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LatinLives
AnthonyGrafton|January26,2015

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Virgil,withavolumeoftheAeneid,flankedbyClio(left)andMelpomene

Iveseenthepast,anditworks.Tobemoreprecise,IhaveheardLatinspoken,sung,readand
rapped,andIhaveseenthatitcanchangecontemporarylives.IteachhistoryatPrinceton
University.Everyyear,studentsfrommanyfieldstakemyseminarsandwritepapersforthem,and
seniorswriteBAthesesundermydirection.Since1975,Ihavereaddrafts,suggestedrevisionsand
assignedgrades.Thoughalwaysinterestingandsometimesengrossing,thispartofmyjobnever
overwhelmedmeorswallowedadisproportionateamountofmytime.Thesinglemostdramatic
alterationinmyworkinglifeoccurredwiththeintroductionoftrackchanges,whichenabledme
toeditonscreenandwritelegiblecommentsforthefirsttime.
Threeorfouryearsago,somethinghappened.Ifoundmyselfrisingbeforedawneverydayin
FebruaryandMarch,sincethatwastheonlywaytoworkthroughtheessaysandthesischapters
thatstudentsweresubmitting:undergraduatescholarshipbasedonuntranslatedmanuscriptsand
rarebooksinLatin(andEnglish,andFrench,andGerman,andOttomanTurkish).Theirtechnical
virtuosityimpressedmedeeply.Butso,evenmore,didtheenergythatpoweredit:theengagement,
thepassion,thedeeploveofandfeelingforverydistantrealmsofthepast.Inalongandhappy
careerofundergraduateteaching,Ihadntexperiencedanythingquitelikethisoutbreakor
epidemic?ofinspiredwork.
Aninfestationofundergraduategeniusdoesnthaveasinglecause.Tobeahumanistnowadays,
youhavetobearefusenik.Thestudentswhohaveremainedwithusontheburningdeckarenot
onlyintelligentbutalsoindependentminded.Theresourcesavailabletothemarefarricherthan
theywereagenerationago.TheycancalltherarestofsourcesfromthevastydeepoftheInternet,
orgotothelibraryorarchivethathousesthemandmaketheirowndigitalcopies.Eveninthehours
betweenmidnightand4am,whentheworldquietsdownandstudentsdotheirmostintensive
work,theyhaveaccesstoalibrarywithoutwalls,biggerandricherthananythathaseverexisted.
Otherfactorsmustalsoplayarole.Butitturnsoutthatforasurprisingnumberofstudents,Latin
andLatinstudyofaspecialkindhasbeenthefusethatsparkedthisexplosion.
ManyofthestudentswhohaverobbedmeofmysleephavespentasummerortwoatthePaideia
InstituteanonprofitorganizationcreatedbytwoyoungscholarsnamedJasonPediconeandEric
Hewett.InclassicalGreek,paideiameanseducationorupbringingmoreproperlytheideal
methodofeducation,whichsoughttoformthemind,characterandbodyoftheyoungmenwho
wouldservetheircitiesasactivecitizensandsoldiers.Thisconcepthasgrownandchangedover
time,asitwasadopted,andadapted,byancientChristiansandmodernhumanists,anditstill

inspiresPediconeandHewettreformulatedinaspecial,newlyinclusiveway.Afewyearsago,
theyandsomeequallycommittedcolleaguesstartedbringinghighschoolandcollegestudents,and
afewgraduatestudents,toRome,wheretheyspendsomeweeksstudyingLatin.Summerstudy,a
deadlanguage,hourstravelingonbuses:itdoesntsoundexcitingonthefaceofit,especiallyto
anyonewhoknowshowlittlestudyingtakesplaceinmanysummerprograms.Butthesesummer
experiencesaredifferent.AlotofPaideianscomebackinlovewithsomethingbiggerthan
theyreusedto,somethingbiggerthanwhatweusuallyoffertheminschoolsanduniversities,and
thatlovemakesahugedifferenceineverythingtheydo.
