Viktor Vlcek

I have been teaching Latin for 2 years now. In addition to university students (mostly in theology, religious studies, and Romance languages), who need to prepare for an exam, I also lead groups of Gymnasium students who take part in my online course voluntarily, out of their own interest. I therefore believe that I succeed in preparing lessons in such a way that all of the participants find engaging.

What follows is an overview of my lesson for beginners; lessons for non-beginners are, of course, structured differently, always being tailored to your individual needs and requirements.

In the introductory lessons, we read very simple texts—so simple, in fact, that you will discover that you actually know a bit of Latin already :)
After the very easy beginning, the texts become a little harder, but only very, very gradually; I would say almost imperceptibly, because before each new step we thoroughly practise the grammar points already covered.
What I particularly enjoy is that we frequently branch out into fields where Latin appears, uncovering previously unsuspected connections and interesting facts, which make the lessons more varied and colourful.

A few examples:

- thanks to the vocabulary from the second chapter, students are already able to translate the phrase ancilla Domini. We will then discuss the story from which this expression originates, look at how painters from different historical periods depicted parts of this story (Fra Angelico, Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, Dante Gabriel Rossetti), and learn how the tale relates to the division of the day in the Middle Ages and to the Advent preparation for Christmas

- in the chapter with the vocabulary ‘Corpus humanum’ we come across the noun ‘cor’ for the first time; to help us remember it more easily, we’ll look at Sir Paul McCartney’s coat of arms, translate the inscription on it, the students then try to guess the meaning of the individual heraldic elements, and we round this digression off by listening to McCartney’s song ‘We Can Work It Out’, a message you will no doubt find useful in your life

- by the third chapter, you will be able to translate the phrase ‘Sic semper tyrannis’, and on that occasion we may revise what you remember about Abraham Lincoln;
in relation to the USA, by the second term you will be able to translate the mottos of some US states as well as the US national motto, ‘E pluribus Unum’

- from the chapter on natural phenomena including the noun ‘coelum’, we will take a brief detour into architecture: by now you will be able to translate the inscription on the façade of the church on Žižkova Street in Budweis (Czech Republic) by yourself, and in that context we will talk about the so-called Beuroner Kunstschule, of which this church is a fine example.

Last but not least: throughout my course, you will learn the meaning of well-known Latin sayings and gain an understanding of the etymology of many English and internationally used terms.

I look forward to seeing you in the course.