The 35 chapters form a sequence of scenes and incidents from the life of a Roman family in the second century A.D. Part I covers the essentials of Latin grammar and introduces a basic vocabulary of some 1600 words. In addition, factual information is given in the margin. Here, too, all new words and structures, if not immediately intelligible from the context, are explained by marginal notes or illustrations. While reading this story and learning facts about the Roman life and traditions, the students pick up the vocabulary and grammar that will enable them to go on, in Part II, to read a representative selection of Latin literature, both prose and poetry. To meet these demands the chapters of Lingva Latina I form a continuous narrative, a sort of Latin novel, which captivates the students so that they look forward to reading the continuation of the story. This demands a carefully graded text, but in order to make learning efficient the content should stimulate interest and curiosity and make it easy for the reader to visualise the scenes and situations described.
In the text every sentence is intelligible per se, or self-explanatory, because the meaning and function of all new words and grammatical forms are made clear by the context in which they occur, or if necessary, by illustrations or marginal notes using vocabulary already learned. The direct method is based on the inductive principle of learning. II: Roma Aeterna - the advanced course, with Indices covering both parts. It consists of two parts: I: Familia Romana - the fundamental or elementary course. A complete line of ancillary volumes, exercises, and readers both in print and online.The Latin course is written entirely in Latin. A vocabulary of almost 1,800 words, reinforced by constant and creatively phrased repetition, vastly expands the potential for later sight reading. The most comprehensive treatment of Latin grammar available in an elementary textbook. Lingua Latina incorporates the following features: The book includes a table of inflections, a Roman calendar, and a word index, index vocabulorum. Hans Oerberg's impeccable Latinity, humorous stories, and the Peer Lauritzen illustrations make this work a classic. Each chapter is divided into two or three lectiones (lessons) of a couple pages each followed by a grammar section, Grammatica Latina, and three exercises or Pensa. Part I, Familia Romana contains thirty-five chapters and describes the life of a Roman family in the 2nd century A.D., and culminate in readings from classical poets and Donatus's Ars Grammatica, the standard Latin school text for a millennium. It is also the most popular text for teachers, at both the secondary and collegiate levels, who wish to incorporate conversational skills into their classroom practice. It is the only textbook currently available that gives students the opportunity to learn Latin without resorting to translation, but allows them to think in the language. Students first learn grammar and vocabulary intuitively through extended contextual reading and an innovative system of marginal notes. Hans Oerberg's Lingua Latina per se Illustrata is the world's premiere textbook for learning Latin via the Natural Method.