***
Universityhumanistsdonttalk,orhear,alotaboutlove,atleastinconnectionwiththeir
disciplines.CuriousandexhaustedIwantedtoknowmore.Lastsummer,IwenttoRome,
hopingtolearnsomeofthesecretsofPaideia.SomeofthestoryIalreadyknew:Pediconeand
Hewettandthecolleaguestheyrecruiteachyearbuildfromasingle,sharedexperiencethat
shapedtheirlives.AllofthemstudiedLatinwithalegendaryteacher,ReginaldFoster,an
Americanpriestwhoworkedformanyyearsasapapalsecretary,writingLatindocuments.In
Rome,manythingschangeslowly,ornotatall.Fosterheldthesamepositionthatthegreat
RenaissancescholarLorenzoVallafamousforexposingtheDonationofConstantineasafake
occupiedinthefifteenthcentury.HealsosharedthepassionforLatinthatinspiredVallatowrite
thefirstmodernanalysisofclassicalLatinproseusage.Fordecades,Reginaldusasgenerationsof
lovingstudentscalledhimalsotaughtLatin,foranyonewhowantedtolearn,attheGregorian
Universityduringtheacademicyearandinaseparateprogrameverysummer.Andhegaveita
specialtwist.
Reginalduscouldneverstandthemiserable,slow,passivewayinwhichstudentsinthemodern
worldlearnLatin.InRome,ashehasbeenknowntosay,thingsweredifferent:Everybumand
prostituteinthecityspokeLatinfluently.Fromthestart,heshowedhisstudentsthattheycoulddo
thesame.SystematicexercisesallofwhichReginalduscomposedhimselfmadethemuseLatin
actively,astheywoulduseamodernlanguage,fromthefirstday.Hispedagogycombined
grumpiness,demandsforimprovementandoccasionaloutbreaksoffurywithanobviousloveof
studentsandLatinalike.Reginalduslabeledassignmentsludidomestici,homeplay,ratherthan
homework,andhemeantit.Yettheplaywasserious,andincompetenceprovokedroarsof
denunciation.
Somehowitallworked.Studentswhohadspentyearsatgoodschoolsandcolleges,learninghow
toreadthirtyorfortylinesofLatinatatimeandlookingupeveryword,foundafterasummerwith
ReginaldusthattheycouldreadthehardestLatintextsonsightandnotjustreadthem,but
translatethemintoEnglishorparaphrasetheminLatin,andheartheirpowerandtheirmelody,
theirwitandtheirscorn,astheydidso.Reginaldusworkedakindofmagic.HetransformedLatin
fromasetofpuzzlestobesolvedintosomethingtobeknown,possessedandloved.
Fromtheoutside,Latinlookslikeatrulydeadlanguageonenotsomuchembodiedasembalmed
incanonicaltextswrittenmorethan2,000yearsago.Withinastunninglyshortperiodlessthana
centuryCiceroandLivybuiltmodelsofliteraryprose,LucretiusandVirgilcomposeddidactic,
epicandpastoralpoems,andCatullusandHoracecraftedlyrics,allofwhichbecameabsolute
standards.InthemasJrgenLeonhardtshowsinarecent,andexcellent,historyofLatinthe
writtenlanguagereacheditsdefinitiveform.Theseworksbecamethemodelsthatlaterwriters
imitatedandstruggledwithforcenturies.Theybecamesoexemplary,infact,thateventhe
languagetheywerewritteninfroze.Latinsyntaxandgrammarceasedchanging,astheyhadforthe
twoorthreecenturiesbeforethesemenwrote.Eventually,Latinbecameawrittenlanguage,
pronouncedonlyinsuchplacesaschurchesandschoolsoronformaloccasionslikeroyalentries
intocities.
