning drill, we went straight into electives: Tacitus’ Annals, Augustine’s Confessions, or Vergil’s Eclogues.
The elective session was limited to one hour, after which we left the premises to celebrate our students’ accomplishments offsite—Latin and Greek students alike. We like to keep the details of that celebration under wraps, so as not to spoil any surprises that may be in store for students in subsequent summers. Let me just say there may have been some singing and reciting of poetry in Latin and Greek, some drinking of Bacchic beverages, and some eating of delicious food. And perhaps a laurel wreath or two.
This is the first weekend since their “summer vacation” in July that they have no homework. They do, however, have to study for the final exam on Monday. On Tuesday, students will come in for a few minutes to get their final grades, course grades, commemorative tee-shirts (of their own design), and to bid their teachers farewell, hopefully with minimal recriminations for the rigors to which we have subjected them these past ten weeks.
Does all of this sound too good to be true? Tell your friends. Tell your students. Just think—You could be doing this next summer!
More soon…
Note: The opinions expressed in this blog entry are those of the blogger, and do not represent the opinions of the CUNY Latin/Greek Institute, its students, faculty, or administration.