LATIN INTENSIVE SUMMER SCHOOL

CHRISTOPHER DAWSON CENTRE

35th ANNUAL SUMMER SCHOOL 

IN MEDIEVAL AND LATER LATIN

NOTRE DAME PRIORY, COLEBROOK, TASMANIA

6 - 10 JANUARY, 2025

Latin is arguably the mother tongue of Europe.  Its literature is immensely rich. This course will offer a general introduction to Latin of all periods but with particular emphasis on the enormous body of medieval and later literature.  We shall read original passages of scripture, liturgy, history, theology and poetry, both secular and secular.  There will also be an introduction to palaeography, including an opportunity to handle original medieval manuscripts.  There will be a strong emphasis on the pronunciation of Latin in speech and music.

The course us designed for students who already have some Latin, but determined absolute beginners should purchase a self-instruction primer and work on the basics between now and the start of the course.  Participants will never be embarrassed by their shaky Latin: the teaching method leaves the entire task of translation and exposition to the Lecturer. This approach has been useful to relative beginners as well as those who are more experienced. 

Where: Notre Dame Priory, Richmond Road, Colebrook 7027

When: Monday 6 January to Friday 10 January 2025

Time: 9.00 am to 3.00 pm each day for five days

Cost: Tuition $350.00.  Tea and coffee and lunch will be provided daily.  

Registrations are essential: email director@dawsoncentre.org.

THE PROGRAMME

There will be four lectures a day on each of the five days, from Monday 6th to Friday 10th, starting at 9.00 am. There will be only one lecture after lunch each day, to free up the afternoons for private study.

TOPICS COVERED

•   Liturgy and Scripture.
•       Latin prose narrative: including passages from the Venerable Bede, St Brendan, Peter Abelard, Isidore of Seville, Robert Grosseteste
•       Hymns, sequences and religious poetry, including works by St Ambrose, Venantius Fortunatus, Adam of St Victor, and St Thomas Aquinas. 
•       Secular Poetry, including songs from the Carmina Burana.  
•       The Classical tradition, starting with passages from Virgil. 
•       Theology and Patristics: St Augustine, Boethius, St Thomas Aquinas, St Benedict, St Patrick and Thomas a Kempis.
•       Palaeography - handling and interpreting manuscripts.

Participants should bring both a grammar and a small dictionary to class each day.

Any Latin grammar can be used, but F Kinchin Smith’s Teach Yourself Latin (out of print, but copies are available from  www.abebooks.com) is particularly recommended.  A free digitised version is available at https://archive.org/details/TeachYourselfLatin_201810/mode/2up.  

All requests for accommodation should be directed to the Priory at: guestmaster@notredamemonastery.org.

All proceeds from this course go to the Christopher Dawson Centre (http://www.dawsoncentre.org).

For further information contact director@dawsoncentre.org.