Alanguagecanfalloutofeverydayuse,itsformscanceasetochange,andyetwriterswillstilluse

ittodonewthings.Thishappened,asLeonhardtpointsout,toSumerianandHebrewandit
happenedtoLatintoo.PeopleallovertheMediterraneanworldandbeyondcontinuedtouseLatin
afterVirgilandCiceroandtheydidsoinendlesslycreativeways.Earlyinthethirdcentury,
Perpetua,aChristianwomanatCarthage,composedagraphicLatindiaryofthevisionsthat
sustainedherasshewaitedtodieinthearena.Twohundredyearslater,Augustinewove,inhis
Confessions,anintimatehistoryofhisowndevelopmentintoaChristian.Inthetwelfthcentury,
PeterAbelardandHeloiseexchangedpassionateLatinlettersaboutloveandphilosophy.A
hundredandfiftyyearslater,ThomasAquinasbuiltmassiveLatinstructuresofChristiandoctrine,
complexandconsistentasGothiccathedrals.Laterstill,DesideriusErasmusdevisedhisown
brilliantlyoriginalformofLatinproseandusedittolaunchsharpsatiresonsuperstitionand
passionateargumentsthatChristiansmustseekpeace.
***
PaganandChristian,ancientandmedieval,RenaissanceandBaroque:forReginaldus,itwasall
Latin.Andheassignedhisstudentssamplesofallofit,alongwiththeclassics.Studentswhohad
seenLatinasastrangesetoflinguisticpuzzles,tobetranslatedfortylinesatatime,notonly
startedreadingtheycametoseewhattheyreadnotastheproductofafewmarmorealRoman
geniusesbutastheworkofrealmenandwomenfrommanytimesandplaces,adepositofmore
than2,000yearsofartistryandhistoryandtradition.Reginaldusscoursesbecamefamous.Young
studentsandexperiencedteachers,highschoolstudentsandretireestookthem.Renowned
historianswouldcomebackeverysummerforatuneupbeforeheadingintothearchives.
Halfwaythroughthesummerof2008,thetwentythirdyearofhisLatincourseinRome,
Reginaldushadtobehospitalized.Pedicone,HewettandanotherformerstudentofReginaldus,
LeahWhittington,whonowteachesEnglishandclassicsatHarvard,ledthecourseforthe
remainingfiveweeks.Eventually,itbecameclearthatReginalduswouldnotreturntoRome.He
retiredtoMilwaukee,where,happily,heisnowteachingactivelyagain.Sohisdisciplessetoutto
rebuildhisprogramandtoputitonanewfoundation.Reginaldussmethodremainsthe
groundworkoftheirteaching,andhehimselfispresentintheconversationeveryday,astheruling
spirit.Theycelebratehimwithinspiringloyalty.Buttheyhavealsofoundwaystobuildan
infrastructuresomethingReginaldusscourseslacked.Paideiasstaffmembersteachinmodern,
airconditionedclassroomsratherthanaswelteringconventcafeteria,wherethestudentsoncesatat
desksbuiltforItalian5yearolds.
Paideiasprogramshavemultiplied.ClassicalscholarstakehighschoolLatinteacherstoGaul
well,toFrancetofollowJuliusCaesarsinvasion.Thetripgivesnewlifetotheteachingofhis
GallicWarsanotherworktraditionallytaughtasifitwerentaboutrealpeoplefightinganddying
inrealplaces.HighschoolaswellascollegestudentscometoRomeforfiveweekLatinsessions.
ThosewhohaveagoodbackgroundinclassicalGreekcanspendasimilarperiodinaprettyseaside
villageonthenorthcoastofthePeloponnese,readingandspeakingAtticGreekandperformingin
aGreektragedy.
ThatmuchIknewwhenIarrivedinRomeinlateJune.Buttheexperiencewasricherandstranger
thananythingIhadexpected.Onmyfirstevening,studentsandteachersmetfordinnerinan
ancientRomancellararestaurantinthebasementofPompeystheater.Latintextswerereadand
discussed.Latinsongsweresung,includinganaccountofCaesarscareer,settoOhMyDarling,
Clementine.Theenthusiasmandhilaritythataccompaniedallofthisdidntremindmeofany
LatinclassIhadevertaken.NordidthefluencywithwhichstudentsreadLatin.Forthenextfew
days,Iattendedclasses,satinondiscussionsandwentontrips.AndIbegantoseehowthemagic
works.
PaideialikeReginaldusssummercoursebeforeitissimultaneouslyeasyanddemanding.The
studentsdontdoalotofrequiredhomework,andtheydontmemorizeasmanyformsas
Reginaldusspupilsdid.Theyarestillassignedthoseludidomestici,onwhichsomeofthemputin

alotofwork.Inpractice,though,theyseemtospendmostoftheirtimeinclassesandontrips
readingLatinordoingexercisesthattheyhaventseenbefore.Everyoneendsupreadingalotof
LatinaloudandbeingcorrectedsuggestingLatinwaysofsayingthingsandbeingcorrected
againandtranslatingandbeingcorrectedyetathirdtime.Paideiamaynotdemandthe
expenditureofmidnightoil,butitasksforandreceivesawonderfulkindofconcentration.It
alsorequirespublic,activeperformance,whichisalwaysjudged.Daybyday,thelanguage
becomesreal.
Acentralprinciple,forPaideiaasforReginaldus,isthatreadingancienttextsintheplaceswhere
theyweremeditatedandwrittengivesthemaspecialimpact.ThisideahasaRomanpedigree.
CicerodescribeshimselfandhisRomanfriendsstudyingGreekphilosophyinAthens.They
imaginethattheymightbumpintoSocratesorPlatoandargueaboutthemeritsoftheirfavorite
Greekthinkerswithinsightoftheirhauntsandtheirmonuments.PaideiaturnsCicerosevocation
ofabelovedpastintoapowerfulpedagogicalmethod.Oneday,wewentsouthbybustotheabbeys
ofMonteCassino,whereAquinasstudied,andFossanova,wherehedied.Standingundershade
treesonthegreathilltopatMonteCassino,studentsreadandtranslatedanaccountofthegreat
theologiansearlylife.SittinginthechapelatFossanova,wealldidourbesttosingahymnthat
Aquinashimselfhadcomposed.Alostworldrosearoundus.
Pleasesupportourjournalism.Getadigitalsubscriptionforjust$9.50![1]

Onanother,sunnyday,wewalkedalongtherockysurfaceoftheAppianWay,theroadthatleads
outfromthecitytothesoutheast.Sittingintheshade,wereadasatireinwhichHoracevividly
describesthemiseriesoftravelingontheAppianWay.Inthecourseofthefullfiveweeks,
studentsreadSenecasdiscussionofgladiatorsintheColosseumandrecitetheSibylsprophecyin
hercave,workthroughCicerosoratoryintheForumandreadHoracespoems,barefoot,bythe
BandusianFountain,towhichhededicatedalovelyode.
Cicero,itturnsout,wasright.Theressomethingmagicalaboutreadingthesetextsintheirplaces
andseeingwhattheplacesthemselveshavemeantoverthecenturies.AswereadHorace,who
rantslikeanancientPaulTherouxaboutlifeontheroad,wesawtravelerswalkingbyinpairs,just
asHoracehad.Hewett,wholedtheclassthatIsatinon,pointedthemoutaseagerlyashe
explainedthedetailsofthepoemsgeographyandterminology.Healsotooktimetoevokethe
FrenchpaintersoftheseventeenthcenturywhowalkedtheAppianWaytoleavethehotcityforthe
countrysidethattheylovedmore.
IhavebeenreadingHorace,offandon,sincemylastyearinhighschool.ButIneverfelthis
humororappreciatedhispowersofobservationasIdid,sittingonastonewallinthesunand
listeningtobrightyoungLatinistsarguingabouttheprecisewaytotranslatedifficultwords.Past
andpresentdidntjustmeet:theyintertwined.Insteadofheavydictionaries,thestudentsused
smartphoneappstofinddefinitionsandparallelstosupporttheirarguments.Paideiahasnothing
againstcomputers,orevendistanceinstruction:thosewhowantremoteaccesscanhaveit,via
Telepaideia.Buttheheartoftheenterpriseisveryold:tofindthesortofcontactwithaliving,
humanpastthattheRomansthemselvesknewhowtofind.
***
PaideiasemphasisonthelongtermfitsitsRomanhabitatperfectly.Latinculturewasbornold.By
thetimethatRomansandimmigrantsbegantocomposeambitiousliteraryworks,thecityhad
existedforseveralhundredyears.Ithadbeenbesiegedandsackedbyforeignersandfoughtover,
oftenviciously,bynatives.Latinliteraturewasnew,butitembodiedandtransmittedthevaluesof
anancientsociety.Thereissomethingprofoundlyright,accordingly,abouttreatingLatin,asit
developedinRomeandsurvivedafterRomefell,asacoherentmillennialtradition.
AnditsnotjustthelanguagethatPaideiatreatsinthisrichlyhistoricalway.Theprogram,asone

alumnawroteme,revealsandpeelsbacklayersofhistory,evenwithintheprogramitself,asyou
areadoptedintoapeculiaracademicgenealogy(beginningwithReginaldus),somewhatasRomans
werealwaysadoptingeachother.Bytheend,withourTshirts,wewereallciceroniani,whichis
whatReginalduscalledhisstudents.Andthenthereisthewaytheprogramshowsthelayersofthe
landscapeofRomeitself,fromthearchaeologicaltothetextual.YouarriveinRomeoftenforthe
firsttime,ifyoure20andasyourknowledgeofthelandscapegrowswithtripstoespressobars
andnighttimebars,youstarttoseethewaythelociofLatinliteratureoverlapwiththoseofthe
city.Paideiagivesyoudoublevision.AnotherformerstudentevokedPaideiasunique
collapsingofmodernItalyandancientRome.Inanageofinstantmessagesandflashingimages,
Paideiateacheslessonsaboutapastthat,asFaulknertaughtusaboutthatoftheSouth,hasnever
died.
TheLatinistswhoteachatPaideiatakeverydifferentapproachestotheirwork.Pedicone,whipthin
andgiventobouncingoffthewalls,pullsstudentswithhimintoactivitiesthatrangefromarguing
aboutthemeaningoftextstosingingYellowSubmarine(NavisLutea).Helives,playsand
rapsinLatin.Hewettwalksaslower,morereflectivepath,bindingtextstothelonghistoryofthe
cityandthelanguagethoughhecanbeasquickasPediconetomakefunofeverybodysbad
pronunciation.DanielGallagheracleftchinnedandcharismaticpriestwhonowwritesLatin
documentsforthepopebringsastrikingintensityandseriousnesstotheclassroom.Leah
Whittingtonwasntteachingthisyearbutaformerstudentvividlydescribedherfluid,natural
LatinandthejoyousOptime!withwhichshegreetsanelegantuseofunusualLatinwords.
EveryoneoftheircolleaguesincludingsomededicatedteachersfromAmericanuniversitieshas
adistinctiveapproach(andsenseofhumor).Theyreunited,though,bytheexampleandthe
methodofReginaldus,whotaughtthemall.AndtheyshareapassionforLatinandfor
communicatingwithstudentsthatisletsjustsaynotalwaysasevidentinuniversitiesasitisin
thislittle,intenseworld.ThemixbecomesevenricherthankstootherFosterstudents,Paideia
alumniandLatinspeakingfriendsofthestaffwhoappearfromtimetotimeaswellas
restaurateurswhohavewelcomedPaideiagroupsyearafteryear,offeringItalianhospitalityatits
mostappealing.
PediconeandHewettdescribetheirinstituteasahumanitiesstartup.Thatsasunny,optimistic
term,onerarelyheardinconnectionwiththehumanities,exceptwhensomeonetellsusthat
massiveopenonlinecourseswilltransformhighereducation.Anditfits.Paideiahasfive
universitiesasinstitutionalmembersBrown,Cornell,Dartmouth,HarvardandPrinceton.They
supportPaideiabysendingstudentstostudyandfacultymemberstoteachinitsprograms.There
arealsohighschoolmembers,andsomeinspiringprojectsespeciallyAequora,acollaboration
createdbyPaideiasalumniboardandaBrooklynnonprofit,StillWatersinaStorm,which
providesanafterschoolsanctuaryforchildreninBushwick.Afriendwhovisitedwrites:Latinis
currentlyinvogueasapaternalistformofsocialreform(cf.BorisJohnson),buttherecouldnotbe
anythinglessoldschoolthantheclassroomof3rdgraders,noneofthemwhite,towhomLiz
Butterworth[aPaideiaalumnawhoholdsafellowshipwiththeinstitute]andherhighschool
helperswereteachingLatinconjunctions.
Buttheinstituteexists,forthemoment,inaworldofitsown.Youdontgotheretoearnacreditor
agrade,thoughthosemaywellcomeinthefuture,buttolearnasetofskillsonesthatseemthe
quintessenceoftheimpractical,skillswithnomarketvalue.Andthat,inturn,explainsabigpartof
Paideiasimpact.Studentsgobecausetheywantto,andcomebackbecausetheyreaddicted.
Alumnijointhecurrentgroupforadayortwo.Sometimesitsjusttorechargespiritualbatteries.
Sometimestheytakethingsinadirectionoftheirown.Oneofmyhistorystudentsledan
impromptutourofRomesobelisks,commentinginLatinabouttheseventeenthcenturyJesuit
AthanasiusKircher,whohelpedBerninicreatetwodizzyinglydramaticBaroquemonuments.
Paideiansworkhard.Buttheyexperiencetheworkaspleasureandwantmoreofit.
ThestudentswhochoosePaideiastandoutinmanywaysnotleastforthesensethatlearningcan

bejoyous,whichmakesmanyofthemadelighttoteach.Especiallystriking,though,asoneof
themremarkedtome,isthefactthatsomanyofthemfeelcalledtobehighschooloruniversity
teachers.Theoldtermcallingisjustrighthere.PaideianswhomIhavemetseeteachingasa
vocationahighone,whoseobjectistotouchsoulsaswellastotrainminds.AndoneofPaideias
centralpurposesistocultivatethisvision.TheprogramprovidesitsstudentsnotonlywithLatin,
butalsowithdowntimeandampleopportunitytotalk,withoneanotherandtheteachers,about
teachingandLatinandwhatitallmeans.
Onbustripsandovercoffee,undertheshadetreesandincafes,thestudentshavemanychancesto
chewoverthestateofthehumanities.Theyhearandtellhorrorstoriesabouttheuniversityswoes
thepressuretopublish,forexample,whichcansqueezethejoyfromthelivesofbrilliantyoung
academics.Buttheyalsohearstoriesthatconvey,somuchmorevividlythanmanifestos,howthe
humanitiesandtheirteacherscanchangelives.Someseemtobecomemoredeterminedasthey
learnmoreaboutthedifficultiesthattheymayconfront(Isaidtheywererefuseniks).Allofthem
haveaclearersense,bytheendofthesummer,oftheworldstheyhopetoenter.Otiumleisurefor
thoughtanddiscussionwasprizedandhonoredinancientRome.Paideiagivesitsstudentsjust
that,andtheyuseitastheyshould.
***
Classics,intheEnglishspeakingworld,usedtogowithprivilege,whiteandmale.SomePaideians
notallofthemwhiteormaleorrichcomefromexcellentprivateschools.Somepaythefull
fees,whicharenotcheap.Buttheinstitutesbackershavealreadybeguntoprovidescholarships.
Classicsdepartmentshelpoutwhentheycan.AdmissiontoallPaideiaprogramswillsoonbeneed
blind.Paideiansaremaleandfemale,richandpoor,gayandstraight,whiteandnonwhite,glinty
eyedconservativeandbleedingheartliberal(andifyouthinkthatlastmatchiseasytobroker,you
haventbeenonacampuslately).TheressomethingaboutLatinthatcompelsandenchantsthem
allasLatinoncegavetheAfricanplaywrightTerence,whocametoRomeasaslave,awayto
explainwhatcosmopolitanismmeans.Homosum,oneofhischaracterssays,humaninihil
alienumameputoImahumanbeing,Idontthinkanythinghumanisforeigntome.
Oneafternoononthebus,PediconeandHewettbegantotellstoriesaboutReginaldus.Great
teachersgenerateanecdotesitshowtheyliveon,howthemeaningoftheirworkispassedon
acrossthegenerations.Theyspoke,withlovingastonishment,abouthowfarheseemed,inperson,
fromamodelofcharisma.Reginalduswasutterlyunadorned.HeworeasuitlikeaMaytag
repairmansuniform,spokeroughlywithstudentswhodisappointedhim,andmadenoefforttowin
anyonesfavor.Astheytalked,IrememberedseeinghimintheForumonablazinghotRoman
Sunday.ThesunreflectedoffhisbaldpateashespokeLatin,inaringingvoice,toagroupwhose
membersseemedtobemelting.
Studentslistenedintently.Questionscame.AChineseclassicistwhohadtaughtherselfEnglish,
andthenLatin,recalledafamoustextbyErasmus,TheSilenusofAlcibiades.Herethegreat
humanistdescribedAlcibiadesverbalportraitofSocratesasaSilenus:anuglyfigure,shabbyand
unattractiveontheoutsideyetfulloftreasuresforthosewhocouldseewithin.Listenhardto
Reginaldus,HewettandPediconeexplained,andyouhearthatheisnotteachingyouabout
conjugationsanddeclensions,butsomethingmuchsimplerandmuchdeeper.Latincansaveyour
life.Latinisinfinite,andinfinitelyrich.Wecometoanend,butLatindoesnt.Studyingitgivesus
perspective,visionandinspiration.ItsnotthateveryPaideianbecomes,orshouldbecome,a
professor.Thehumanitiesdontworkthatway.StudyingLatin,thewayPaideiateachesyoutodo,
makesyoumorehuman,inaspecialsensethatcanmakeyoudecidetopursuecareersofmany
kinds.OneofPaideiasmottoesis:LinguaLatinanonestpiscismortuusTheLatinlanguage
isnotadeadfish.Itsureisnt.
PaideianschoosePaideia.ButPaideiaalsochangesthem.Itbringsthemthingsthatanordinary
education,evenagoodordinaryeducation,maynot:thejoyofhardwoncompetenceand

discovery,asenseofthedepthandpoweroftradition,agraspofthemusicofpoetry.Itteaches
themthatwhattheystudymatters,becauseitcanchangelives,anditmakesthemhopethatifthey
becomethehumaniststheywanttobe,theyllchangelivestoo.IdontknowifPaideiawillalways
havetheimpactithasnow.Idontknowifthesestudents,whocomebackfromRomeandGreece
andthrowthemselvesintoscholarship,willfindeverythingtheyhopeforthere.Forthemoment,
though,Iknowwhatawaitsmeinafewweeks:sleeplessnights,exhaustedmorningsandboundless
pleasure.ThejoyofLatin,thejoyofscholarship.Whodhavethoughtit?Reginaldus,forastart,
andhisdisciples.Maybemoreofusshouldstartlisteningtothem.
SourceURL:http://www.thenation.com/article/196177/latinlives
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